I decided to try out TOGU Brasils as running equipment for building up the muscles in my arms and torso on my usual run around the house. I would like to share my experiences in this self-experiment.
The start: getting used to and pleasant surprises
At first, it was unusual to hold something in my hand while running, but with every meter I ran, I got more and more used to the brasils. My initial fears that the nubs would dig into my hand turned out to be unfounded. They actually felt comfortable and soft. I also had the impression that the blood circulation in my hands improved compared to the normal hand position. I also didn’t find the additional weight of around 200 grams annoying.
The effects of running with Brasils
The Brasils brought about changes in my running style. My use of my arms, which had previously been criticized by my sons as inadequate, clearly improved. In order to achieve the “shaking effect” of the granules, I had to use my arms more. After about three kilometers, I felt that my arm muscles, especially my biceps, were working more intensively.
Surprisingly, my heart rate remained at the same level as before. The run felt easier and more fluid, which indicated that the increased use of my arms had paid off. After the run, I felt a slight muscle tension in my chest, neck and shoulder muscles. This shows that Brasils strengthen the muscles and support muscle development when jogging.
Muscle building through jogging: New strain and sore muscles
As with many athletes, I often don’t feel new strains or training stimuli until the day after training. The next day I had slight muscle soreness in my upper back muscles, especially in the area of the rhomboideus major. Obviously this muscle area was intensively stressed by the training with the Brasils.
Conclusion: muscle building and running style improvement
Overall, it has been shown that jogging with Brasils not only strengthens the arm and core muscles, but also improves the running style. The Brasils provide movement feedback that can have a positive impact on running style. While I don’t plan to use Brasils on every run or run long distances with them, I will definitely incorporate them into my training. I especially recommend the Brasils for short sessions and to improve running style.