If you like accessories and other tools and gadgets to use during your workout, you’ll love today’s article as we’re looking at the key benefits of resistance bands.
When working out, we find that, at times, things can become a little stale and boring and sometimes it pays to find new ways of making your training fun and exciting.
This is where you might want to consider using accessories such as resistance bands.
The world of health and fitness has changed drastically over the years, and many agree that these changes are for the better.
We have access to a whole host of tools, accessories, gadgets, and gizmos that are designed to assist us in our workouts and make training that little bit better and that little bit more efficient.
Resistance bands are the ideal training accessory as they are affordable, versatile, and best of all is the fact that they really work.
The first resistance band was invented by a man named Bill Bowerman, who created them while he was working at Nike Inc.
He wanted to create a way to help his runners improve their form and prevent injuries.
In 1972, he began selling his invention under the name “Bosu”.
In the early 1980s, resistance bands started becoming popular in the fitness industry.
They were used to strengthen muscles and increase flexibility.
Resistance bands are now commonly used by athletes, dancers, gymnasts, martial artists, yoga practitioners, and many other people who want to stay fit and healthy.
Today, resistance bands have become extremely popular and can be purchased online or in any sporting goods store.
There are many different types of resistance bands that come in various shapes, sizes, colors, and materials.
Some of these include:
– Elastic Resistance Band – PVC Resistance Band
What Are Resistance Bands And How Do They Work?
Before we can list the many proven benefits, we must first take a look at exactly what they are and how they work.
Resistance bands are nothing fancy, they are basically just elasticated thick rubber bands that add resistance via an external resistance force.
Basically, they provide resistance as opposed to a heavyweight.
Resistance bands range in thickness and size, and the thicker the band, the more resistance they will provide.
Once the bands are anchored in place, whether it be via your foot, your body, a bench, a tree, a door, a weight, a machine, or anything else, you can then pull, curl, push, and press the band to mimic the movements associated with lifting weights, without actually lifting a weight.
The Health Benefits Of Resistance Bands:
Now that you know a little more about what these brilliant pieces of gym kit are, let us now take a look at what the benefits of using them are.
Here are several proven benefits.
1. Resistance Bands Are Affordable
The first benefit of resistance bands that we’re going to look at today is the fact that the bands are so affordable.
Resistance bands are basically just large rubber bands and so they don’t cost anything near as much money as weights would.
Because of the fact that resistance bands are so affordable, they’re inclusive for people of all budgets, so nobody needs to miss out.
2. Resistance Bands Are Portable
Another reason why resistance bands rock so much is because of the fact that they are portable.
Sometimes we need to go out of town, or simply find ourselves without access to a gym and as a result, we need to adapt and improvise.
Thankfully, we now have tools and accessories such as resistance bands, which are ideal because they’re portable.
Resistance bands are small, they can be folded up, they’re light in weight, and they can be transported easily from place to place.
Simply throw them in your bag, or into your pocket even, and you’re all set.
So, whether you want to train at work, in the park, or in your hotel room out of town, resistance bands are perfect.
3. Full Body Workout
With resistance bands, you can basically work your entire upper and lower body, making them ideal for full-body training.
Ultimate Full Body Resistance Band Strength Workout | James Grage
4. Different Levels Of Resistance
Let’s face it, some people are naturally stronger than others and sometimes different people will need heavier weights or more resistance to get more from their workouts.
This is where resistance bands come into their own.
As mentioned, resistance bands come in varying levels of thickness and as a result, they offer different levels of resistance, so basically, this is the equivalent of using heavier weights when training.
5. Resistance Band Offer So Much Training Variety
Another of the awesome benefits that we can’t overlook today is the fact that they offer so much training variety.
Resistance bands can be used in a whole host of different ways to perform a wide range of different exercises, and they can be used with ankle weight or a weighted vest for more pressure.
You can use them to perform presses, curls pull, warm-up stretches, and a whole lot more besides.
Basically, if you can do the exercise with a free weight, you can also use resistance bands to mimic the exercise and work for the same muscle groups.
6. Resistance Bands Offer You Something Different
If you find yourself doing the same exercises and going through the same routines week in and week out, you’ll find that resistance bands are an incredibly effective training accessory to utilize.
Because of the fact that they are so unique, most people have never used resistance bands before, and so if you do decide to use them and include them in your routine, you’ll find that they offer you something new and unique that you’ll likely have not had before.
Resistance bands can be used as a warm-up, you can base your entire workouts around them, or you can simply use them with one or two exercises to really get more from them.
7. Great For Warming Up
Speaking of warming up, another of the awesome benefits is the fact that they are so great for warming up.
