Exercise Bands: The Simple Guide to Great Exercise Band Workouts

Most households have exercise bands or portable tubing on hand today and there are a few understandable reasons for this:

Exercise bands are very affordable.

Exercise bands take up virtually no room in the home.

Portable cables or bands can be used for a long list of exercises.

You can take exercise bands with you anywhere.

Workouts incorporating bands and tubing place less pressure on the muscle and ligaments in the body.

You can move your arms and legs through full ranges of motion with bands while other equipment limits range of motion to some degree.

Sure, you will still want to use weights for increasing muscle mass and strengthening purposes. But, you can work exercise bands into your workout schedule for movements that you want to progressively challenge your muscles. Since you can adjust the length of your exercise bands or tubing to change the intensity of the movement, these bands are preferable for some movements than weights which stay at a fixed resistance level.

Don't think of this as an either or situation. You don't have to choose between using exercise bands or using dumbbells, bars, and other standard weight equipment. You can keep your proven weightlifting or strength building equipment and incorporate exercise bands for an even more effective workout program.

One way to use exercise bands in your workout program is to do modified versions of exercises you already do on other forms of fitness equipment. You can do bench presses lying on the bench and then do chest presses standing up with your exercise bands. This is just one way to use bands or tubes to enhance your strength training or weightlifting program.

The first step to incorporating exercise bands in your workout program is to get to know the market and purchase the bands that will work best for your fitness needs. You can find bands designed just for use with specific pieces of exercise equipment like a Bosu ball or exercise step. Then you have basic bands which can be connected to a stable structure or just placed under your feet for use.

You need high quality bands that are very durable so they won't snap or shred when you get into more intensive movements. You also need to choose bands with the right type of handles so they are comfortable for you to grip during your workouts. Some won't have handles at all because they are designed for use with different types of exercises.

Pay attention to quality as well when picking out exercise bands. You want bands that are going to last awhile without tearing up quickly. This is especially important if you want to use them frequently or for more intense workout sessions.

These bands are among the cheapest workout tools you will find on the market today, but that doesn't mean the cheaper the better. Quality does count so shop with your goals and intended use in mind.