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Everything You Need to Know About Resistance Band Workouts: What Makes Them Effective, How to Get Started, and How to Up the Intensity (Everyday Health)
Posted: Jan 30, 2024 in In the News
This article originally appeared in Everyday Health on January 30, 2024.
Everything You Need to Know About Resistance Band Workouts: What Makes Them Effective, How to Get Started, and How to Up the Intensity
By Jessica Migala
They’re lightweight, easy to store at home or in a travel bag, and provide a killer workout for your muscles.
That’s right, we’re talking about resistance bands.
“Think of resistance bands as big rubber bands that provide differing levels of resistance during strength workouts,” says Damien A. Joyner, an American Council on Exercise (ACE) certified personal trainer and the founder of Incremental Fitness in San Diego. Use them correctly and you can hit all the major muscle groups in your body, including your chest, back, shoulders, arms, glutes (buttocks), legs, and core, he says.
Read on to learn what makes resistance bands so effective, how to use them, and more.
What Is a Resistance Band Workout?
A resistance band workout is a form of strength training. The secret to resistance bands, also called elastic or exercise bands, lies in their stretchiness. “As you pull the band to elongate it, the resistance increases,” explains Rebecca Ditwiler, DPT, a physical therapist and an associate professor at the University of South Florida School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences in Tampa.
Whereas dumbbells, kettlebells, and weight plates get bigger and heavier as the weight increases, resistance bands only get thicker — the thicker the band, the more resistance you have to overcome to lengthen it. A thinner band may offer up to 6 pounds (lb) of tension, while a thicker one may provide up to 150 lb.
Resistance bands also come in many shapes and sizes, from short loops to longer loops to elastic tubing with an interchangeable handle on either end, the Cleveland Clinic notes.
As a strength training tool, resistance bands can help you achieve the two weekly full-body strength sessions (minimum) recommended by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for overall health.
Note that you’ll have to use cardio activities like walking, swimming, cycling, and running to meet the weekly 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, per the guidelines.