If you want a good weight training workout, but don’t want to go the gym or waste a bunch of money on expensive dumbbells, you can still get that muscle building workout with a simple solution. That solution comes in the form of the resistance band, an awesome workout tool that can help bring your exercise routine to the next level.
The benefits of resistance bands are immense, they are wide in scale, and they will go a long way in making you a fit and healthy person. If you have never used resistance bands before, after you read what we have to say, you might just change your mind!
What Are Resistance Bands & How Do They Work?
Resistance bands are kind of like bungee cords or long and flat pieces of elastic rubber. They are used as a replacement for classic weight training equipment such as free weights. Technically speaking resistance bands count as a form of weight training or strength training as their main purpose is to strain your muscles. They provide your muscles with resistance just like normal weights would, thus training your muscles very well, plus there are bands of different resistance levels which mimic different free weight classes. They truly are great workout tools to have in your home.
Benefit #1: They Are Cheap
Something that we need to mention right off the bat is that using resistance bands for one of your main forms of exercise is extremely cost effective. Just think about it, dumbbells and any other weights for that matter, cost upwards of one dollar for every single pound. That can add up to become quite expensive very quickly. Moreover, a gym membership can cost anywhere between 40 and 200 dollars per month, which once against ends up being pretty expensive in the long run.
On the other hand, a good set of resistance bands costs as little as 30 dollars, or depending on the set, anywhere up to 80 or even 100 dollars. In the long run, a good set of resistance bands ends up being much cheaper than anything else, while still providing you with a good strength training workout. Why spend way more money than you have to when you could just buy some resistance bands for cheap.
Benefit #2: Make For Good Strength Training
Another big benefit to be had from using resistance bands to exercise is that they provide you with some very good strength training benefits. Now, we aren’t going to get into the exact details of what all of the benefits of strength training are because that is a whole different story. However, the fact of the matter is that using resistance bands counts as a form of strength training, one which many people use instead of classic weights.
These things can definitely help make your muscles much stronger, and that is true for more or less every muscle in your body. Resistance bands are great for this because the harder you pull on them and the further you stretch them, the more resistance they provide, thus training your muscles quite well. Moreover, strength training is an important part of having a fit and healthy body.
After all, who doesn’t like to have bigger and stronger muscles? Having those big biceps and a shredded core makes you look awesome, it makes you feel more confident, and it makes everyday tasks much easier, not to mention that stronger muscles also mean having better physical performance too.
Benefit #3: You Get A Full Body Workout
Something else that is definitely a big bonus about using resistance bands for your daily exercise routine is that you can get a full body workout from top to bottom with one simple piece of equipment. Resistance bands are one of those rare pieces of equipment that let you train multiple muscles in your body without the need to switch equipment.
For example, you can do squats, sit ups, bent over rows, horizontal and vertical chest presses, overhead presses, overhead triceps extensions, leg lifts, lunges, and much more. When you use a resistance band there is literally an exercise that you can do for every single muscle in your body.
There is no point in buying multiple pieces of workout equipment to get into shape when you can spend just a little bit of money on a set of resistance bands that will train your whole body from top to bottom.
Benefit #4: They Can Strengthen Your Bones
The next benefit that is worth talking about is that resistance bands can go a long way in creating and maintaining a strong and resilient musculoskeletal system. Not only do resistance bands train your muscles to be stronger, but they also help do the same for your bones, and this is because using resistance bands also technically count as a weight bearing exercise.
A weight wearing exercise is any type of exercise that puts increased stress, weight, or pressure on your bones, which is what happens when you have to pull on a resistance band and support the weight that is created through pulling. A weight bearing exercise trains your bones to be stronger in much the same way as strength training helps strengthen your muscles.
The more weight bearing exercises you do, the more bone mass your osteoblasts will lay down. The more bone mass is created through weight bearing exercises, the thicker, denser, and stronger your bones get. This can go a long way in helping you prevent fractures or breaks due to a fall, and it can also help combat degenerative bone diseases in your old age too.
Benefit #5: One Person Weight Training
Another benefit that you get from exercising primarily with resistance bands is that you can use them alone without any issue. All you need are your own hands, your feet, and maybe a door frame to use resistance bands. Weight training can sometimes be a dangerous activity, especially when using extremely heavy weights.
