Benefits Of Resistance Bands

Here we will look at:

• What resistance bands are
• The different types of resistance bands
• The benefits of resistance bands
• How resistance bands work
• Compare resistance bands vs weights

We’ve even snuck in a few celebrities and athletes who rave about the benefits of resistance bands so don't just take our word for it!

What Are Resistance Bands?

Resistance bands are specially designed elasticated bands used to provide resistance to muscles as they work.

As you pull on the band, the tension in the resistance band increases and your muscles have to work harder to pull against the band and continue the movement, similar to using weights.

The further a resistance band is stretched, the greater the resistance it provides and the harder the muscles have to work to pull against the increasing tension.

Types of Resistance Bands 

12 Benefits of Resistance Bands

The benefits of resistance bands are huge so it’s no surprise use that their use is becoming more and more prevalent in both gyms, fitness centers and in people’s home. 

The main benefits of resistance bands are:

1. Economical: cheap to buy and long-lasting. Prices start around $15/£8
2. Easy To Store: incredibly small and lightweight
3. Suitable For Any Fitness Level: beginners to advanced – simply choose the right color for you
4. Versatile: can be used in a huge variety of ways e.g. by changing the position of the anchor point, and can be used differently to assist or resist movement
5. Simple To Use: no specialist training or fancy equipment required, and there are loads of exercise programs online
6. Safe: resistance bands are very unlikely to cause an injury
7. Low Impact: they target muscles not joints, making them perfect for beginners or after an injury
8. Whole Body Workout: you can work almost every muscle group with just one or two resistance bands
9. Strength & Stability: work both your power muscles and core muscles at the same time for strength and support
10. Adds Variety: to existing exercise routines which boosts motivation
11. Great For Travel: Extremely portable and you don’t need much space to use them
12. No Partner Required: great if you work out alone

With all those benefits of resistance bands, they sure sound tempting, but how effective actually are they?

Do Resistance Bands Work? 

How Do You Use Resistance Bands?

One of the big benefits of resistance bands is their versatility – you can use resistance bands to work out so many muscle groups in so many ways.

To get started, you need to think about anchor points. Whether you are using a long flat band, a loop or tube resistance band, there will always be 2 anchor points which may be:

1. Static: anchor doesn’t move during movement. Band may be tied to or looped around something to fix it in place
2. Dynamic: anchor moves during movement 

You may have one static and one dynamic anchor point or two dynamic anchor points. Let me give you examples of each.

1. Static & Dynamic Anchor

This is the most common type of anchoring with resistance bands as it tends to be more stable.

• Action: Working your biceps by bending and straightening your elbow. 
• Static Anchor Point: band anchored underneath your foot, or tied to a chair leg. 
• Dynamic Anchor Point: the other end of band is held in your hand which moves as you bend the elbow. 

2. Two Dynamic Anchors

• Action: Working the outer thighs by jumping both legs out and in. 
• Dynamic Anchor Points: Loop band placed around both thighs and jump both legs out and back in - the thighs are the anchor points.

Using two dynamic anchor points with resistance bands has the advantage of working 2 groups of muscles simultaneously but requires balanced force and strength on each side.

You can anchor bands to anything solid and stable. Table legs, door handles and chair legs (provided you or someone else is sat in the chair!) are common options as well as your hands, feet and ankles.

Raring to go, check out our awesome Resistance Band Exercises For Legs.

Resistance Bands vs Weights

Are Resistance Bands Good?

If you are still wondering are resistance bands good for you, then I would highly recommend giving them a try. They are a cheap, simple to use, effective and fun way to exercise, can almost certainly be used as part of your usual workout routine and the range of styles and strengths means you should be able to find one that is right for you.

Resistance bands are a great way to add variety to exercises which can really help with motivation and perseverance. We all know how easy it is to get bored of the same old exercises day after day, but by adding in the extra challenges of resistance bands old exercises suddenly take on new form which can really up motivation. Find out more about types of resistance bands.

What Exercises Should I Do?

There is almost no limit to what exercises you can do with resistance bands. They can be used for pretty much any exercise for any muscle group in loads of different ways.

Check out our article Theraband Exercises for Legs or if you looking to build up the strength around your shoulder, pop over to our sister site for our Resistance Band Shoulder Rehab program. If you want to know more about the various types and where to buy them check out our article on Types Of Resistance Bands.

So get going today and find out for yourself all about the benefits of resistance bands.

Page Last Updated: 07/12/23
Next Review Due: 07/12/25

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