About Integrated Strengthwear
What is PTP Integrated Strengthwear?
PTP Integrated Strengthwear is performance apparel with small, removable weights positioned over key muscles, rather than the joints. This adds resistance to the movement you’re already doing, so your muscles work harder with every step, stride or repetition.
Wear it for everything from walking and everyday movement to running, gym training and sport-specific drills.
How does Integrated Strengthwear work?
The light weights make your muscles work a little harder every time you move. The individual weights may be small, but across hundreds or thousands of movements, that additional work adds up.
How is it different from wrist and ankle weights?
Our principle is simple: load the muscle, not the joint.
Ankle and wrist weights hang at the joint, which places the load on the ankle or wrist itself. PTP Integrated Strengthwear places weight over the muscle belly and away from the joint, and spreads it across several pockets for a more even, controlled load.
What is different about the weighted vest?
Unlike traditional weighted vests that can concentrate the load, the Integrated Strengthwear vest distributes resistance across 16 individual pockets around the torso. This allows you to build the load gradually and keep it evenly distributed.
The vest has 16 individual weight pockets (8 front and 8 back), each holding a 0.23kg weight, for up to 3.63kg of total resistance.
Are the weights removable?
Yes. The micro-weights can be removed, allowing you to adjust the resistance to suit your activity, experience and training goals.
Are weights included with each garment?
Weights are sold separately, but once you own them, you can move them between compatible Integrated Strengthwear products that use the same weight size.
What weight sizes are available?
Integrated Strengthwear uses two types of removable wearable weights:
Pocket weights Small 0.25 lb (0.11 kg) weights
Compact weights designed for use with compatible tops, arm bands and arm sleeves. They add progressive upper-body resistance without unnecessary bulk or restriction.
Pocket weights large 0.50 lb (0.23 kg) weights
Larger weights designed for use with compatible bottoms and leg gear. They provide scalable lower-body or full-body resistance for activities focused on speed, strength and power.
Please check the relevant product page to confirm which weights are compatible with each garment and how many are required.
What are the weights made from?
Steel core with silicone coating
Choosing Your Setup
What should I buy first?
Start with the pieces that best match how you already move. For a balanced setup, choose an upper-body and lower-body piece, such as a weighted top with shorts or leggings.
If you want to focus on a particular area or activity, you can also start with a single garment:
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For walking and everyday movement, consider shorts with calf sleeves or leggings.
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For running, cycling and lower-body conditioning, choose shorts with calf sleeves or leggings to add resistance through the legs.
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For gym sessions and full-body circuits, combine lower-body pieces with a weighted top.
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For upper-body or sport-specific movement, arm pieces or a weighted top can add resistance to repeated arm movement and rotation.
You can begin with one garment or combine pieces to suit your activity. For a whole-body setup, we recommend including the calf sleeves or leggings, then adding resistance across your chosen upper- and lower-body pieces. If you have an injury, medical condition or concerns about exercising with added resistance, seek advice from an appropriate healthcare professional before use.
Is Integrated Strengthwear suitable for beginners?
Yes. The removable weights make it easy to start light and build gradually. Begin with movement you can already perform comfortably and with good control.
If the added resistance changes the way you move or causes discomfort, reduce the load or stop. If you have any concerns about exercising with added resistance, seek advice from an appropriate healthcare professional.
Do I need to buy a complete outfit?
No. You can wear an individual piece to add resistance to a particular area.
Can I combine different pieces?
Yes. The range is designed to work together, so you can combine upper- and lower-body pieces and adjust the resistance to suit your activity and goals. You don't need to wear every product at once.
How much resistance should I use?
More resistance isn’t automatically better. The aim is to increase the workload without changing the way you move.
Start each garment at around half its available load and stay there for at least two weeks while your body adjusts. Once you're moving comfortably and naturally, gradually add resistance. For a whole-body setup, work towards approximately 3–4% of your body weight, distributed across the moving limbs and including resistance at the calves.
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50–65kg body weight: target load of 1.5–2.6kg
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65–85kg body weight: target load of 1.9–3.4kg
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85–105kg body weight: target load of 2.5–4.1kg
If you weigh more than 105kg, continue to use the 3–4% guide and build the target load through the calf-anchored limb pieces. If you are new to exercise, returning after injury, pregnant, or managing a medical or mobility condition, seek advice from an appropriate healthcare professional before use.
Can I add the weighted vest?
Yes. The weighted vest can be added to your setup for up to 3.63kg (8lb) of additional resistance.
