The Benefits of Resistance Bands

I like to use a lot of resistance bands in my personal workouts and in my clients’ workouts for a number of reasons. When it comes to strength training, even yes for those who are looking to put on muscle size, changing your tools can actually provide a lot of benefits that your body will thank you for. Here are several reasons why using resistance bands can be so beneficial:

1.     Same muscle, less force on the joint.

Because the resistance band exerts a different level of force in both the muscle contraction and muscle relaxation, the joint(s) that are involved are less likely to be over-stressed, and thus less likely to lead to injury.

2.    Greater muscle stimulus.

Dr. Jim Stoppani, one of the fitness industry’s leading experts with a PhD in Exercise Physiology states, “The muscle is receiving greater resistance at its strongest point in the range of motion and therefore is receiving more adequate resistance to better stimulate strength adaptations.” Simply put: the working muscle is actually being forced to work harder even at its strongest point in the movement which in turn will elicit better increases in strength.

3.    Stabilization of the core.

 The majority of shoulder and lower extremity injuries are a result of an under-active core. Doing crunches and planks all day certainly are not going to dynamically strengthen your core, although it’s hard to discredit any exercise since something is better than nothing. However, almost every single client I have had the opportunity to consult with or work with suffers with some dysfunction that is partially manifested from an under-active or weak core. Using resistance bands requires stabilization of your core in a variety of exercises, based on simple principles of physics.

 4.    Improved strength and athletic performance.

 Resistance bands incorporate the element of instability because of how the bands are anchored at a fixed point. The use of resistance bands in combination with common fitness equipment (i.e. dumbbells, barbells, and machines) help many athletes, including Power Lifting athletes. With the use of resistance bands in their training, they are able to increase strength and thus performance because all muscles around the affected joints are able to stabilize and work together to complete the lift. This is versus relying on large muscle groups alone to complete the same movement – which typically can lead to strength plateaus, poor movement patterns, and inevitably injuries.

 5.    More exercise options.

 I don’t know about you but I can get pretty bored with the same routine after a handful of times. Variety is truly the spice of life and incorporating resistance bands is a great way to give your current lifting routine a little pizzazz. Not to mention, resistance bands can provide a range of motion that you may not be able to complete safely with other traditional equipment – such as a rotational movement to improve golf or tennis swings.

 6.    They’re so affordable!

 There are many different resistance band options out there and all can come at a different cost. But overall, resistance bands are very affordable, can be shipped directly to your home and even better – compact enough to travel with or store somewhere out of sight.

 7.     Ideal for rehab.

 With my experience and background, resistance bands a lot of the time are associated with physical therapy or rehabilitation exercises. And truthfully, they are great for slowly reintroducing strength back into affected joints! If this doesn’t apply to you, think beyond just rehab exercises and look at options that can enhance and challenge your strength routine.

 8.    Stretching and mobility.

 I like to use resistance bands to help with passive stretching techniques, an example would be showing a client how to achieve an assisted stretch from me … but without me. Resistance bands can help apply just a small amount of tension on the muscle in a passive stretch to help with chronic tight muscles or improving range of motion.

 So for those of you not sure where to begin with a resistance band routine, how to challenge yourself more with the bands you have, or maybe are out on the hunt for resistance bands – don’t hesitate to contact me for more information! Stay strong, stay healthy!