Once upon a time, I thought that resistance bands were only for 70 year old women in their Pilates classes. I would roll my eyes at the thought of using them for strength work. However, after doing some research and trying them out myself, I had a change of heart. Turns out, resistance bands can give you a killer workout. Benefits of their use include:
1. Targeting Smaller Muscle Groups
Unlike dumbbells and barbells, resistance bands allow you to strengthen smaller (yet very important!) muscle groups such as the rotator cuff and hip abductors. Try wall crawls or seated hip abductions.
2. More variety
They are SO versatile. You can basically complete a full body workout with them (see the suggested workout below!!) Bands normally come in a variety of tension levels, so you are able to slowly increase the amount of resistance you are using.
3. You Can Use Them Anywhere
If you purchase your own set of resistance bands from Amazon or a sporting goods store, they can turn anywhere you go into your own personal gym. Pack them in your suitcase to use in your hotel room or even just keep them in your bedroom, just in case you can’t make it to the gym.
4. Make Weight Training More Challenging
Workout idea! Next time you are doing squats or using the leg press, strap a resistance band around your quads. The added resistance reminds you to keep your legs from caving toward each other (known as valgus) and also makes the exercise more challenging.
Ready to give resistance bands a shot? Check out this total body workout!
How to: Perform 20 reps of each exercise before moving onto the next one. After each exercise is complete, rest for 1 minute and start again from the top. Try to do 3-4 rounds!
- Resistance Band Squat with Overhead Press
- Banded Row
- Glute Bridge
- Triceps Kickback
- Abductor Walk
- Push-Ups
- Burpees (No bands here)
HAVE FUN!!
Written by GUADS staff member Angelina
Heart Rate for Health