These tights are not for you - this product is for those who want more. The SKIN'S K-Proprium is a completely new concept, built into a compression tights. We've tested the new flagship of SKINS to the letter and are thrilled with the new features, so much is already betrayed. But let's start from scratch: what makes the K-Proprium so unique?

proprioception

A quick look at Wikipedia reveals that proprioception refers to the involuntary perception of body movement in space. The long-term, unconscious perception of the position and position of body parts to each other is the icing on the cake in sports, so to speak, the difference between talent and training. Top athletes achieve this outstanding unconscious perception through long, tough training, the body reacts "by itself" in fractions of a second. Some are blessed, bring with them the talent of extraordinary body awareness, and refine and deepen it through training.

A study⁽¹⁾ with non-athletes and athletes has shown that up to 30% of the performance differences can be explained by different degrees of proprioception. Incidentally, there was no connection between the training age and the degree of proprioception in this study. Thus, the study comes to the conclusion that the different quality of proprioception can be considered a talent criterion.

Skins K-Proprium

By external stimuli, as in the known kinesi tapes, the body and the proprioception can be helped and more power and better and faster regeneration can be achieved. SKINS has equipped a compression tights with special, elastic bands - the SKINS Proprioceptive Power Bands. These bands stimulate the depth sensibility, ie superficial as well as underlying nerves, and exert pressure on the course of the ligaments, which thus help proprioception, ie body awareness. Who ever, maybe even because of an injury, or as with me during a stay in a rehab clinic, on proprioceptive and sensorimotor training has known this.

These laminar bands run visibly on the outside of the leg, around the knees and along the calf, resulting in almost a U-shape. At the lumbar vertebrae, a particularly wide band was incorporated, which noticeably supports and thus significantly improves posture. These bands are, in my opinion, ingenious and unique complement to the dynamic-gradient compression used by SKINS, which is also used in the DNAmic series is used.

field test

Since the compression fabric is very thin, only extremely short runs with the K-Proprium were possible at the moment, it is clearly too cold at -10 ° during the day. Thanks to built-in UV protection, the tights are more suitable for plus degrees - also for night runs, for example, with some reflective elements installed.

You can feel the supporting effect very clearly. The donning of the tights runs a bit tedious, especially the trouser seams are very narrow cut and not very elastic. But if that is done, you notice a very clear compression and support when standing. Just pluck it here and there, and off you go. After the first steps I had to readjust in the back knee area, then pinched nothing there. I do not know what it was - the tights, the weather, the anticipation, but I was on the first test run clearly too fast. And it was really cold. The tights do just what a compression tights should do: fit snugly. Very tight. Thus, the convection, so the removal of heat through the "wind", no barrier opposite.

If you also use the K-Proprium indoor, for example during balancing training or calisthenics, the support is very positive. Squats, Squats and Pistolsquat fall, at least felt, much easier and I bring a few more squats together. Even with static holding exercises, the tights support blatant - you should try it yourself!

Conclusion

Anyone who has once forced himself into the narrow part (and dares to run around in a tights) is served really well with the K-Proprium. The compression effect especially on the lower leg is so good that compression stockings can be safely dispensed with.

The K-Proprium will be released on a small scale in February - thanks to SKINS, who provided me with a copy for this test.

By the way: under the hashtag #kprochallenge (on too Instagram) is currently running a challenge to Pistol Squats - very cool! 🙂

(1) Han J, Waddington G, Anson J et al. (2015). Level of competitive success achieved by elite athletes and multi-joint proprioceptive ability. Journal of Science & Medicine in Sports 18 (1): 77-81