If you are a gym-going person, then you might have seen a small pile of resistance bands lying around somewhere. Most of the time, people are not entirely clear about using these resistance bands to achieve their fitness goals. However, if you are using cables systems for your triceps muscles or your abdomen, you are employing the same concepts that resistance bands are designed on.
You can use these exercise bands for multiple purposes, including strength training, muscle building, weight loss, and recovering from a shoulder injury. Once you know the basics, you can include it in your workout routine for the following benefits.
Improving the quality of your exercise:
When you do resistance band training, it affects your muscles in a whole different way compared to using a dumbbell. Using dumbbell involves lifting while with the resistance band, your muscles remain under constant tension, which means that with each rep you are using more strength and your muscles have to work harder. It helps you get stronger with better contraction.
Improving your controlling ability:
Often fitness experts prefer lifting heavy in the rack than training with dumbbells as it gives you a guaranteed level of consistency. Using free weights pushes you to put more efforts into controlling your movements to ensure that you are doing it correctly. Using free weights is quite difficult, but it is essential to get stronger and improve your functional fitness level. You might feel little shaky using resistance band initially, but practising will help you achieve perfection. It involves a significant amount of concentration to control both tension and release. You need to ensure that you maintain the required tension on the band and don’t release it quickly.
It’s an excellent alternative to machines:
Machines in the gym are for beginners. They are designed to target a specific group of muscles. However, the main problem with the machines is that they are restrictive and keep your movements unnatural. Using machines is not an ideal option to get the best out of your workout. To get the best results, you need to work the full muscles, from extraction to contraction. And using resistance bands will help you achieve it.
Exercise bands are lightweight:
If you cannot go to the gym regularly, you can invest in a pair of resistance bands to train at home. You don’t have to invest in other space-consuming gym equipment. If you are a frequent traveller and don’t want to skip your workouts, then you can just put your resistance band into your bag and use it wherever you want to.
Best for compound exercises:
The compound exercise involves using several muscles at the same time. Compound exercises require more energy, and so they make your workouts more efficient. Resistance bands are designed for compound body movements. They are perfect for doing a full-body workout.
Effective functional training:
Compared to other exercises, there are a lot of body movements involved with resistance bands. Working out using a resistance band improves your muscle strength and enhances the functionality of joints. Such exercises are beneficial for staying fit in later years of life.
Summary:
Exercise bands can help you to achieve your fitness goals without any risk of injuries. They are lightweight and can be used anywhere. Whether you want to build strength, muscle, or want to get leaner, you can reach your goals effectively using a resistance band. Investing in a pair of quality resistance band will truly help you improve the quality of your workout.
