Something tells me these models aren't SPANX's target audience...

For years, people have been wanting a quick and easy way to look slimmer. There have been diet drugs, powders, shakes, shoes; anything that promises to help you shed pounds and look thinner. Of course, there is always the tried-and-true method of exercising to become thinner and healthier, but many people still fall for the fads and quick-fixes.

One of the newer quick-fixes is as easy as putting on a pair of pants and a shirt. SPANX Active Wear (see image) offers a wide variety of body-shaping fitness clothing to help women feel more confident in their own skin. The SPANX fabric helps conceal trouble spots like muffin-tops and cellulite, while also using back seams that “improve your rear view.” In addition to the traditional pants and tank-tops, SPANX also offers a bodysuit to flatten your stomach and other pieces that flatten your thighs and butt.

So you can now buy SPANX clothing made specifically for the gym. I can get behind anything that encourages women to hit the gym, but pants with names like “Slim-X Bagel-Busters” have many people wondering if it is sending the wrong message. Don’t get me started on the “Wrap & Go,” which for a whopping $68 is specifically designed to hide your butt at the gym. What about doing some squats, SPANX?

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Are wrist straps or ankle braces necessary for your workouts? There has been a lot of controversy over the years about wearing supportive gear during exercise.

If you have an injury or are trying to prevent further injury, then it’s a “no brainer” to wear supportive gear. Supportive gear is designed to support and protect, but what is it doing to the muscles or other parts of your body?

When you wear wrist straps or ankle braces, the body learns to lean on the assistance and doesn’t have to work as hard. For instance, when you wear wrist straps, your grip strength is lessened by the straps, as the strap holds the majority of the weight, and therefore the gripping muscles and other normally recruited muscles are being used less. On the other hand, straps allow you to lift more weight and perform more repetitions, so whether or not you use them depends on what your goal is. (Plus, if you are worried about your grip strength, you should be doing grip strengthening exercises on a weekly basis anyway).
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