Although exercise or resistance bands have long been used for recovery from injuries, you can also use them in a regular fitness routine. Different bands offer various levels of resistance, from light to heavy. They are portable and can provide a quick, effective workout when you are pressed for time or on the go. Talk to your doctor before starting, and learn proper technique from a professional trainer to minimize your risk for injury.
Resistance Band Selection
There are two main types of resistance bands -- a flat piece of silicon or a silicon tube-like structure with handles. The handles make performing upper-body exercises easier, but the tube can roll and needs to be anchored securely. The flat resistance band is typically more stable. However, it is not as easy to hold with your hands. Select your resistance carefully. You may want to purchase a few bands. Buy the band you know you will begin using as well as one or two that offer greater resistance.
Lower-Body Exercises
Exercise bands can be used to perform squats, which work the major muscle groups in your legs. You can also do leg extensions, hamstring curls, leg abduction and adduction movements. These exercises can be done by forming a loop with the band and stepping both feet inside it. Use a chair for balance, stand on one leg and move your free leg to perform the exercise against the resistance of the band.
Upper-Body Workouts
To target the main areas of your upper body, such as the arms, chest, shoulders and back, you can replace many familiar free weight exercises with a resistance band. Bicep curls, bent-over rows and chest flies can all be performed by either standing or lying on the midpoint of the resistance band and grasping the ends with your hands. Bicep curls will target your bicep muscles, rows work your arms, shoulders and upper back, and flies exercise your pectoralis muscles. If you add triceps extensions and lateral rows, you have an effective upper-body workout routine.
Circuit-Training Workouts
Following a circuit-training pattern is a way to get a full-body workout. The Milo workout is a circuit-training pattern done at home in approximately 10 minutes. It utilizes the functionality of the bands in performing two exercises simultaneously. For some of the exercises, your band will need to be anchored to a door. Two exercises are performed for 40 seconds with 20 seconds of rest before the next set of movements. You will perform back lunges with a row, alternating front lunges with a chest fly, bicep curls into shoulder presses, squats and a side plank with a reverse fly. Go through the circuit twice so you work both sides of the body.
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