Resistance Band

Resistance bands can be an effective fitness tool, regardless of skill level, offering numerous advantages for daily living, promoting health, and optimizing performance. You can unlock many benefits by incorporating them into your prehab, rehab, or training regimen.

What are Resistance Bands?

Resistance bands, also known as workout or exercise bands, are rubber bands commonly a part of rehabilitation exercises, stretching and mobility work, and resistance training.

Resistance bands provide resistance to your muscles during exercises. They apply an external resistance without traditional weights or heavy equipment.

Resistance bands may come in a straight band or looped form. They also come in various sizes and resistance levels.

Resistance bands offer versatile options for exercise, allowing you to utilize them either in isolation with your body weight or in conjunction with free weights and machines.

Resistance bands offer advantages to many individuals, catering to those recovering from injuries, newcomers to fitness routines, and seasoned fitness enthusiasts alike!

Benefits of Resistance Bands

Resistance bands offer many benefits, from improved athletic performance rehabilitation to injury prevention.

Strength and Athletic Performance

People often use resistance bands in strength training exercises, including full body training, upper body, core, and lower body exercises.

A resistance band delivers a resistance level comparable to weights, fostering muscle development and improving mobility.

Resistance bands allow you to train on the horizontal and vertical planes. They also allow for rotational movements, something only a few people practice during other traditional exercises and training techniques.

Moreover, resistance bands can enhance running performance by incorporating resistance into sprint training, increasing speed and strength.

Stabilization and Core Activation

Resistance band exercises make it necessary to stabilize and engage your core muscles while performing the exercise because of the constant tension they provide.

This core stabilization helps with improving balance, core stabilization, and strength.

Core strength also provides stability to the skeletal structure, which helps to relieve back, hip, and knee pains.

Exercise Modifications

Adding resistance bands to your workout routine provides a broader range of exercise options.

You can achieve this exercise variety by performing resistance band-specific exercises or by incorporating them into existing exercises that use free weights or machines, adjusting the difficulty level as needed.

Take push-ups, for instance; you can introduce a resistance band to intensify the challenge or utilize it to reduce body weight and make the exercise less demanding.

Resistance bands are highly beneficial tools for adapting exercises to a more manageable level. For instance, one can perform assisted pull-ups using a resistance band.

This modification enables you to complete the movement, even if you find it challenging, while still benefiting from the muscle contraction inherent in the exercise.

Providing Resistance

Resistance bands come in varying resistances and can increase or decrease the difficulty of exercises.

Resistance bands provide constant tension through the full range of a movement, both in the concentric and eccentric phase of a lift and in the rest phase.

Lighten the Load on the Joints

Resistance bands can provide a similar, if not more significant, stimulus to the muscles than traditional weight training, but the load or force on your joints is much smaller.

This decreased load force is essential for injury prevention but is also helpful if you are injured but still want to stimulate the muscles without applying too much force or stress to the joints.

Rehabilitation

Resistance bands are often used in physical therapy programs and are ideal for injured or older people.

Resistance bands offer resistance to strengthen the injured area or increase mobility suited to your needs.

Resistance bands can target specific areas to improve muscles' strength, size, and function without putting too much load on the joints or other affected areas.

Physiotherapists often incorporate resistance bands into their exercise programs and may provide them for home during appointments when teaching rehabilitation exercises.

Stretching and Mobility

Resistance bands can help you to stretch and perform mobility exercises, increasing your flexibility and range of motion.

Resistance bands can provide extra assistance for stretches, such as extending your reach in a lying hamstring stretch. They can assist in exercises that enhance ankle and hip mobility when secured around a stable object.

Developing a greater range of motion and increased mobility leads to better physical performance and reduced muscle tension and soreness. It has also been known to reduce the risk of injury.

Accessibility

Resistance bands offer an accessible and affordable option for resistance training for an at-home workout or at the gym.

You can easily transport resistance bands in a gym bag, and they are perfect for traveling and can be used when someone has minimal equipment and space.

Resistance bands also provide a cost-effective option for resistance training while still delivering an efficient workout.

Types of Resistance Bands

There are many types of resistance bands, all used for different exercises with various functions and purposes. Choosing the right resistance band is essential in achieving your own specific goals.

