Resistance Bands

Resistance Bands

An elastic band that is used for various forms of strength training, this includes physical therapy and cardiac rehab. The nature of a resistance band allows for slow rebuilding of strength, which is a useful quality for rehablitation. Before these bands were specifically produced for exercises, people used surgrical tubes for this purpose.

There are studies that prove that resistance bands can help grow and tone muscles. 

Types of resistance bands

There are bands that are a sinlge strip with handles on the sides, or loops and even infinity-8 shapes. The ones with handles allow a person to have an easier grip. There are flat bands and circular tube like ones as well. But which one uses is a matter of the specific exercises you need to be doing with it. 

Resistance bands are also colour coded to mark the amount of resistance they provide. These colours vary from brand to brand, so you would need to look at a brand-specific chart to know this information in relation to the band you are purchasing.

Advantages of resistance bands

Given these are light items that can be carried easily, resistance bands make for great portable exercise equipment. One can keep their workout routine regualr even while travelling.

Resistance bands also activate stabilizing muscles, which makes for a good overall workout. The chances of injury in comparison to weights is lesser. This is also due to the fact that a resistance band is not completely gravity dependant so it causes lesser joint compression.

Cautions

One needs to be careful with their grip or if they have hooked a band to something. If it slips under tension it can snap back and hit a person causing a lot of pain. Resistance bands deteriorate over time and can also break and snap due to that, so one must keep an eye on the condition of their bands.

Comments

The amount of resistance of a specific band and the number of reps can help one lower or increase the intensity of their workout. Although, as the amount of stress depends on how much one is pulling it canbe difficult to quantify exact numbers as one can with freeweights.

The price of resistance bands is relativley low.