Key Resistance Band Exercises to Boost Your Strength

By Mariana Echeverri Alvarez, Communications Coordinator

What Are Resistance Bands?

As we’ve all seen at the gym, there are a variety of colorful bands that provide multipurpose use. Some examples of how they may be used are warming up, stretching, mobility, general exercising, and all types of resistance training. Resistance bands can be used by beginners and even advanced workouts, and they can provide similar, if not more, stimulus than free weights and machines.

What Are the Benefits?

Suitable for various athletes
Easy to combine with other exercises
Very cost-effective
Great for home workouts/ on the move
Improves muscle activation and functional strength
Reduced Risk of injury and improved recovery
Constant muscle tension

What’s The Difference Between All the Bands?

There are an abundance of bands that you may have seen, and all of them can be used in any way possible. Every band can be used as a warm-up, mobility session, and resistance training. Every band will have different colors to determine the resistance the band will give you. But there are 3 bands that I will elaborate more on because I feel there is more of a variety of what you can do with them. The first type of band is a thin, narrow band. The second band is a long thin – thick band. Finally, the last band is a long, thick, and girthy band. These bands can be used for anything.

How to Use Each Band?

Thin Narrow Band

Warm-ups:

– Side Shuffles

– Leg Swings

– Knee Abductions

Mobility:

– Hip Abduction

Resistance Training:

– Hip Thrusts

– Goblet Squats

Long Thick Band

Warm-ups:

– Internal Shoulder Rotation

– External Shoulder Rotation

– Abduction Shoulder Rotation

– Adduction Shoulder Rotation

Mobility:

– Full Arm Rotations

– Scapula Contractions

– Arm Flexion /Extension

– Arm Stretches

Resistance Training:

– Bicep Curls

– Core

Thick Band

Warm-ups:

– Hip Abduction

– Hip Adduction

– Arm circles

Mobility:

– Single Leg raises

– Lat stretch

Resistance Training:

– Concentric bench press

– Squat Press

Conclusion

In the end, resistance bands are beneficial in many ways as they are efficient, resourceful, and flexible to all athletes. They provide the stimulation you need without the risk of injury. There are numerous ways of using these varieties of bands, as you can always experiment yourself and find something that will suit you. The bands will also come in different sizes and resistances to increase the difficulty or provide different purposes. These are just some examples of how to use these resistance bands, but the amount of exercises you can do or find with them is endless.