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Try these approaches with bands (and know that there are many more too). But in much the same way you might mix barbells, dumbbells, and cables at the gym, you ideally want to mix up your training with resistance bands too.
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That all makes resistance bands a quality option for any workout. One tool (hint: not the dumbbell), however, is so tiny that you can easily fit it in your backpack for any and every road trip. But both tools can have a place in your training, and in the grand workout scheme, both tools can complement each other. You’ll have to squeeze your muscles extra-hard to fight banded resistance, a habit that will improve your dumbbell training, too.ĭoes that make bands better than dumbbells? No. The stretched band is fighting you more, forcing you to accelerate through the entire range of motion and challenging your muscle fibers in a different way. The length of the lever that challenges your biceps decreases as you finish the exercise, meaning gravity can no longer create challenge with the dumbbell (and your muscle no longer needs to create as much force to fight that challenge).ĭo the same curl with a resistance band and as you near the top, it doesn’t get easier instead, you have to work to earn the squeeze at the top of the curl. Curl the dumbbell upwards, and there comes a point where the curl actually gets “easy” for your biceps, near the top of the motion. That’s a different brand of resistance than, say, a dumbbell. Essentially, the farther you pull a resistance band, the more it quite literally “resists” you. Why? Two words: Accommodating resistance. Ivan Rodrguez Pacheco / EyeEm // Getty ImagesĮven if you have dumbbells and kettlebells at home, or even if you’re fine doing basic bodyweight motions, having a resistance band around can bring serious value to your workouts. Here’s your resistance band primer, for training at home and anywhere else. Resistance bands provide you with the ability to hit just about every muscle group in your body-if you're willing to work hard and get a little creative with your surroundings. Need resistance? Stand on your band to curl, press, or row it, or tether it to an anchor point ( just make sure it's safe and sturdy to avoid any mishaps) and you can perform all manner of pulls, extensions, and more. Using just your bodyweight and a band, you can load up essential movements like pushups and squats. But a resistance band's utility goes beyond just convenience and cost-effectiveness.įor one, bands are incredibly versatile. Sure, bands take up less space in your house and are no sweat to toss in a bag for on-the-go training, and even the hardiest band is bound to be much cheaper than the least expensive set of adjustable weights. The stretchy rubberized tools are more useful than just filling in for other, heavier gear like dumbbells, barbells, and kettlebells, after all.
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Even if you're working with a full gym's worth of equipment at your disposal, there's still plenty of space for dedicated resistance band training in your routine. But that doesn't mean that you should abandon resistance band training. Thankfully, those days have largely passed. For the first time, lots of people were training at home with resistance bands without needing extra space dedicated to a whole home gym. This is when resistance bands stood out as the excellent tools they have always been-not only were they accessible and inexpensive solutions for people looking to stay fit, they were a low-footprint solution that could work in just about any type of training space. Then came the great exercise shift of 2020 with the Covid-19 pandemic, which closed gyms and forced most people to reconsider their exercise plans. Whether you're working with heavy, thick straps or tiny, thin mini bands, these fitness tools can be used in a nearly endless range of applications, from concentrated isolation exercises to full-body training, to help you stretch, strengthen, and swell your muscles.įor far too long, however, resistance bands were only considered by most trainees to be a second option, either as a supplement to heavy weights or as a last-resort substitution, only to be the featured implement for quickie hotel workouts or for the most minimalist of home training setups. Resistance bands might look like unassuming strips of pliable rubber, but they're among the most valuable pieces of gear available for all types of exercisers.