• Therapy Band: Therapy bands are typically used for mental and physical rehabilitation. They usually offer lighter resistance and feature a flat surface, contributing to their gentle impact on the body. They are generally longer and offer versatility, allowing you to cut or tie them into smaller segments or create circular bands as needed.
• Compact Bands: Compact bands are tubular, typically longer than 4 feet, with plastic handles on each end. They have many uses and are typically incorporated into various workouts and training, including upper body workouts, arms, chest, and lower body exercises.
• Fit Loop Bands: Fit loop bands or mini bands have a flat surface, are circular, and are shorter in length. Mini bands are great for lower body exercises, especially the glutes and hips. Loop bands offer unique resistance for lower body exercises.
• Figure 8 Band: A Figure 8 resistance band is tubular in the shape of an 8 with handles on both sides. It is a resistance band that is higher in resistance and usually around 20 inches in length. These bands' shape and high resistance make this type of band perfect for upper-body workouts.
• Ring Bands: Ring resistance bands are small, circular bands with soft handles on each side. This specific resistance band is shorter and best suited to a limited selection of upper-body and lower-body exercises.
• Lateral Bands: Lateral resistance bands are similar to compact bands but have ankle straps instead of handles. These resistance bands are great for lower body exercises, especially those targeting the thighs and hamstring muscles, as the straps can fit around the ankles.
• Pull-Up or Power Bands: Pull-up bands are varied in resistance but are thick and are a continuous circle. While you can utilize and adapt this resistance band for numerous upper body, arm, lower body, core, and total body exercises, it's most often used to assist pull-ups. These resistance bands are best for cross-training, powerlifting, sprint training and mobility, and stretching.

How to Pick the Best Resistance Bands

Choosing the best resistance band starts with deciding what exercises you want to do and the level of resistance you’ll need based on your different levels of strength or exercise choices.

The lightest resistance bands offer minimal resistance and are ideal for rehabilitation. Medium resistance bands are well-suited for targeting the upper body and core muscles, while higher resistance bands are particularly effective for lower body exercises.

Additionally, individuals can select resistance bands based on their strength level for a particular exercise or consider the band's length and whether it's straight, circular, or equipped with handles.

Many gyms already have a variety of resistance bands available to use. But it is also beneficial to own your own to have the best bands based on your specific needs or to have them accessible at home and when you travel.

You can buy individual bands or packs with multiple bands, depending on the variety of resistance levels you want.

Different colors on the resistance band often distinguish the different resistance levels.

For at-home workouts, a door anchor can help anchor the resistance bands for more variety in exercises, similar to machines and free weights.

Resistance Band Training and Exercises

Although resistance bands are very user-friendly and the risk of injury during use is fairly low, working with a certified personal trainer to get individualized advice on which exercises are best for you and teach proper form is beneficial.

A full-body workout can be achieved with resistance bands. Exercises like squats, hamstring curls, lateral walks, hip abduction, bent rows, pull-downs, push-ups, and bicep curls can all be performed with resistance bands.

When using resistance bands, keeping your body in alignment is essential, with good posture, feet shoulder-width apart, and a slight bend in the joints.

Remember to breathe during the exercises and take time, avoiding rushed repetitions or overextension of your joints or the band.

Taking good care of your resistance bands is important for their long-term durability. Ensuring they are not exposed to heat or sunlight and stored in a cool and dry place.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Benefits of Resistance Bands vs. Weights?

Both types of training have different outcomes and benefits involved. Resistance bands provide more resistance than free weights and allow for low-impact training.

Resistance band training enables you to activate large muscle groups with minimal stress and impact. Using resistance bands is great for building muscle endurance, modifying the difficulty level of an exercise, and even rehabilitating certain muscles after an injury.

On the other hand, weights are a high-impact physical activity that allows for more muscle strength and growth. This growth is achieved by increasing the load and progressing faster than resistance band training.

Are there any Safety Precautions I Should be Aware of When Using Resistance Bands?

To use resistance bands safely, it is essential first to inspect them for damage, secure anchors properly, and start with appropriate resistance levels.

Maintaining proper form, warming up before using the bands, and progressing gradually is also essential.

Avoiding overstretching, controlling movements, and choosing suitable bands are also essential. Beginners will benefit from seeking guidance from a fitness professional.

Reference

Resistance Bands 101: Why You Need Them and Where to Start - Aaptiv

9 Reasons to Use Resistance Bands for Working Out

The Definitive Guide to Resistance Bands and Workout Bands– WODFitters

How Effective Are Resistance Bands?

Disclaimer

The contents of this article are provided for informational purposes only and are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It is always recommended to consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any health-related changes or if you have any questions or concerns about your health. Anahana is not liable for any errors, omissions, or consequences that may occur from the use of the information provided.