For many people who exercise regularly, resistance exercise bands (also called elastic bands) may be the least valued of common fitness equipment.

Compared with traditional dumbbells or barbells, resistance bands are extremely small, but you may find it hard to believe that resistance bands are a great strength training tool.

Elastic bands may not give you more intuitive training effects and feelings like dumbbells and barbells, but their strength is subtly affecting your training effects.

 

 

As long as a strap that looks "inconspicuous" can help you strengthen all the major muscle groups of your body, many people feel its charm the day after the first use of resistance band training.

Resistance bands originated in the early 20th century and were made of surgical tubes. Their original purpose was muscle rehabilitation. The exercise photos at that time looked very similar to today's strength training.

In the 1990s, resistance band training began to make a strong comeback in the fitness market and gradually became popular.

Benefits of resistance bands

Versatility

Although dumbbells can bring you a heavier weight load and fitness equipment is more stable and easier to use, they are not as versatile as resistance bands. You can do a set of resistance band squats and then do a double-head curl, or do a few resistance band sprints and then perform head training...In short, resistance bands can bring you more training possibilities.

 

 

Recruit more muscle

Because of the versatility of resistance bands, they are also more efficient. Dumb-head curling with dumbbells is a fixed movement, and the muscles used are also predictable. Due to the instability of the resistance band itself, the muscle fibers around the arm and shoulder will start to work to maintain the stability of the related joints and muscles.

 

 

Cheap and easy to carry

There is no need to say more about this. The price of elastic bands is relatively low and will not increase your fitness cost. Moreover, resistance bands are small in size, light in weight, flexible and easy to carry. When you can’t go to the gym for training, you can relax. Put the resistance band in your bag or suitcase, whether you are taking it to the office or on a business trip, you can take it with you to practice at any time.

 

Resistance band workout

1.Band face pull

Exercise trapezius

 

 

Pull the resistance band to the front of your eyebrows, then pull the elastic band outwards with your hands, keep it in that position for 2-3 seconds, and squeeze your shoulder blades.

 

 

2.Band push－ups

Exercise pectoralis major

 

 

Hold the resistance band crosswise, then put it behind your back, and fix the band to the ends with the palms of your hands. Support the ground with both hands and do push-ups. The resistance band increases the difficulty and exercises the chest muscles.

 

 

3.Band pull-throughs

Exercise glutes and hamstrings

 

 

Fix the resistance band at a height, and then hold the other end with both hands and pass it between your legs. Move your legs to an appropriate distance and feel the tension in the resistance band. Bend your knees slightly and lean your upper body forward to parallelism.

 

 

Then, contract the hip muscles while standing upright.

 

 

4.Band corkscrews

 Exercise the oblique muscles

 

 

As shown in the picture, hold your arms and stand with I-shaped legs. Lean your upper body forward, but you don't need to use the strength of your arm to complete this movement, you need to rely on your oblique muscle contraction to complete the forward lean.

 

 

5.Overhead band extensions

Exercise triceps

 

As shown in the picture, step on the resistance band with your feet, hold the band with both hands, palms up.

 

 

Then bring the resistance band behind your head. Begin to raise the arm to stretch the arm. Do the movements slowly, and you can exercise your muscles better.

 

 

 

6.Band front squats

Exercise quadriceps and gluteal muscles

 

 

Step on the resistance band with your feet and pull the elastic band to the front of your shoulders.

 

 

Then control the squat, paying attention to the chest straight up.

 

 

7.Band rows

Exercise the back muscles

Step on the resistance band with your feet, lean your upper body forward 45 degrees, pull up with your hands, and squeeze your shoulder blades inward.

 

 

 

8.Band shoulder press

Exercise shoulder muscles

 

 

Step on the resistance band with your feet, shoulder width, hold the resistance band with both hands and lift it. Move slowly down again. Do it slowly back and forth many times.

 

 

9.Band bicep curls

Exercise biceps

 

Step on the resistance band with your feet, shoulder width. Hold the resistance band with both hands and control the upper arms to close to your sides.

 

 

 

Raise the forearm upwards, then slowly lower it. Do it slowly back and forth many times.

 

 

10.Band hamstring curls

Exercise the hamstrings

 

 

Fix the resistance band on a pole, step in with your feet, and then move back until the resistance band is tight. Sit on a stool and put the resistance band around your ankles.

 

 

Then lift your feet forward until they are straight, and then slowly playback to the ground. Do it slowly back and forth many times.

 

 

These 10 movements exercise the arm, shoulder, back, chest, buttocks and leg muscles.

You can choose the action you want to exercise the corresponding muscles according to your needs so that your body becomes stronger.