Resistance tubing is rubber tubes that increase your strength and muscle by providing 'elastic resistance.' Used for rehabilitation and sports as well as strength training, you can buy them in long rolls that can be custom cut, or in pre-set lengths with integrated handles. Tubing is color coded according to thickness and resistance, and provides a convenient method of increasing strength that you can take with you anywhere. According to the Theraband Academy, elastic resistance training is as effective as training on machines. You can build strength and muscle with a basic routine that works your major muscle groups.
Step 1
Grip the ends of the resistance tubing in your hands and stand on it with both feet, shoulder width apart. Raise both ends and hold them at shoulder level with palms facing inward resting against the top of your chest To work your legs, perform a squatting movement with your hands fixed and a straight back.
Step 2
Sit on the edge of a chair with your legs extended and feet flexed. Loop the middle of the tubing around your feet with palms facing inward. To work your back, sit up straight and pull backward, keeping your elbows close your body.
Step 3
Sit upright on a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Loop the tubing around your back while holding the ends in front of you with palms facing inward. To work your chest, push your arms directly out in front of you to full extension.
Step 4
Sit back in a chair with your feet flat on the floor and the middle of the tubing fixed under your buttocks. Grasp both ends of the tubing and raise your hands to shoulder height with palms facing forward and your arms out to the side in line with your body. To work your shoulders, extend both arms vertically upward.
Step 5
Grasp one end of the tubing and place that hand behind your back. Grasp the other end of the tubing while reaching over your shoulder with elbow pointing upward. To work your triceps, fully extend the arm over your shoulder vertically while keeping your elbow position fixed.
Step 6
Stand on the middle of the tubing with feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Grasp both ends of tubing with your palms facing forward, and your arms hanging down. To work your biceps, curl the tubing up to shoulder height, keeping your elbows close to your sides.
Step 7
Sit upright on a chair with the middle of the tubing looped around its legs and the ends back over your shoulders at either side of your head. Grip the ends of the tubing with your palms facing downward. To work your abdominals, curl your torso downward keeping your hand position fixed.
Tips and Warnings
- Start with light resistance tubing and work up the color classifications of greater resistance. Begin with one set of each exercise and progress to multiple sets after several weeks as your strength increases. Take a short rest of one to two minutes between each exercise and each set. To progress do not shorten your grip on the tubing, change to a higher color. Use a two beat count outward and a four beat count backward for all exercises. When you can easily perform 12 repetitions with your current tubing, move up to the next color.
- To safely perform these exercises---especially as you start to work at higher levels of resistance---breathe out as you extend the tubing and breathe in as it returns to its original length. Do not strain as you stretch out the tubing. If you cannot perform a full range of movement, choose a lower color. Resistance training should be started only after you have been cleared for exercise by your physician.
References
- "The Scientific and Clinical Application of Elastic Resistance" P. Page and T.S. Ellenbecker (Eds). 2003.
- The Theraband Academy: Thera-Band® elastic bands as effective as expensive weight machines.
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