Resistance bands have become respected as an effective way to tone and strengthen your muscles. Gym machines and free weights are no longer the only ways to get a good resistance workout. Resistance bands are used in gyms and especially at home to add resistance to a multitude of different exercises.
Features
Resistance bands are available as rubber tubing with a handle on each end or as a straight band about an inch or two wide. The tubing with handles is used for resistance exercises as part of a workout and the bands are used for workouts and many physical therapy exercises. The bands make it easy to tie one end around a fixed object to do pressing or pulling movements. Both bands and tubing is available in different levels of resistance, with lighter colors usually representing less resistance and darker colors higher resistance. Smaller tubing style bands shaped like a figure-8 for short leg movements are also available.
Benefits
Resistance bands can give your muscles a workout that is comparable to free weights or machines, but with a few added benefits. Bands require very little in the way of space and can be used in virtually any area of your home. When you are finished they are easily removed from the living space until the next time you need them. Resistances bands are also inexpensive compared to other forms, and are safe for any fitness level or age because you never have to worry about dropping a weight on your head.
Upper Body Exercises
Most of the muscles in your upper body can be put through a vigorous workout with resistance bands. With a standard, tubing-style band you can stand on the band and hold the handles to do biceps curls, triceps extensions, shoulder press, bent over rows and lateral raises. The flat bands can be tied around a fixed object to do chest presses and lat pull-downs. You can also loop the band around your back and hold an end in each hand to enhance your pushups. Abdominal work with bands consists of resisted crunches, and different twisting movements like wood chopping with resistance.
Lower Body Exercises
The smaller figure-8 style tubes are good for looping around your ankle and doing hamstring curls or leg extensions. You can stand on the longer tubing and do full squats, and the flat bands can be tied to objects and around your ankle to do hip extensions, leg extensions, hip abduction and adduction and inversion movements with your ankles.
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