Originally designed as tools for rehabilitation and physical therapy in nursing homes, elastic exercise tubing is now an essential piece of resistance-training equipment for those looking to build lean muscle mass. Exercise-tubing exercises simulate routine activities and resistance-training movements, which makes them a useful tool for both athletic and functional training. Consult your physician or physical therapist before using exercise tubing during a workout, since improper form or technique may cause injury.
Purpose
Exercise tubing provides resistance for a variety of strength-training exercises. The tubes allow you to strengthen specific areas of your body and work muscles in a different manner than free weights or machines. Determine how you will most often use exercise tubing to help decide which option will best fit your needs. Before purchasing an exercise tube, try several types and brands at a sporting goods store to see which type works best for you.
Features
Most elastic exercise tubing consists of a series rubber strands that create one strong band. Basic exercise tubes are inexpensive, but may lack the durability of strong bands and need to be replaced more often. A traditional elastic-exercise band has two foam, nylon or plastic handles, one on each end of the tube. Before using the band, check the space where the band and handle connect for quality construction. Weak or heavily used bands that have rips can snap while in use, which may cause injury. Some companies offer tubing with a protective sleeve around the tube that protects it from body oils, nicks, ultraviolet light and daily use. The protective sleeve also prevents the band from overstretching and decreases the risk of snapping during a workout.
Natural or Synthetic Rubber
Elastic-resistance tubing is made from natural or synthetic rubber latex. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, the best exercise tubing is made from natural rubber, which creates stronger bands with greater elasticity. Tubing made from synthetic rubber has additives that cause the tube to harden, weaken and lose elasticity over time. Because of this, synthetic-rubber exercise tubes will need to be replaced more frequently than natural-rubber tubes.
Construction
The construction method affects both the quality and durability of exercise tubing. Tubing with bonded ends are made from a strip of rubber bound together to make a continuous tube. The joint where the band connects creates a weak area that can snap during your workout. Extruded rubber tubing is created out of rubber strands bound together to create a stronger band. The over-layered style of tubing involves an overlapped strip of rubber bonded to create a continuous tube. This creates a strong midsection, but weak ends. Tubes that feature layers on mandrills are made up of layers that form a continuous tube. Each layer ends at a different place on the tubing, which forms a tube without weak spots.
Types
Different companies offer a variety of options in exercise tubing. Spri, used by contestants on NBC's "The Biggest Loser" television show, has several different versions of bands, including the Ultra Toner, which features figure-eight tubing that provides optimum resistance; the braided tubing series, a rope-like tube used for rigorous training; and the Xering, a continuous loop of tubing with rubber grips used to train your lower body. Other companies, such as Thera-Bands, have bands designed for use when performing yoga positions or Pilates exercises. These bands are wider, making them more comfortable to stand on with bare feet.
Member Comments