Wearing and Using It
What activities can I do in Integrated Strengthwear?
Integrated Strengthwear can be incorporated into:
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Walking and everyday movement
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Running and cycling
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Gym and strength training
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Fitness classes and circuits
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Sport-specific training and drills
Start with familiar, controlled movement while you adjust to the added resistance.
If you have an injury, medical condition or concerns about exercising with added resistance, seek advice from an appropriate healthcare professional before use.
How do I add Integrated Strengthwear to my routine?
Start by wearing Integrated Strengthwear during an activity you already do comfortably. Begin at around half load and with a shorter session while your body adjusts.
Increase resistance or duration gradually, not both at the same time. Your usual posture, technique and movement should stay the same.
If the resistance changes the way you move or causes pain, dizziness, numbness, unusual shortness of breath or loss of balance, stop and remove the resistance.
If the added resistance changes the way you move or causes pain, unusual shortness of breath or loss of balance, stop and remove the resistance.
If you are new to exercise, returning after injury, pregnant, or managing a medical, balance or mobility condition, seek advice from an appropriate healthcare professional before use.
Do I need to do a specific workout?
No. Integrated Strengthwear adds resistance to movement already in your routine.
You can wear it during a planned workout, sport-specific training or suitable everyday activity. You don’t need to learn a completely new exercise program to begin using it.
Can I wear it under other clothing?
Absolutely.
Will the weights bounce or move?
The garments are designed to hold the weights close to your body and minimise movement. With the correct fit and the weights properly inserted, they should remain secure as you move.
You may notice a small amount of movement during higher-intensity activity, particularly in the full-length leggings. This is normal and should be minimal. Always check that every weight is fully inserted and secure before use.
How do I insert and remove the weights?
For T-shirts with weight pockets accessed from inside the garment, insert the weights before putting the T-shirt on.
For all other garments, including bottoms, vests and sleeves, put the garment on first and then insert the weights into the designated pockets.
Distribute the weights evenly across both sides of the garment and make sure each weight is fully inserted and secure before use. Remove the garment before taking the weights out.
Please refer to the relevant product page for detailed instructions for each garment.
Should the weight be evenly distributed?
Yes. Build the load evenly across the left and right sides unless a qualified professional has prescribed a different setup.
Performance and Results
Does Integrated Strengthwear work?
Wearable-resistance research shows that adding light resistance to movement makes your muscles work harder and increases the energy required to move.
In matched-condition testing, participants completed the same walking and jogging activities with and without a calf-anchored limb-loading setup equal to approximately 3–4% of body weight. Wearing the system increased measured oxygen consumption, heart rate, ventilation and calorie expenditure.
The strongest responders burned up to 35% more calories across the session and reached training intensity up to 74% faster, while perceived effort remained comparable at the higher measured intensity.*
*Read more about the science behind Integrated Strengthwear on our blog here
Does it burn more calories?
In matched testing, the strongest responders recorded calorie expenditure up to 35% higher across the same session.
Will my workout feel harder?
Not necessarily. During matched testing, participants worked at a higher measured intensity while reporting comparable or lower perceived effort at matched points in the session.
How does it impact training intensity?
In matched testing, the strongest responders reached training intensity up to 74% faster while wearing the tested loading system.
It does not mean they ran 74% faster or improved their athletic performance by 74%. It refers specifically to the time taken to reach the measured training-intensity threshold during the test.
Fit, Safety and Care
How should Integrated Strengthwear fit?
Integrated Strengthwear should feel snug enough to keep the weights securely in place, without restricting your movement.
If the garment causes pinching, numbness or tingling, the fit is too tight. Use the size guide on the relevant product page to find the right fit.
How do I wash the garments?
Care: Remove all weights before washing. Machine wash cold. Line / air dry. Do not bleach or iron.
How do I clean the weights?
Wipe clean, Allow the weights to dry completely before returning them to the garment. Do not use bleach, solvents or abrasive cleaning products unless approved in the product instructions.
Can I wear it in the rain or water?
Yes, Integrated Strengthwear can be worn in the rain. After use, remove the weights, rinse the garment and weights thoroughly with fresh water, and allow them to dry completely before storing or using them again.
Chlorine and salt water may cause some colour fading or discolouration. If the garments or weights are exposed to a chlorinated pool or seawater, rinse them thoroughly with fresh water as soon as possible and allow them to dry completely.
How should I store it?
Remove the weights from the garment and make sure both the garment and weights are clean and completely dry before storing them.
Store them in a cool, dry place away from prolonged moisture, direct sunlight and excessive heat.