Your BodyFit resistance bands come in three tensions: light, medium and heavy. Different resistances are appropriate for different exercises depending on your personal level of strength and fitness. Start each exercise with the light resistance band, and move to heavier tensions if the exercise is too easy. For even more resistance, hold two or more resistance bands at a time. You may use your BodyFit bands to perform a variety of different exercises.
Squats
Squats are compound movement exercises, meaning they involve more than one joint movement. These types of exercises are appropriate for strength gain and muscle growth. Additionally, because squats involve more than one joint movement, you can see the effect of the exercise in more than one muscle group. Specifically, squats work your gluteal muscles and the muscles in the front and back of your thighs. To perform a squat with BodyFit resistance bands, the exerciser stands on the bands with his feet shoulder-width apart. He then pulls the bands up with his arms until they are at shoulder level. He bends his knees until his upper leg is parallel with the floor, holds this position momentarily, and then straightens the knees until he is upright. This movement should be repeated until fatigued -- roughly eight to 10 repetitions --followed by a one-minute rest and then another set. Perform three to four sets.
Hammer Grip Bicep Curl
The hammer grip bicep curl is an isolated exercise, meaning it involves only one joint movement. Though the strength gains and muscle growth for isolated movements are smaller than found in compound exercises, one-joint exercises isolate a single muscle, allowing you to focus all of your growth on that one muscle. Hammer grip bicep curls will focus on your biceps and increase their size. Hammer grip means that you should grip your resistance bands with your palms facing each other, rather than facing upward as in a traditional bicep curl. Stand with one foot on the resistance band and straighten your elbows. Slowly curl your hands upward, keeping your palms facing each other. Then, extend your elbows back to the starting position. Perform eight to 10 repetitions in three to four sets with a one minute break between each set.
Chest Press
The chest press is a compound exercise that works your chest, shoulders, triceps and forearms. More advanced lifters should perform the chest press on a bench with the resistance bands wrapped around the bench's legs. This will stretch the resistance bands, creating more tension. Beginner lifters may opt to perform the chest press on the floor with the resistance band wrapped under their backs. An individual performing the chest press would grip the resistance bands so that her knuckles face the ceiling. With her elbows bent, upper arms perpendicular to her body and forearms straight up in the air, she should slowly straighten her arms upward. After pausing for a moment, she should then return her arms back to their starting possessions. She will repeat this movement eight to 10 times in three to four sets with a one-minute break between each set.
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