How Resistance Bands Work

Resistance bands can offer a variety of levels of resistance depending on how thick the bands are and how much they are stretched. You can buy “light,” “medium” or “heavy” types of bands. Lighter or thinner bands can offer less resistance while heavy or thicker bands can be harder to stretch and which may provide you with more resistance. You can also get more resistance from a band the more you stretch it. If you are looking for less resistance, keep the band somewhat lax, and if you are looking for more of a challenge, keep the band stretched, even in your starting position.

Effects on Strength

While some bands may not look as impressive as dumbbells or barbells, you can always use resistance bands in place of free weights or resistance machines to strengthen your muscles and get similar results. According to a study published in the September 2008 issue of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, the results of working out with bands are similar to those you would get from training with weight machines when you work at the same amount of perceived exertion.

Advantages of Resistance Bands

Bands can offer certain benefits over other types of weights. They are much lighter and portable than free weights so you can take them wherever you go and continue your exercise regimen no matter where you are. Even better, bands cost a fraction of what weights cost. You can get a full workout with only a couple of bands and accessories, while you would need several dumbbells or barbells to achieve a similar workout. Another advantage, especially for beginners, is that bands have a much more reduced risk of injury than weights. These resistance bands are really lightweight, so the risk of injury associated with heavy weights is eliminated.

Disadvantages

The American College of Sports Medicine notes that exercising with resistance bands may feel unnatural if you are used to lifting free weights or exercising with machines since resistance changes throughout the exercise. Because of the resistance increases as the band stretch, the training can become tough at the end of the movement. The band can also become difficult to control when it is fully extended.

They are mostly giant rubber bands with plastic handles at each end that you pull against to work and strengthen certain muscle groups. Resistance bands come in a range of color-coded resistance levels, from easy-to-stretch to progressively more challenging.

Some resistance bands have a thin, flat cross section which is useful for wrapping around the bar of a dumbbell or barbell to add extra resistance to the top of a lift. This makes them useful during weightlifting sessions. They’re also comfortable when you require to wrap them around your feet or body for certain exercises.The alternative band cross section is round and is usually a hollow tube section.

Resistance bands can also be known as exercise bands.You might also come across the name “Resistance tubes.” These are usually shorter than average resistance bands and look like colored lengths of oversized surgical tubing. They usually have a handle at each end, and they’re normally about two feet in length when they aren’t stretched.

Tubes are much like resistance bands but they offer different levels of resistance, and they’re color-coded for easy identification. Exercise tubes have a reputation for lasting longer than bands, although they’re usually suited for various purposes.

Another variation is the Exercise Loop, this is similar to a resistance band, like a giant rubber band. There is little that can be done with practice loops that can’t be done with the standard types of the resistance band.

Resistance bands will provide a full-body workout whenever you need it or when other options are inconvenient or unavailable.

What Do Resistance Bands Do

Whatever your level of fitness you are at, exercise is always required to maintain or improve your condition and to burn calories. Exercise is essentially work done against a resistance such as gravity if you were skipping or lifting a weight.

Resistance bands have a unique ability to provide you with resistance throughout an entire workout. When you use the free weights, you don’t necessarily get that continuous form of resistance. For example, during the lifting phase of a bicep curl, gravity will work to provide your bicep with some resistance, along with the weight. However, the lowering action does not require an equal amount of effort. Resistance bands provide a balanced lifting and lowering workload. The result is that your muscles are challenged in a different and more efficient way.

By following lighter exercises where you can work at a fast rate of repetitions you can get a very efficient cardiovascular workout.

Why Use Resistance Bands

Not only will you be able to challenge your muscles, but you’ll also be able to carry out a lot of exercises with one small and lightweight form of equipment.

When your body performs an action against the constant load of a resistance band, it will develop toned muscles very quickly. The resistance bands will help increase your muscular strength and your balance, help sculpt a more toned figure and increase your range of motion along with your flexibility.

Resistance bands are good because they create resistance in multiple directions and can be easily applied to different muscle groups.

Resistance bands are also good for keeping your joints healthy and can be very helpful even for people with an arthritic type of joints. The bands can be useful in increasing joint flexibility and muscle strength making them also sufficient for seniors to use.

Beginners, seniors and those with arthritis should try to avoid rapid motions or even jerky exercises because you might be more prone to a possible injury. However, by using resistance bands with the correct level of resistance load, you will be able to perform safe exercises that will have a great benefit to you and your body.

As your fitness and muscle strength improves, you are less likely to have problems at home and with a set of resistance band added to your exercises it will be completely under your control.

Resistance bands can be used as part of another exercise program such as Yoga and Pilates.

Resistance bands are inexpensive, light, portable and very versatile. Because it is easy to pack a set of resistance bands in a suitcase or overnight bag, they’re the equipment of choice for anyone who needs to keep their self in shape on a road trip or even during a break at work.

It is worth trying Resistance Bands

Everyone will benefit by adding resistance bands to improve their current level of health and fitness. Resistance bands can also add more challenge and variety to any workout program at any level.

You will gain immensely from using these resistance bands to provide simple, healthy exercise even if you are an absolute beginner or even any age. If you are already pretty fit and engaged in a regular training program, resistance bands will give you an extra push to keep yourself in tip top condition.

If you have not tried these types resistance bands take a look at some of the products offered here on our website. You will find a wide variety of ideas that can help you to achieve a much more fit and healthy version of you.

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