Exercise is recommended for lots of reasons: to lose weight; to prevent
weight gain; to gain muscle; to improve balance and coordination; to
reduce stress and improve mood; to lower insulin levels; to lower blood
pressure and triglycerides; and even to sleep better. But it's hard for
some of us to fit in a daily exercise routine. We lead busy lives, and
in those few precious hours between work and sleep, we'd rather talk to a
friend or watch "Gray's Anatomy" rather than do a workout.
Band
exercising can be done almost anywhere. It is easy to do and beginners,
people who have joint or muscle pain, those who are overweight and find
it difficult to exercise, or even a fit person who needs a light workout
for awhile will find exercising with bands beneficial. This type of
exercise uses resistance. Basically you use a group of muscles to
stretch a big rubber band in a controlled, repetitive fashion. Other
resistance bands are made from rubber tubing, and called exercise tubes,
but the workout is the same.
Initially, exercise bands were
used by physical therapists to assist clients in regaining strength
after surgery or an injury but they can be used to perform the same
kinds of resistance training as using free weights or weight
machines.Sometimes people who are used to other types of strength
training feel that they won't get a real workout with exercise bands.
There are some differences between using free weights and the exercise
bands.
The resistance does feel different when using the bands.
When you use a free weight, gravity assists you in the motion, so the
resistance is stronger during one part of the exercise. An example of
stronger resistance would be the upswing of a bicep curl when using a
free weight. With an exercise band, the tension should be constant
throughout the movement.
You can easily "cheat" when using the
resistance bands because you are in control of the tension. You can
shorten or lengthen the band to make the movement or exercise easier.
But the muscle is still getting a workout. Sometimes, the exercise bands
can challenge the muscle even more than a free weight because the
resistance is created from all sides.
It can be confusing to know
exactly how to use exercise bands. You just need to know where to
position the band to work the muscle group you need. For instance, you
can wrap the band around your back and grab the two ends for a chest
press. You can stand on the exercise band and grab the handles for a
bicep curl. You can attach an exercise band to a door to do lat
pulldowns or tricep pushdowns.
You can buy exercise bands or
tubing at almost any sporting goods store. You can buy them at
department stores like Sears, Wal-mart, or Target. It is a good idea to
buy a set of bands to have a variety of resistance. It gives you a goal
to work toward: as each band exercise becomes easy, you can graduate to a
heavier band.
If you decide to use exercise bands, as with any
physical activity, check with your doctor first. Then, as with any
exercise, start by warming up your muscle groups by jogging or walking
in place before starting. Maintain good posture. Keep your wrists
straight, since pulling on the exercise bands is what creates the
resistance. Breathe normally; don't hold your breath. Use controlled
movements; the controlled, continuous resistance of the exercise bands
is what works your muscles.
The exercises should feel
challenging but not painful. If anything hurts, stop. Try a different
exercise or a lighter band. Most experts recommend doing 8-12
repetitions of each exercise, and 2-3 sets of repetitions every other
day. Some people do the upper body movements with the exercise bands on
one day, and concentrate on the lower body the next day. If you are just
starting out, doing one set of repetitions each day might be helpful.
Using exercise bands is easy, cheap, portable, fun, and yes, it does
work! In just a week or two, you will really notice a difference in your
muscles and the way your body moves. In four weeks, you should be able
to see more musculature if you continue using the exercise bands.
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