WORKING OUT WITH RESISTANCE BANDS

Have you noticed that girl in the gym doing her lunges across the gym floor with a resistance band around her thighs or that guy doing bicep curls with the bands held down with his feet, and thought to yourself that you want to try it too? All you need to know is, the different types of resistance bands out there and how effective they are to each exercise you want to do. All in all, all of them help you tone your muscles.

Research has proven that resistance band exercises grow your muscles and tone them at the same time. Toning your muscles is simply the process of losing body fat so that muscles appear on the surface of your skin. The reduction of weight on the body’s frame results in improved overall health by benefiting the heart, joints and the skeletal system. Therefore, people with lean bodies have more stamina, increased energy and more flexibility. Besides feeling better and improving your overall health, people with lean bodies also decrease their risk of developing certain diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.

There is no one size fits all resistance band and every brand has a different colour coded system for each band of weight size. This makes it easy for the user to identify the best fit, while the price range of bands gives customers a large variety of resistance bands and levels to choose from. 

Types of Resistance Bands

• Power resistance bands a.k.a loop bands which can be rubber or a knitted style

• Tube resistance bands with handles 

• Thera Bands

• Figure 8 bands 

Different Weights
> Light Resistance Bands are for beginners, older gym goers or anyone who may have suffered an injury and need a very light resistance. These bands typically offer around 2.5 to 3.5 kilograms of resistance.
> Medium Resistance Bands are a good all-round choice for a strength-training workout and are around 3.6 to 5.5 kilograms or more. 
> Heavy Resistance Bands are for active users who work out regularly. These are typically around 6 kilograms or more.
 

Workout On A Budget
Resistance bands are an inexpensive tool that allows you to perform exercises anywhere that you would normally do using free weights or weight resistance machines. Such exercises include, squats, lateral raises, tricep extensions and bicep curls. However, if you were after that full body workout, a gym would be a far greater financial commitment. Having said that, many gyms offer resistance bands to use or most people bring their own for that extra workout.

5 Reasons To Use Resistance Bands

• You can train anywhere with them

• They provide versatile strength training

• Easy on the joints, reducing joint compression 

• Grow and tone your muscles

• Complement your stretch workout

Quick Workouts To Try

 1. POWER RESISTANCE BANDS - 10 Minute Booty Workout

This workout suits any exercise level. Choose your strength band to maximise the resistance. Place bands halfway up your thighs.

Do each activity for 45 seconds on and rest for 15 second.

• Sidestep and squat over twice and reverse

• Standing backwards leg extension L 

• Standing backwards leg extension R

• Kneeling Reverse leg lifts L

• Kneeling Reverse leg lifts R

• Squats

• Lying leg lifts L

• Lying leg lifts R

• Lying bent leg abduction L

• Lying bent leg abduction R

• Squats

2. TUBE RESISTANCE BANDS WITH HANDLES - 5 Minute Intense Bicep Curl Workout

Beginners – Complete this workout 3 times, rest for 3 minutes then repeat

Intermediate – Complete this workout 4 times, rest for 2 minutes and repeat.

Advanced – Complete this workout 4 times, rest for 1 minutes and repeat.

• 20 x Wide Curl (down by your side)

• 20 x Reverse Curl 

• 20 x Alternating Close Curl

• 20 x Drag Curl

• 20 x Inward Curl

3. THERA BANDS – 12 Minute Shoulder and Back Strength Workout

This workout suits any exercise level. Choose your strength band to maximise the resistance. Make sure you are mindful of your breathing; this will help you with each movement.

• 10 x Rotator Cuff Strengthen (Hip position)

• 10 x Side Arm opening (Arms out in front of your chest, shoulders back)

• 10 x Bicep Curls (Stand on one end of the band) L side

• 10 x Bicep Curls (Stand on one end of the band) R side

• 10 x Diagonal Arm Opening, L Arm up towards the ceiling

• 10 x Diagonal Arm Opening, R Arm up towards the ceiling

4. FIGURE 8 BANDS

This workout suits any exercise level. Choose your strength to maximise the resistance. Complete this workout 3 times.

• 15 x Lateral Band Walk – 3 Steps each side

• 25 x Standing Bicep Curls

• 15 x Standing Tricep Kickbacks

• 15 x Band pull apart

• 15 x Kickbacks L leg

• 15 x Kickbacks R leg