If you are looking to do a workout at home, in a park, or while away from home, a resistance band workout is just the thing. What’s more, exercising with resistance bands is every bit as effective as using weights while also improving your balance, flexibility, and strength.
Whether you are aiming to lose weight, tone up, build muscle, or just improve your overall fitness, resistance bands will deliver. All you’ll need are a set of Victorem or other resistance bands, some exercises, and you’ll be all set to go.
Let’s take a look at an optimal resistance band workout for beginners.
Triceps Extensions
While standing or in a lunge position, press one end of a long resistance band to your chest with your left hand. Take the other end of the long band in your right hand and press down against the band (towards the floor) to do a triceps extension. Pause at the end of the movement before returning to your starting position. That’s one rep.
Repeat on the other side.
Squats
Squats are an excellent lower body exercise, and all you need is to wrap a resistance band around your thighs. Make sure to place the band above your knees.
Stand up straight with your feet hip-width apart and the band above your knees. Keep your pelvis tucked in and face forward.
Now sink into a squat while you exhale so that your thighs come parallel to the floor. Ensure your knees are over your toes – you don’t want them to go further forward.
Use your glute muscles to bring yourself back up to your starting position. That’s one rep.
Rear Delt Pulls
This exercise will work your upper body.
Hold a long resistance band in your hands with your arms out straight in front of you at shoulder height.
Now bend both elbows at a 90-degree angle to bring your elbows towards your chest. Keep your arms parallel to the floor as you do this, and squeeze your upper back.
Pause when your elbows are towards your chest, then return to your starting position. That’s one rep.
Standing Side Lifts
This exercise works the side muscles in your legs.
Put the resistance band just above your ankles and stand straight with your pelvis tucked in. Bend your knees slightly and have your feet hip-distance apart. Have your glutes slightly out behind you, as if you are about to go down into a squat.
Tap your left foot out sideways till the band is taut. Bring it back to rest on the floor. That’s one rep.
Do the same with the right foot.
Banded Leg Lifts
For working your abs, lie down on your back. Wrap the band around your thighs and have your legs straight up toward the ceiling. Put your hands under your glutes if you wish.
Open your feet wide enough so that the resistance band stays taut.
Make sure your back stays flat on the floor as you gently lower both legs together toward the floor. Go as far as you can without your back rising from the ground. If your back starts to lift, stop, and bring your legs back up a bit.
Pause when you are as low down as you can go, then bring your legs gently back up to their starting position. That’s one rep.
Banded Bridge
This exercise will help strengthen your glutes and leg muscles.
Lie down on your back with both knees bent so that your feet are on the ground, hip-distance apart. Wrap the booty band around your thighs, above your knees.
Breathe in deep, and on the exhale, lift your pelvis while pulling in your stomach so that your hips are off the ground. Bring your hips and thighs into a bridge position while working against the band to open your legs wider.
Hold at the top of the bridge position, then pulse your legs outward for 10 counts. Slowly lower your back and hips to your starting position. That’s one rep.
Number of Reps
For these exercises, start with a light resistance band that isn’t too tight (a beginner band). You want to work up to be able to complete 10 reps with your band. Once you can do 10 reps, work towards doing 15.
When you can do 15 reps with your light resistance band, you can go up a level to a medium band. Then work up to the same number of reps with the medium band until you can move up to a heavy band.
Just remember that you’ll need a set of light, medium, and heavy bands to begin with. For example, your upper body may require a lighter band, while your lower body might be fine with a medium band.
Conclusion
Resistance bands are a great way to spice up your workout and build strength.
In addition to hypertrophy and muscle force gains, it has been reported that resistance training can improve important health parameters (i.e., bone mineral density, body composition, and physical fitness capacities) in youths.
Assunção, A. R., Bottaro, M., Ferreira-Junior, J. B., Izquierdo, M., Cadore, E. L., & Gentil, P. (2016). The Chronic Effects of Low- and High-Intensity Resistance Training on Muscular Fitness in Adolescents. PloS one, 11(8), e0160650.
Full article available at https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0160650
Adding these to your exercise is an effective way to tone muscles and meet your fitness goals. They’re also very handy – they take up very little space and you can use them both at the gym and at home. If you haven’t been sure about resistance bands in the past, now is the time to get one and give it a try!