Resistance bands are breakthrough equipment in the world of health and fitness that is a complete package of effectiveness, safety and convenience. The bands are made of strong, thin rubber with handles attached at the end. The bands come in a variety of resistance such as light, medium and heavy. This equipment can be used to do almost all types of strength training workouts such as rows, chest presses, bicep curls, triceps extensions and squats with using any heavy weights. This exercise helps in enhancing strength without putting stress on the joints.
Benefits of doing Workouts with Resistance Bands
Resistance bands are the perfect equipment for those who prefer to workout at home or who like to carry their equipment when they travel. There is a wide range of benefits of this inexpensive tool that combines versatility and convenience.
- Highly Adaptable – workouts using bands are highly adaptable to multiple fitness levels. It can be done by beginners, intermediate and experts. The bands come with varying resistance which further helps in adjusting the workouts according the each and everyone’s fitness levels.
- Whole Body Workouts – The extensive range of movements and the comprehensive exercises done using resistance bands challenges all most all the major muscle groups in the body.
- Requires no Partners – While lifting heavy weights might require an exercise buddy or partner; workouts using resistance bands can be done safely without any assistance. It can be done anytime and at any place.
- Can be combined with Other Equipment – Being excessively versatile, resistance bands can be used along with free weights that allow you to do two types of exercise at the same time.
- Adds Variety – Muscles have the tendency to rapidly adapt to the range of movements that is done frequently. Therefore, it is necessary to challenge the muscles by adding a variety to the workouts. This can be done by combining exercise band workout with free weights and exercise machines.
10 Best Resistance Bands Exercises for Toning the Entire Body
Resistance bands are an inexpensive and highly portable workout equipment that are as effective as exercising with free weights. Try out the 10 best resistance band exercises that target almost all the muscles of the body.
Resistance Bands Exercises for the Arms
Workouts using bands are a great addition to any strength training regime because it helps in strengthening the muscles gradually without exerting much stress on the muscles and tissues. All the exercises that are done using dumbbells can be done in an equally effective manner using resistance bands. So grab your band and get ready to develop ripped arms.
Concentration Curl
When it comes to concentration curls, we usually think of dumbbells, but it is also one of the most effective resistance bands exercises that help in toning the biceps. This exercise is perfect of increasing the size of your biceps.
Being in a lunge position with your right leg in front and place the resistance band under the right foot. Now, grab the other end of the band with your right hand, keeping your elbow on the inside of the knee. Curl your arm up towards the shoulder by stretching the band and squeezing the biceps and slowly lower your arm back to the starting position. You will feel the pressure in your upper arm. Repeat the same with the other arm as well.
Overhead Triceps Extension
The overhead triceps extension is yet another isolation exercise that can be done using both dumbbells and resistance bands. This exercise band workout concentrates on the triceps, the muscles present on the back side of the upper arm. Being an isolation exercise, it works specifically the triceps without the involvement of any other muscle group which in turn strengthens the triceps muscles and helps in maintaining balance.
Sit on a bench and place the center of the band under your glutes. Now, grab the handles with both hands and stretch the arms up by bending your elbows so that your hands are placed behind your neck. Stretch the band till your arms are fully extended towards the ceiling. Bring your arms down and repeat again.
Resistance Bands Exercises for the Chest
The best way tone the chest and get the perfect V-shape is through stretching exercises. And stretch band exercises one of the best and easiest ways to getting perfectly tones chest and well-defined muscles.
Incline Chest Press
The incline chest press in one of the most functional exercises with bands that help in working and toning the upper chest muscles; specifically the clavicular portion of the pectoralis major along with the front deltoids.
Come to a forward lunge position with your right foot forward and place the band beneath your back foot. Grab the handles of the band on both hands and bring it to the shoulder level. Now, pull the band upward over your chest till your arms are fully extended. Slowly lower your hands down and repeat again.
Push-Up
The push-up is a classic move that has been practiced for ages by athletes and fitness enthusiasts in order to build strength. But exercise bands can add extra resistance to this exercise and make it more effective. This exercise works the midsection of the body and engages major muscle such as the scapula and serratus anterior.
