2020 was a wild year. But if there is one thing we all learned, it is that we don’t need a gym to stay fit. There are hundreds of effective home workouts that will help you stay in shape, grow, and tone your muscles. Band resistance workouts are popular, given that they are fairly simple to use and easily accessible.
Here are several tips to maximize your workout routine to get your desired results.
Tip #1 – Get Yourself the Right Band
Not all resistance bands are the same in terms of flexibility. Some are very flexible, while others offer heavy-duty strength. If you are suffering from an injury, you can use a therapeutic band for rehabilitation and strength building.
Upper body training calls for lighter bands, while the lower body will require higher resistance.
If you are a beginner, start with bands that flex easily and slowly build upon resistance as your body adopts them. If you’re uncertain, green bands offer intermediate resistance. Alternatively, ask your instructor for help.
Tip #2- Band Resistance Is Great for Warm-up Exercises
Warming up is a great way to get the blood flowing, and it helps to activate target muscle groups. This will make your workout more effective, reduce burnout, and improve your recovery time.
You can also use your resistance band for a full-body warm-up. A full-body warm-up is essential if you are going to engage your entire body. If you are a boxer, adding these bands to your warm-up will greatly benefit your cross-training routines.
Some effective band warm-ups include ankle jumping jacks, standing kickbacks, and squats.
Tip #3- Create a Full-Strength Workout
If you are having a hard time creating an effective workout regimen, then you should focus on using resistance bands. You could use them for either targeted exercises or total body workouts. Compared to weights and kettlebells, bands are fairly light and easy to incorporate into your daily exercises without exerting too much pressure on your joints.
Choose a set of 3-5 exercises and do a rep of 8-25. Repeat for 2-5 rounds depending on the resistance level of your band and your fitness level. You can blend your exercises to include muscle target reps or full-body exercises.
Tip #4- Use Your Band to Ease Back Pain
If you are unable to work out effectively or at all because of back pain, then resistance bands are heaven-sent. Not only do they help you stay fit, but they will also help you get rid of the pain.
Resistance bands work by strengthening your core and lower back muscles. A stronger back means that you are less susceptible to pulling your back. Besides, flexing and loosening your back muscles will help you reduce the discomfort without the risk of injury.
Tip #5- use bands to grow muscle
If you are trying to get ripped, but you don’t have the time for the gym, you will love resistance bands. This is because these bands offer the resistance and tension needed for muscle growth.
If anything, bands increase your body’s capacity to grow muscle. Hypertrophy- the process of building muscle-requires loads of dedication and consistency, but that does not mean it has to be literal back-breaking work.
For resistance bands to be effective, ensure they offer the right amounts of tension and overload. Also, make sure your muscles get adequate recovery by taking days off training.