Before you exercise, it doesn’t matter what you do, it’s essential that you take the time to warm up before you begin training.
Warming up will help you to get your blood pumping, it will raise your core temperature, and will help to loosen up stiff muscles and prevent rips and tears.
In terms of injury prevention, resistance bands are ideal.
If for example, you lift weights, before you begin lifting heavy weights it’s essential that you warm up your muscles and get them stretched out and loose.
This is where the benefits really come into their own.
Rotator cuff injuries when lifting, for example, are very common which is why it is worth taking the time to warm up the shoulders and rotator cuff with resistance bands before you begin training.
9. Resistance Bands Are Easy To Use
Some machines in the gym are very complex to figure out and can be very tough to work out how to use them and what to do.
Thankfully, with resistance bands, you don’t have this problem.
Resistance bands are so easy to use that they’re ideal for people of all abilities, regardless of how much experience they have with training.
10. Resistance Bands Are Great For Home Workouts
Yes, we know we already mentioned the fact that resistance bands are portable and are great for use on the move, but we didn’t really go into much detail regarding how resistance bands are so great for home workouts.
More people than ever before are working out from home and granted, this is partly because they’ve had no choice, but it is also because they enjoy doing so.
If you want to train from home, or if you have no option but to work out from home, one of the best things about resistance bands is that they are the ultimate home workout accessory.
You can wrap them around doors, wedge them under table and chair legs, stand on them, use them in the garden, and a whole lot more besides.
11. Alter Familiar Exercises
Another reason why you should consider purchasing a set of resistance bands is due to the fact that they allow you to alter familiar exercises.
Say, for example, you are looking to perform shoulder presses, you can simply wedge the bands under your feet, take a seat in a chair, and press them over your head to mimic the action of pressing a set of dumbbells or a shoulder press machine.
The same goes for bicep curls, triceps kickbacks, lateral raises, and a whole lot more on top of that.
12. Can Be Used As An Accessory
When people speak of the benefits, we must also remember the fact that resistance bands can make awesome accessory lifts too.
One great reason to add resistance bands to your workout routine is the fact that you can use them with weights to get more from the exercise.
For example, you can wrap them around a barbell when you’re doing bench presses, deadlifts, squats, or even overhead presses.
The added resistance will not only help to assist with muscle growth but can also increase overall strength and power too.
Many powerlifters and strongmen such as Eddie Hall And Stefi Cohen will use resistance bands as part of their training to increase their strength, and we can understand why too.
13. Great For Functional Strength And Fitness
One thing that sets resistance bands apart from, say, machines, is the fact that resistance bands are great for building functional strength and fitness.
Whereas machines will only allow for your body to move in one straight plane range of motion, resistance bands can move freely and can mimic everyday movements and actions.
Not only that but as you use them you will also recruit core stabilizer muscles too, so your abs and core will become stronger and more defined too.
14. Great For Static Stretching And Cooling Down
As well as warming up, after a testing workout, it is also very important that you take a few minutes to stretch and cool down as well.
This is where the benefits really come into their own.
Resistance bands are great because you can use them to perform a whole host of gentle stretches and movements to cool down after you’ve finished training and working out.
This will not only improve mobility and flexibility but will also reduce your risk of post-workout injury too.
15. Great For Rehabbing Injuries
Injuries happen, and whether yours is gym-related or not, it is important that you take your time to ease back into training.
This is where resistance bands prove to be especially useful.
You see, resistance bands are great for rehabbing injuries because they don’t put any pressure upon the joints and they are far more forgiving than free weights and machines.
If you’ve recently undergone shoulder surgery, for example, it will be a while before you can lift heavy weights to train your shoulders.
If you go with resistance bands, though, you can work the shoulders while also protecting them and keeping them safe.
Until you are able to use weights, resistance bands are ideal for people who have undergone surgery or are rehabbing injuries.
16. Resistance Bands Save On Storage Space
In a perfect world, we’d all have a home gym complete with plenty of kits and accessories.
The main issue with working out at home is the fact that most of us do not have storage space and so we just don’t have anywhere for all of this kit to go.
The great thing about resistance bands is the fact that they are essentially portable gyms that you can carry anywhere and store anywhere, taking up virtually no space at all.
Total-Body Resistance Band HIIT Workout | James Grage
Resistance bands can go in boxes, drawers, bags, under beds, in wardrobes, in gym bags, or anywhere else for that matter, and they will take up virtually no space at all.
17. Safe To Use When Alone
Some pieces of gym kit can be dangerous, especially if you train alone.
Lifting heavy weights by yourself, for example, could result in a painful injury which is why you need to be careful.
