No stretching the truth: These devices can really help
I’m often curious about how the concept of a long rubber tube with a handle at each end made it into the gym, but I am glad it’s here to stay.
Stretchy bands are fun to work with and provide constant resistance without relying on gravity.
They are among the safest exercise equipment in the gym; there’s nothing to get trapped under or to pinch your fingers. Just don’t let go while they are under tension, or you’ll have an oversized rubber band snapping back toward whatever you have it anchored to and anyone who might be in the way.
Most bands you buy at the store will have some kind of anchor piece that allows you to easily secure it to a door. In the gym you should be able to find a number of suitable anchor points, such as pull-up bars or stretch rails. To safely anchor a band, either use the door attachment supplied or wrap it around a pole with both ends even. Depending on the exercise, you have the option to use both handles or just one. If you’re doing an exercise that uses just one handle, put the opposite handle through the loop of the other handle around a bar. Test the band for safety before performing exercises.
Bands come in different resistance levels. Thinner bands have a lower resistance than thicker ones. They also come in different colors to make them easier to identify.
Resistance bands are a good way to take the gym with you on trips. They are lightweight and very portable. All you need is one or two bands and you can get a good workout in a hotel room or a small area.
Bands allow for easy transitions between exercises. You can go from working legs to upper body in seconds. This opens the possibility for circuit training which requires little or no rest between exercises. Simple transitions also make resistance bands a good piece of equipment for those who prefer to work out at home. There is little to set up and take down.
Bands are a good alternative to weights because they can simply be hung on a hook, stuffed in a bag or stored under the bed. Weights can be cumbersome in a home. Take it from me, dumbbells are not fun to stumble over by accident in the middle of the night. I’ve feared a broken toe on more than one occasion.
In today’s column, I detail two exercises that most people can do with resistance bands — the row for the back and the rotation for the core. Other exercises that can be done with bands are the chest press and chest fly. For your arms there are biceps curls and triceps extensions. You can even do shoulder presses and raises.
Basic exercises can be easily adapted to be done with resistance bands. Squats can be modified by stepping on the band with both feet and holding the handles at shoulder level. The elbows should be pointed down and the palms up. Lunges are similar. Step on the band with the front foot while holding the handles at the shoulders. And you thought lunges couldn’t get any harder than they already were. I’ve even used bands to assist with pull-ups and to make various core exercises more challenging.
Chris Huth is a Las Vegas trainer. You can contact him at 702trainer@gmail.com. Before beginning any exercise program, consult your physician.