Resistance Bands: An Alternative Strength Training
November 4, 2009 by Kat Wendersen
Filed under Fitness Training
Resistance workout is kind of a strength training where force is generated by resistance, i.e. resistance to being pushed, squeezed, stretched or bent. It’s used to develop the strength and size of skeletal muscles bacause it will strengthen and tone muscles and increase bone mass. Resistance band workouts are not the same as weight-lifting but includes basic moves for the entire body using elastic tubes with handles. They come in various thicknesses to increase the tension.
A good reason to do exercise band workouts is that the number of muscle fibers declines with age. From age 30 to age 70 we can lose more than 25% of the type 2 muscle fibers in our bodies, those are our strength fibers. Resistance band exercise can slow down or even reverse the aging process by building muscle mass and strength. It also prevents Osteoporosis, as resistance band workouts suggests that it can build bone even in the elderly.
There are several other advantages of exercising with elastic tubing.
- It is inexpensive and you can do lots of different exercises with them.
- You can even do the exercices in a chair if you don’t get around very well on your feet.
To make it work, you should do a workout two to three days per week. The best way is to do one set of eight to ten exercises for the major muscle groups (chest, back, shoulders, arms, abdominals, and legs) and eight to twelve repetitions to fatigue.
Resistance band workouts is only one of the types of resistance training. There are several other types like weight lifting, Circuit and Hydraulic training. Hydraulic makes it possible to perform strength training as well as cardiovascular training at the same time. It can be exercising in water or utilizing cylinders where resistance is a function of speed. Unlike stack weights, gravity neither helps nor hinders the workout but builds speed.
Resistance band training can provide a lot of functional benefits and improvement in overall health and well-being, when properly performed. It’s never too late to start. In a study of elderly men and women who performed Resistance band workouts three times per week, strength increased 113%! The elderly participants could also walk faster, climb more stairs, and it even caused the muscles in their thighs to increase by more than 2.5%.
