As a coach, I believe in using all the exercise tools in the toolbox, including the resistance band. When clients start working with me, they have a preconceived notion of what a workout will look like.
Cold hard steel of the barbell, baby, let’s go.
A barbell is a fantastic and probably the best gym tool for fat loss, strength, and muscle building. But it is not for every exerciser, especially beginners and those intimidated by working out. The thing about lifting is that the body doesn’t differentiate between the types of resistance.
Muscle stress is stress, whether using body weight, barbell, cable machine, or resistance band. Each gym tool has advantages and disadvantages; some are better for the job than others. However, the resistance band must be an essential tool in your toolbox.
Here, I will go into the benefits of using bands and five must-do resistance band exercises you should consider for your workouts.
4 Resistance Band Workout Benefits
Here are four reasons why I love resistance band exercises.
Easy To Use
First, you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure them out, and most exercises are easily picked up. Second, bands make it easier to switch between exercises so you can get more work in less time.
Works More Muscle
Resistance bands don’t rely on gravity for resistance like most other gym tools. Bands allow you to perform various exercises from different angles to challenge your muscles differently. Plus, the ascending resistance through most of the range of motion will train your muscles in ways a barbell or dumbbell can’t.
Joint-Friendly
Lifting with free weights puts some stress on your joints, even when you’re not lifting them. While this tension isn’t bad for you, the band gives you a break if your joints are painful. When the band is not stretched, there is minimal stress on your joints, which can provide your body a break from constant loading from the free weights.
Juicy Gains
Due to the minimal joint stress and ease of use, you can increase your workout volume (sets x reps) without sacrificing your recovery from other weighted and cardio activities.
My Favorite Resistance Band Moves
There are many excellent resistance band exercises, but this is my article, and these are my favorites, so they are in. I hope you like them, too.
Overhead Triceps Extensions
With the resistance band already stretched from the start, this triceps variation provides tension from the get-go. The band overhead triceps extension only gets harder as you extend the elbows, which is excellent for building muscle. Plus, it trains all three triceps muscles while being easier on your elbows. When you have old elbows like mine, avoiding joint stress is essential.
Benefits: Easier on your upper body joints while increasing muscle-building tension throughout the range of motion.
How to do it:
Secure a band to a high anchor point with a rope attachment if you have one. If not, grip the band.
Grip the band, step forward, and stagger your stance with your hands behind your head.
Extend your elbows until lockout and slowly return to the starting position. Reset and repeat.
Sets & reps: I like to perform these for higher reps and low sets; two to three sets of 15-25 reps will have you feeling the triceps burn.
Spanish Squat
The resistance band Spanish squat. Wow, I have no idea what makes this squat Spanish, but I can tell you two things. A band behind your knees allows you to sit back into the squat while keeping your shins vertical. This will have you feeling your quads while taking pressure off the knees, making it an excellent option for people with knee pain.
Benefits: If your knees hurt, try the Spanish squat, and if you want to beef up your quads, try it.
How to do it:
Secure a looped resistance band around a squat rack at knee height.
Then, step inside the band, put it behind the knees, and walk back until the band is tight.
Sit back into the squat to your preferred depth, and stand back up, pushing the back of your knees into the band.
Reset and repeat.
Sets & reps: This depends on the load; if you’re using bodyweight, work up to 12-15 reps, and when you feel comfortable, add load in the goblet position.
Band Resisted Push-up
When you can do 15 to 20 bodyweight push-ups in a row, it is time to make it harder, IMO. Adding resistance in the form of a looped band is a great way to add intensity to this bodyweight classic. The band ascending resistance will make this more difficult while adding strength and muscle to your chest and triceps.
Benefits: The band ascending resistance improves strength and muscle in your upper body.
How to do it:
Loop and band around your upper back, ensuring the band fits into your hands.
Then get your hands underneath your shoulders, be on your toes, and screw your hands into the floor.
Get into your push-up position and lower until your chest is about an inch from the floor.
Then, push your hands through the floor, lock your elbows, reset, and repeat.
Sets & reps: Two to three sets of between 8-16 reps.
Band X Crossover Lateral Walk
Mini band lateral walks are cool, but the X crossover lateral walk takes your glute action up a notch. Crossing the looped band over increases the resistance, helping you feel your behind like never before. This exercise strengthens the glutes and lateral hip muscles.
Benefits: It trains the lateral hip muscles, the glute mini, and the glute med, which are essential for hip and knee health.
How to do it:
Place your feet hip-width apart and loop one end of your resistance band underneath the middle of your feet.
Form an X shape by gripping the left side of the band with your right hand and the left with your right hand.
Take small lateral steps to one side, ensuring your toes are pointed forward and you ‘feel’ your big toes on the ground the entire time.
Reset and repeat on the other side.
Sets & reps: One to three sets of 15-25 reps per side.
Band Tall Kneeling Pull-Apart
Training the pull apart in the tall kneeling position trains your core and hip mobility while training those important upper back muscles. Upper back strength and muscle are essential for good posture, better shoulder mobility, and health. It’s a simple exercise that gives you a huge bang for your exercise buck.
Benefits: It simultaneously trains hip mobility, core stability, and upper back strength and is a great exercise for adding strength and muscle where you need it most.
How to do it:
Take a shoulder-width over or underhanded grip on a resistance band and get into the tall kneeling position.
Ensure your knees are underneath your hips, and squeeze your glutes and toes on the ground.
Raise the band to chest height and pull it apart, keeping your chest up, shoulders down, and elbows straight.
When the band touches your chest, slowly return to the starting position, reset, and repeat.
Sets & reps: Two to four sets of 15-25 reps.
Wrapping Up
Resistance bands are an excellent tool for adding intensity but without the added joint stress that comes with adding load. They are portable and easy to use, and you can perform higher reps for juicy fat loss and muscle-building gains. Bands, what’s not to love?
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