Benefits of Resistance Bands & 10 Reasons Why You Should Buy Them

Whether you’re a newbie to the gym or have been training for years, continually reaching your fitness goals can do you a whole world of good. All it takes is hard work and consistency, and the results will soon start to follow!

But if you’re anything like me, you might just find that getting in your workout is sometimes easier said than done. This is likely to be down to one of life’s many commitments getting in the way.

Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be like this.

The solution? – utilizing good resistance bands as part of your training.

Allowing you to perform a workout in the comfort of your own home, while you’re traveling, or just about anywhere else you can think of, there are many ways in which resistance bands can help you stay on track with your fitness progress.

So, if you’d like to find out more about the benefits of resistance bands, simply continue reading. Everything you need to know will be covered in the following article.

10 Reasons Why You Should Invest in Resistance Bands

1. Cost-effectiveness

Like many people, I’m really into my fitness. But I’m a strong believer that you don’t always need to break the bank to reach your fitness goals and achieve a happier and healthier life.

It was through this way of thinking that I came upon resistance bands – the perfect solution to get in an effective workout without having to spend a fortune.

Available to purchase either individually or as part of a set, it’s possible to obtain great value when it comes to resistance bands.

But don’t just go ahead and purchase the first set that you see. It’s important to do your research to avoid buying a set that just doesn’t last…

2. Minimized Risk of Injury

Free weights are a fantastic way of building muscle and strength – there’s no doubt about it. The problem is that they come associated with certain risks. What are these risks? You ask.

Well, it could be dropping a heavyweight plate on your foot, or maybe trapping your fingers between plates. Either way, I’m pretty sure that’s something you’ll want to avoid!

Steer clear of issues such as the above by incorporating resistance band training into your routine. As long as you remain consistent and continually push yourself, you’ll achieve great results in no time.

Plus, you won’t even need a spotter to get you there!

3. Easy to Store

As much as I’d like to, I don’t have access to a full rack of weights in my own home. But I’m certainly not alone when it comes to not having the space to run a functional home gym.

Thankfully, resistance bands eradicate this problem by allowing me to get in an effective workout without taking up much room at all.

But it gets better…

When I’m done, all I need to do is coil them up and store them in a cupboard, box, or other convenient place and they’ll be ready and waiting for my next workout!

That certainly beats having to re-rack a bunch of weights after working out, wouldn’t you say?!

4. Exercise While on the Move

One of the things I like the most about resistance bands is that they are so portable. They don’t take up much room, weigh next to nothing, and can be conveniently taken with me on my travels.

So, you can throw those excuses about not being able to make it to the gym out the window. It’s never been easier to get that all-important workout completed – whether you’re on the road or just couldn’t make it to the gym on time.

In addition to this, you don’t need much space to perform your workouts too. For that reason, resistance bands are undoubtedly the perfect option for those who spend a lot of time in hotel rooms or any other place where there’s no gym available.

If that doesn’t motivate you to reach your fitness goals while traveling, I’m not sure what will!

5. Increased Variety with Your Workouts

One of the biggest problems that people face on their fitness journey is reaching a plateau for one reason or another.

But if you’re following the same old routine week in, week out, this really shouldn’t come as a surprise.

Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be that way!

With resistance bands, it is simple to mix things up by adjusting the resistance to your liking. If it becomes too easy, simply add more resistance, and vice versa.

Plus, if you combine resistance bands with other training methods such as machines or free weights, you’ll be less likely to hit a stumbling block in your fitness progress as time goes by.

6. Effective Combination with Free Weights

As you’ll now be aware, resistance bands can be used by themselves to get an effective workout done. But, I’ve found that combining them with other equipment is the perfect way to mix things up a little.

Not sure how to get started? Then here’s an example.

Simply utilize resistance bands while performing barbell curls. Loop it around the barbell and stand on the loose end and execute the move as usual.

The top portion of each rep will be harder, but a new stimulus is exactly what you’ll get as a result.

7. Easily Tailored to Your Fitness Level

One of the biggest benefits of resistance band training is that it doesn’t matter what your level of ability is. If you’re just starting out or require a lighter level of resistance, there are plenty of options at your disposal.

Sounds good, right?

But as you progress, you’ll inevitably require a greater level of resistance in order to avoid reaching a plateau. Thankfully, it’s incredibly easy to up the tempo and make each exercise more difficult with resistance bands.

How so?

