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Join the Resistance Band Wagon

Last week, we talked about the P90X workout system endorsed by vice president hopeful Paul Ryan. One of the components of that complete kit is resistance bands. One important factor is that they’re light and easy to pack and transport. That’s surely a big bonus to purported “fitness freak” Ryan, who’s often moving around on the road on the campaign trail. If you’re someone who likes to travel but can’t always rely on staying in hotels with 24-hour gyms, or if you’re just someone who wants to continue your Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym commitment when you’re at home, you may also want to invest in a set of resistance bands.

The key advantage to resistance bands is that you’re using your own weight in order to test and improve your muscle strength. The bands simply allow you to leverage your weight, rather than relying on pressure from an outside force, such as the case with free weights (hand weights) or machine weights. Ultimately, your only limitation with resistance bands is your own desire and ability. And the stronger you get, the more you get out of your workout with a resistance band.

Resistance bands are also extremely versatile. You can work out your arms, legs, abs, back and more with a series of simple exercises. You simply need to secure the bands to a stable force at their center of gravity in order to create balance — or, alternately, you can hook the bands around your own body to create the necessary tension to get results (for example, stepping on the middle of the bands and then pulling the handles upward with your arms in order to exercise your biceps and triceps).

You can buy resistance bands with varying amounts of flexibility or tautness depending on your strength and skill level. Or you can own and rotate several types of bands in order to shake up your resistance band exercise routine and keep it interesting. Introducing diversity in your routine can help you get the best possible results — but staying motivated is also a big part of that, which new equipment and routines can facilitate.

 

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Resistance Bands

Resistance bands are taut, thick rubber strips with varying degrees of elasticity. You can choose the one that’s right for you based on how much strength-training you’ve previously performed and the level of challenge you’re seeking. The reason that many people prefer them to weights is because the band’s elasticity is constant and self-contained. Think about it: If you lift and lower weights, gravity is helping you out on the second half of your exercise. But when you’re working against ongoing pressure, you’re getting more of a workout from the same range of motion in the same amount of time.

This piece of equipment uses the theory of resistance training to help you tone your muscles in one of two ways. As we discussed last week, you can either perform resistance training by going with an outside force or working against it. With a resistance band, you can secure it to a wall or peg or door and pull against the strength of the band’s opposing, contracting force and then simply hold this as long as you can to build muscle endurance. Or you can repeatedly pull and release against the force, allowing your muscle to flex and contract.

One reason that this form of exercise became so popular in recent years is because resistance bands are one way to continue your training when you’re on the go. For example, if you’re traveling and can’t make it into our Greenville gym, you can throw a resistance band into your suitcase and keep up on some of the workouts you’re missing. They’re much lighter to carry around than a set of dumbbells!

Another great thing is that the resistance band can adjust to simulate several activities that may require several machines at the gym. All you need to do is master the technique necessary to perform each kind of exercise, since machines offer less wiggle room in terms of how to correctly execute resistance motions and target correct muscle groups.

At Pivotal Fitness Greenville athletic club, we’re happy to help you develop the resistance workout regimen that’s right for you. You can compliment resistance band workout with aerobic exercises for weight loss and cardiovascular strength while improving your muscle tone through such classes as yoga. Ask us about how our programs work together to compliment and include the use of a resistance band.

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