Training with resistance bands: 6 effective exercises
Are you eager to give your fitness routine a boost or do you want to strengthen your muscles without having to leave the house? Then resistance bands are really something for you!
Resistance bands are elastic bands that provide resistance during various fitness exercises. You can use them to train different muscle groups, including your legs, buttocks, arms, back and core. Due to their compactness and versatility, resistance bands are ideal for both home use and the gym. They are also available in various resistance levels, so you can easily adjust the intensity of your training.
In this blog we will tell you more about training with resistance bands and give you resistance band exercises that you can easily do from home, so that you can easily achieve your fitness goals without having to leave the house!
What are resistance bands
Resistance bands are elastic bands used in strength training and physical therapy. Resistance bands differ from free weights in that they provide resistance throughout the entire movement, rather than just in one direction. This makes them an effective training tool.
Resistance bands can be used by people of all fitness levels, from beginners to advanced. The bands are available in various resistance levels, ranging from light to very heavy, and can be adjusted to individual needs. This can easily be done by varying the length and thickness of the belt or by using multiple belts at the same time.
Many people train with resistance bands to add resistance to their fitness exercises. They not only add extra resistance but also make it possible to isolate and strengthen specific muscle groups. In addition, they are very suitable for exercises for injury recovery, because they have less impact on joints than, for example, weights or machines.
Benefits of training with resistance bands
Training with resistance bands has several advantages. First of all, they are very compact and lightweight, making them easy to take with you and train with anywhere. If the sun is shining, you can take them outside for a workout in the sun and if it is rainy or you would rather not go out, you can perform your workout with resistance bands indoors. When you're done, they are easy to store again, very handy!
In addition, there are countless resistance band exercises, making a workout with resistance bands varied and effective for the entire body. The great thing is that they are available in various resistance levels, which makes it easy to vary and they are suitable for both beginners and advanced athletes.
And did you know that resistance bands are also very affordable? Especially if you compare it with a gym membership. With a small investment you can perform a very varied workout!
Full body workout with resistance bands
A workout with resistance bands is effective for your entire body. This is due to the resistance they provide during movement, which means your muscles have to work extra hard to perform the exercise. The versatility of resistance bands also makes them an efficient training tool. They can be integrated into strength training, stretching and rehabilitation training and help train legs, buttocks, arms, back and core. A good full body workout!
There are countless exercises that you can perform with a resistance band. We have collected a number of effective exercises for you that target different muscle groups:
Tricep: Overhead tricep extension
An overhead tricep extension is a strength exercise that mainly focuses on the triceps, the muscle at the back of your upper arm. This exercise shapes and strengthens this muscle group, which contributes to increasing arm strength and defining the arms.
You perform the overhead tricep extension as follows:
- Stand upright with your feet apart and place the resistance band under your feet
- Grasp the ends of the resistance band and keep your palms facing up
- Raise your hands and extend your arms above your head, pushing the resistance band upward and keeping your elbows pointing straight up
- Slowly bend your elbows to bring the resistance band behind your head, making sure to keep your upper arms still and only your forearms moving
- Extend your arms fully again, pushing the resistance band up and returning to the starting position
Bicep: Bicep curls
Bicep curls, just like the overhead tricep extension, are a strength exercise for your arms. Although the overhead tricep extension focuses on the muscles at the back of the upper arm, this exercise focuses on the muscles at the front of your upper arm: the biceps.
You perform the bicep curls as follows:
- Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart and place the resistance band under your feet
- Grasp the resistance band with both hands, pointing your palms upward
- Keep your elbows close to your sides and your upper arms still as you slowly bend your forearms and raise the band up to your shoulders
- Hold this position for one second
- Lower your arms and the resistance band to the starting position in a controlled manner
Glutes: Lateral glute walks with resistance band
Although the lateral glute walks mainly focus on training the gluteus medius (buttock muscle), this exercise trains almost all gluteal muscles, thigh muscles and hip muscles.
Perform the lateral glute walks as follows:
- Wrap the resistance band around your legs below your knees
- Place your feet hip-width apart and sit in a squat position
- Step to the side several times while remaining in the squat position
- Then switch sides
Hamstrings: Hamstring curls
The hamstring curl mainly focuses on the hamstrings, but it also trains the calf muscles, quadriceps, large gluteals and front of the shins.
Perform the hamstring curls as follows:
- Place the resistance band around your ankles
- Lie on your stomach
- Keep one leg straight
- Bend the other leg so that you can move your heel towards your buttocks and make sure you tighten your hamstring
- Hold the position for a few seconds and lower your leg in a controlled manner
- Switch legs and repeat the exercise
Back: Bent over rows
The bent over rows mainly target the large back muscles, the biceps and the forearms. It contributes to building muscle mass in the back and improves the posture and stability of the upper back
Perform this exercise as follows:
- Stand with both feet shoulder-width apart and place the band firmly under your feet;
- Bend your knees slightly and bend your upper body forward
- Keep your back straight
- Grasp the resistance band with both hands, with your palms facing each other
- Pull the band towards your stomach by pulling your elbows back and squeezing your shoulder blades together
- Hold this position for a moment
- Slowly return to the starting position.
Chest: Chest press with resistance band
The chest press is a strength exercise that mainly trains the (large) chest muscles, but also the front shoulder muscles (deltoids) and the triceps. When you perform this exercise regularly, you can increase the strength and size of your chest muscles. This helps improve upper body strength and sculpt the chest.
You perform the chest press as follows:
- Attach the resistance band to a stable object at chest height
- Stand with your back towards this spot and hold the ends of the band in your hands
- Walk forward until the resistance bands are tight and your arms are directly in front of your chest
- Place one leg forward and extend your arms forward
- Push your hands straight out in front of you while contracting your chest muscles
- Hold the position briefly
- Slowly return your hands to the starting position
Training with resistance bands
Training with resistance bands offers many benefits. By providing resistance throughout the full range of motion and isolating and strengthening specific muscle groups, a resistance band workout is very effective. Plus, they're portable, affordable, and suitable for people of all fitness levels, making them a valuable addition to both gym and home workouts.
Slimminglabs offers several user-friendly fitness accessories that make your training more effective. This is how these user-friendly help resistance bands optimize your workout and get the most out of every training.