This means that lifting weights by yourself can be quite dangerous because weights can drop or you could be using improper form. The point is that you often need a weight lifting buddy when using generic weights. On the other hand, resistance bands are perfectly safe to use by yourself without any trouble at all.
Benefit #6: They Mimic Well Known Exercises
The next benefit that is definitely worth mentioning is that resistance bands help mimic exercises you already know and are familiar with. All too often when you buy a new type of workout equipment you have to adapt to it, learn how to use it properly, and learn the right routines. This is of course not very convenient because you want to spend your time exercising and getting fit, not learning how to exercise first.
The good part about resistance bands is that they help mimic classic weight lifting exercises, therefore allowing you to get into your resistance band exercise routine without too much studying or training in terms of technique.
For example, just like you would curl a dumbbell, you can stand on one end of a resistant band and hold the other end in order to curl it. Also, you can sit down with your feet spread at shoulder level, place the band under your feet, and pull up on both sides in order to mimic a deadlift or even a rowing motion. The point is that you can do many of the same familiar exercises with resistance bands that you can do with other types of weights such as dumbbells.
Benefit #7: They Are For Everybody
Another big benefit that you get when using resistance bands is that they are a great form of exercise that everyone can participate in. Resistance bands come in many different resistance levels. Some sets have light, medium, and heavy level resistance bands included, and the more extensive ones have even more, sometimes up to 8 or 10 different resistance levels.
This means that children or seniors can use the bands with light resistance, people with a decent fitness level can use the medium resistance bands, and people who really want a challenge can use the heavy bands. Moreover, you can also choose to use more than one band at once in order to challenge yourself even more.
It doesn’t matter what fitness level you stand at because a good set of resistance bands can accommodate you no matter what. This also works well in terms of cost efficiency, because you can buy a single set of resistance bands that the whole family can use, thus saving more money than you thought possible.
Benefit #8: They Are Convenient
Something else that we really like about using resistance bands is that they are extremely convenient to use. First of all, you don’t need much space to work with resistance bands. Something like a 6 by 6-foot space will do just fine, which is great if you have a small home and limited space.
Moreover, they are very small and compact which makes them easy to store. You can fit literally a whole set of resistance bands on a small shelf. They aren’t like dumbbells or a home gym machine that requires a whole bunch of space to operate and store. Moreover, they are convenient to travel with because you can easily fit them in a duffle bag or suitcase. If you want to work out when you are on vacation or going on a business trip, simply stick them in your luggage and you are good to go.
Finally, we also like these things because they can be used absolutely anywhere. As long as you actually have the resistance bands with you, you can exercise in your home, in your backyard, at the park, or even in your office too. When it comes to being versatile and convenient, we doubt that there is anything better than the classic resistance band.
Benefit #9: Variety & Combination
Yet another benefit that you can reap from using resistance bands is that they add some good variety to your everyday workout routines. The point we are making is that your muscles get used to doing the same movements and exercises over and over again. When your muscles get used to an exercise, it means they have an easier time doing it, and ultimately that leads to less strain and lower gains.
However, you can combine your regular workout routine with some resistance bands to give your muscles some variety, and thus help them grow big and strong as fast as is possible. You can alternate the resistance bands with other pieces of equipment or forms of exercise to get the most out of your workout routine.
Moreover, you can even use resistance bands in tandem with other pieces of equipment. If you really want to challenge yourself to the maximum, you could try using dumbbells and resistance bands at the very same time.
Benefit #10: Cardio & Endurance
Resistance bands are generally not considered to be a type of cardiovascular exercise, but it can be. If you combine your resistance bands with something like a circuit training routine, they can definitely get your heart pumping and your lungs heaving. Once again we aren’t going to get into all of the benefits of a good cardio workout.
However, what we can say is that having a healthy heart is vital to a long life. Having a strong heart reduces the risk of a whole host of conditions and diseases, plus it helps increase physical output too.
Having more blood flowing to your muscles helps deliver the things they need to keep working harder for longer. Moreover, resistance bands help increase your physical endurance, not only thanks to the cardio benefits that they can provide but also because they make your muscles stronger.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many advantages that you get from using some super simple resistance bands to work out. The benefits of resistance bands will make you a happier, healthier, and stronger person, not to mention that they are cheap and extremely convenient too.
If you have any questions or comments about resistance bands, you should just let us know and we will address your concerns as soon as we can!