Once intended for use by older adults in nursing homes, exercise bands are now widely used for resistance training by all segments of the adult population. Exercise bands add variety to your workouts, and can target the same muscle groups as free weights and exercise machines. According to The American College of Sports Medicine, known as ACSM, healthy adults should perform resistance exercises at least two days each week. Consult with your health care provider before beginning an exercise program.
Types
Exercise bands are elastic bands, which are composed of either natural rubber latex or synthetic rubber. According to the ACSM, natural rubber latex is preferable to synthetic rubber. Synthetic rubber is less elastic, and tends to become harder over time than natural rubber latex.
Considerations
The bands are available in a variety of tensions. In many cases the bands are color coded according to resistance. Typically, green and yellow are the lightest, while black is the heaviest. Bands that are thicker provide more resistance. According to personal trainer Nikki Carosone in "Good Housekeeping," you should select a medium resistance band initially. Select a band with enough tension to work the muscle through a complete range of motion, while keeping proper form. To accommodate increases in your strength, it may be necessary to purchase bands with different levels of tension for each muscle group.
Benefits
Exercise bands are easy to store and are a convenient means of exercising when you travel. They are also safer to use than free weights and exercise machines. They are an affordable piece of exercise equipment, with some models costing under $10. While free weights and machines provide only concentric, or positive, resistance, bands provide eccentric, or negative, resistance as well. The combination of both types of resistance creates a more efficient workout. Exercise bands are versatile, and can be used for agility drills in addition to resistance exercises.
Warning
It is important to attach your resistance bands to stable fixtures. Securing your band to a chair, for example, might be unsafe. A chair could be moved around, as the tension on your band increases. Another option is to use bands that have door attachment straps. The straps allow you to secure the band to a closed door.
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