Well, all you need to do is either choose a band with a higher resistance, or combine multiple bands together – it’s that simple!

8. Strengthen and Tone Your Entire Body

With resistance bands being so easy to use, it’s possible to obtain fantastic results by training with them consistently. By creating increased tension, resistance bands will cause your muscles to effectively contract and build strength.

Over time, this will ensure that you can obtain great strength gains – so long as you continue to increase the resistance and train consistently as you become more advanced.

Speaking of which, I’ve found that through a little trial and error, I can make the exercise harder in multiple ways.

So, how is this done?

Well, you can increase tension by combining multiple resistance bands, or even by adjusting your standing position which varies depending on the exercise you are performing.

Either way, resistance bands are a great option for those who are looking to improve their strength and perhaps achieve muscle definition.

9. Warm-up Effectively with a Stretching Workout

I know you’ve probably heard it all before, but stretching and warming up before working out is incredibly important.

I’ve made the mistake of not doing so myself in the past, and it’s something that I don’t intend to do again!

So, if you’re looking to stay on the safe side, you can do just that by using a lighter resistance band prior to lifting the weight/resistance you usually would.

The benefit of this? Well, you’ll effectively warm up your muscles and will be far less likely to suffer from any potential injuries.

That in itself is something worth taking on board, as I’m pretty sure you don’t want to put yourself at risk.

But even if you have obtained an injury or suffer from back or neck pain, resistance bands can be useful in that regard too!

Simply grab a light band and perform simple stretches. Soon enough, this will provide you with excellent upper body pain relief.

10. Assistance with Difficult Exercises

Perfecting tough exercises such as pull-ups takes a great amount of time, effort, and practice. So, if you’re having difficulty in mastering this move, you’re most definitely not alone.

Having been in this situation myself, I found that using resistance bands helped me to perfect my pull-ups far more efficiently.

Once I’d gotten used to the move with the help of resistance bands, it was only a matter of time before I’d mastered pull-ups totally unassisted.

Don’t worry if you’re not sure how to get started – here’s a quick explanation of how to perform assisted pull-ups with resistance bands:

Simply attach the resistance band under your foot or knee, and you’ll receive an adequate amount of assistance to perform the move. Once it becomes too easy, you can either use a lighter resistance band or just use your own body weight once you’re ready.

FAQs

Are Resistance Bands Good for Building Muscle?

As you’ll now know, there are many benefits of resistance bands, with excellent strength-building capabilities one of the most prominent.

But, just how good are they at building muscle?

Well, it turns out that they’re more effective for strength building as opposed to gaining size. This means that resistance band training is arguably most effective when utilized in conjunction with machines and free weights.

With that being said, fitness beginners are likely to build the most amount of muscle with resistance bands. So, it’s well worth trying them if you’re just starting out!

Are Resistance Bands Safe?

In the same way that there are risks to using free weights, there are also hazards to using resistance bands. For that reason, you should always take care when using them.

But before you go ahead and purchase any old set of resistance bands, be sure to do your homework prior to hitting the buy button.

Why? Well, this will ensure that you don’t end up with a cheap set that won’t last five minutes, or will potentially put your safety at risk when using them.

Thankfully, purchasing resistance brands from a reputable manufacturer will help to minimize this risk and ensures that they are less likely to snap/break.

Once you’ve actually purchased some resistance bands, be sure to take care when performing exercises with them. You can do this by taking the following into account:

How do Resistance Bands Work?

In a similar way to free weights, resistance bands make your muscles work against external resistance.

As they fight against the tension, your muscles will effectively be working against the resistance throughout the entire move.

How?

Well, it’s because resistance bands don’t rely on gravity, as would be the case with free weights. As a result, your muscles are under tension for a greater amount of time, which gives them the edge on free weights if you’re looking to gain strength and muscle size.

Are Resistance Bands Better Than Free Weights?

As I touched upon in the last section, resistance band movements involve your muscles being under a greater amount of tension when compared to free weights.

Does this make resistance bands superior to free weights? Yes and no.

Of course, time under tension is important when you’re looking to gain strength and size. But if you’re looking to go a step further, get the best of both worlds by combining resistance band and free weight training.

After all, they do say that variety is the spice of life!

Summary

While it’s not for everyone, there are many benefits of using resistance bands, as has been outlined throughout the article.

So, whether you’re short on space where you live or would like to get in a solid workout when you can’t make it to the gym, resistance bands are an affordable, versatile, and effective solution.

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