Resistance bands are making a comeback.

Whether it’s in gyms, homes, or parks, you’ll see these elastic bands popping up at almost any workout group, gym session, or online class.

It’s easy to see why, too. After a year of lockdowns and uncertainty – people are looking to change the way they exercise, and that means becoming more self-sufficient. But that’s only one of the many reasons why they’re so popular.

Here’s everything you need to know about resistance bands and how they can benefit your routine.

What are resistance bands?

Resistance bands are large elastic bands that are used to aid workout routines. They’re made from rubber and are super stretchy.

There are a bunch of different types out there. The most common (and most versatile) are flat exercise bands which basically form one big loop. They also come in different sizes and levels of tension – which can be useful for different exercises.

What are resistance bands used for?

Resistance bands are used for a multitude of different exercises, workouts, and stretching routines. Here are some of the most common ways resistance bands are used today:

  • For strength and conditioning
  • Mobility and flexibility
  • Rehabilitation
  • Physical therapy
  • Weight training

Benefits of resistance bands

Resistance bands offer a range of benefits to those who use them effectively. Here’s why they’re becoming so popular.

They’re ultra lightweight

There’s no risk of dropping a 10kg dumbbell on your precious floor at home after a long set. With resistance bands clocking in at barely 100 grams, you’re free to throw them around wherever you want. Carry them easily in a small pouch while you’re off jogging and travelling, or stash them in your gym bag for warmups and cooldowns.

Cheap alternative to gym machines

Compared to your dumbbells or resistance cable pulley system, a set of resistance bands will be a bargain. For the number of exercise applications, you’re getting unparalleled value for money.

Train smarter – not harder

Resistance bands offer a completely different approach to training. Instead of lifting a dumbbell up and down, your arm is constantly under pressure – at all stages of the movement. This makes the quality of your exercise more potent – because more muscles are used more often.

For someone looking to diversify their training, resistance bands are the ideal way to engage muscles they simply haven’t worked before.

Engage more angles

There are only so many ways you can work a lateral pulldown bar. Adjust your weight and pull down. But attach a resistance band to the side and you’ve got access to almost infinite angles of engagement to similar muscles around the upper back and shoulders. Whether you’re securing a band to a pole, or going freestyle, resistance bands are as flexible as they are versatile.

Focus your exercise

Resistance bands allow you to focus on engaging the right muscles in a given exercise. Compared to lifting weights, where the standard routine is dictated by simple arm movements, resistance bands open up a more complex series of motions that can improve dynamic fitness and strength.

Ideal for rehabilitation

Resistance bands offer something that traditional exercise equipment doesn’t: an unlimited range of different tensions and tightness levels. Pick up a dumbbell and you’re already limited by the different weights in front of you. Resistance bands can be as loose or as tight as you like – making them ideal tools for rehabilitation. Scaling up the tension over a given time period and diversifying your routine is extremely helpful in overcoming sporting injuries, and plays an important role in re-building form and strength.

Improve your form

If you’ve tried resistance bands before and found them hard to keep steady, that’s because they’re working out your stabilising muscles – which may not have been used much before.

With no machine to guide every single movement, people exercising using resistance bands can take advantage of routines that work the stabilising muscles and subsequently improve their form.

Enjoy a safer workout

If you’re recovering from an injury, or think you might be prone to worsening an existing isolated injury – resistance bands are a great way to keep exercising unaffected muscles and joints.

Being so light and gentle, resistance bands are ideal for anyone who is experiencing soreness in joints. Why is that? You can basically get the same muscle engagement without the worry of dropping a heavy dumbbell on your toe. Resistance bands also naturally stop you from overextending your limbs via tension – making it harder to dislocate or hyper-extend a joint.

The verdict

Whether you’re recovering from an injury, hoping to get rid of prolonged pain, or simply looking to diversify your workout routine, resistance bands can open up a whole new world of exercise.

If you’re experiencing prolonged pain and muscle sensitivity make sure you visit physio Perth to get to the root of the problem. Ask about personalised resistance band exercises and how they can help overcome injury, chronic pain, and more.