Come to a plank position and drape the resistance band across the upper back and hold the two ends with the thumbs of both hands. Now, push your body up by fighting against the resistance of the band till your arms are fully stretched. Lower your body down and repeat it again.
Resistance Bands Exercises for the Core
The most important component of enhancing the overall strength is empowering the core muscles, the most important set of muscles of the body. Core training workouts with resistance bands also help in developing well-defined abdominal muscles and the perfect six packs.
Kneeling Crunch
The kneeling crunch is one of the most popular workouts with bands that is frequently practiced in the gyms for strengthening and building the abdominal muscles.
Attach a resistance band to a high anchor, grab the two ends of the band and kneel down on the floor. Now, crunch down towards the floor by extending the elbows out and engaging the abdominal muscles and contracting your abs. Slowly return to the initial position and repeat again.
Reverse Crunch
Reverse crunches using elastic workout bands takes abdominal workout to a whole new level. This exercise helps in working the hard to reach lower abdominal muscles. They are much more effective compared to normal crunches and the leg lifts exert extra pressure on the abdomen.
Fix the band to a low support on the wall and lie down on your back. Bend the knees to 90 degrees and hook the band around the top of both feet. Now lift your butt and legs towards your chest and to a reverse crunch by pushing in your abdominal muscles. Feel the tension in your core muscles. Return to the initial position and repeat again.
Resistance Bands Exercises for the Back
Lifting heavy weights during strenuous resistance training sessions becomes extremely difficult if the back muscles are not strong enough, and it also increases the risk of sprains and injuries. Powerful stretch band exercises can help in strengthening the upper and lower back.
Bent-Over Row
Bent-over row using resistance bands is the best back exercise for adding thickness and detail to the back. The bent-over row exercise engages almost all the muscles of the back including the lats, traps, rhomboids and rear deltoids along with the biceps.
Place both your feet on the center of the band keeping them shoulder-width apart. Bend forward slightly from the waist, keeping your hips back. Now, grab both the ends of the band with your hands and pull the ends up towards your hips by bending the elbows. Squeeze your shoulder blades until your elbows make a 90-degree angle. Lower your arms to your knees and pull up again.
Pull Apart
The resistance band pull apart is one of the power packed exercises using bands that strengthens the upper back muscles such as posterior delts, rhomboids, low traps along with improved shoulder functions. A well-defined shoulder is important for maintaining the symmetry of the body.
Place your feet shoulder-width apart and bend your knees slightly. Grab the midsection of the resistance band with both hands keeping them at shoulder level. Pull the band out with both hands keeping your arms straight till the shoulder blades contract. Slowly come back to the initial position and start the stretch again.
Resistance Bands Exercises for the Legs
Last but not the least comes the resistance band workouts for the legs that work the entire lower body and helps in increasing muscle mass. These workouts engage the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and calves.
Front Squat
The front squat is an amazing resistance band workout for the lower body that targets the legs, specifically the quadriceps without putting stress on the back and knees. It has several advantages over the standard barbell squat and helps in working the entire core.
Stand with both the feet placed over the band placing them slightly more than shoulder-width apart. Hold the two ends of the band in each hand and bring them to each shoulder. Now, come down to a lunge by pushing the chest up and keeping the abs engaged. Return to the starting position and repeat again.
Leg Extension
Leg extensions using elastic workout bands are an effective way to strengthen the patellar ligament and the quadriceps. Being an isolation exercise, it concentrates only on these specific muscles in helps in increasing the size and strength of these muscles. Fix a resistance band to a low position and loop the other end of the band around your right ankle with the band placed behind you. Now, move away from the anchor to create a stretch in the band and place your feet hip-width apart. Extend the right knee till it is straight in front of you. Gradually return to the initial position and repeat again. Do the same with the left leg as well.
Why waste your time and energy pumping dumbbells when you can get the same results from resistance bands exercises that are not only easy to do, but also powerful and effective enough.