How to use resistance bands
One of the most inconspicuous exercise aids you’ll find among fitness enthusiasts, resistance bands pack a surprising punch.
Being highly portable and space-saving, resistance bands can be easy to store in your gym bag—and a beast to use while you train. Whether you’re looking to build full-body strength or recover from an injury, their magic lies equally in their practicality and versatility.
If you’ve been curious about resistance bands, it would be helpful to get an idea of which type is right for your routine. Plus, with some resistance band exercises to add to your repertoire, you can start experimenting with this flexible exercise tool the next time you hit the gym.
What are resistance bands used for?
Compared to other fitness equipment, resistance bands are shockingly affordable. A set on Amazon shouldn’t cost more than $25, although you can often get them for less.
However, the real shocker of resistance bands’ usefulness comes down to their versatility. These plugins can be used to raise any of the following types of routines.
Strength training
The most common use for resistance bands is simple: increase strength. Resistance bands can be used to target different muscle groups, including those in:
- Lower body
- Core
- Upper body
Despite their innocent looks, sports science suggests that these exercise accessories can be just as effective as dumbbells and other heavy gym equipment.
Another benefit of using resistance bands for strength training is how gentle they are on the joints. If you’re working through an injury, new to exercise, or have a chronic joint disease like arthritis, they provide a gentler way to get more out of your workout without overtaxing your body.
Building flexibility
Many fitness enthusiasts tend to focus on building strength or muscle. But flexibility is also an important component of overall fitness, as it can reduce your risk of injury and improve your ability to move fluidly and functionally in everyday life (not just in the gym).
Resistance bands can be used to increase range of motion in:
- Yoga or pilates – Many Pilates and yoga teachers use resistance bands to increase the effectiveness and results of these exercises. You may see resistance bands used during classic Pilates squats or as a prop in yoga to encourage better alignment.
- Assisted stretching – By wrapping a resistance band around an object — whether it’s a body part or a piece of furniture — you can deepen an existing stretch. For example, you can increase the hamstring stretch by lying on your back, looping a resistance band around the arch of your foot and pulling it toward you.
Recovery from injury
Physical therapists often use resistance bands in PT exercises to help rehabilitate muscles. Because of their adaptability, they can be a great tool for anyone — whether you’re new to fitness or an athlete recovering from a serious injury.
You can see that they are used to improve:
- Range of motion exercises
- Low impact reinforcement
- Muscle activations (this helps keep inert muscles active and prevent atrophy during recovery periods)
What types of resistance bands are there?
There are three main types of resistance bands:
- Mini or Loop tapes – These are fine, flat loops, usually made of latex. They tend to have low resistance, so they’re a great option if you’re just starting your fitness journey or are new to this piece of equipment.
Some straps are made of fabric, which gives them a little more grip to reduce slipping. Fabric bands also have a bit more resistance, making them a great option if you’ve been strengthening for a while.
- Pipe bands with handles – Tubular bands look like jump ropes, but are harnessed using a grippable handle. They are most often used to build arm strength, often by standing on a tube and doing bicep curls or other arm exercises.
- Therapeutic tapes – Therapeutic tapes resemble a mixture of mini rubber bands and tubular tapes. They look like loopless tape with no handles—sort of like latex tape. You will hold each end of the band in your hand and use them for range of motion, gentle strength building or muscle activation exercises.
How to use resistance bands and 5 exercises to try them out
Before you break out the bands, your first step is to choose the right one for you. In addition to band style, you’ll notice that many multipacks include a light, medium, and heavy option. This relates to the tension of each band. In general, lighter bands are used to perform more repetitions; for fewer reps, choose a heavier band.
Once you’ve chosen the type of resistance band you want, you can familiarize yourself with this tool with some of the following exercises.
#1 Squats with small bands
Adding a mini band to your squats will activate your glutes, quadriceps and hamstrings in one go.
Try 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps of the following:
- Place your mini band above the knee.
- Place your feet shoulder-width apart, with your toes turned slightly outwards.
- Squat down, focusing on keeping your back and knees over your toes as you lower.
- Try to maintain tension in the girdle as you squat, pressing your knees outward.
- For an extra burn, squeeze your butt as you stand up.
#2 Sidewalk with mini bar
With the loop belt, even walking becomes exercise. These band walks work the outer glutes and hip abductors.
Try 3 sets of the following 15 steps:
- Tie a mini band above your ankles or above your knees (just like those squats).
- Keep your feet hip-width apart with your knees slightly bent, leaning slightly forward.
- Step out to the side with the front leg, increasing the tension on the band, then follow with the other leg, returning the band to its original tension.
- Continue until you reach the desired number of steps. Then step in the opposite direction with the other leg.
#3 Tube Band bicep curl
The specialty of tube bands are arm exercises, and these curls perfectly target your biceps.
Here’s how to do it:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and stand on the tube band, holding onto the handles with your palms facing out.
- With your elbows close to your torso, pull the handles toward your chest, bending at the elbows.
- Gradually bring the handles back down from the sides. You can try 10 repetitions, with a maximum of three sets.
#4 Tube Band Press on the chest
When the chest press has a wait, you can use your practice band instead of the equipment.
Here’s how to do push-ups for chest, shoulders and triceps with a tube band:
- Find a stable structure – like a pillar or post – and wrap the pipe around it.
- Take the handle in each hand and move away from the structure until you feel tension in the band.
- Keep your hands at chest level, keeping your elbows bent. Keeping your palms facing down, pull the handles forward to full extension.
- Gradually bring your hands back to your chest. Repeat.
You can try 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions.
#5 Seated rowing with therapeutic tape
If you want to strengthen your back without a mechanical rower, remove the therapy tape and follow these steps:
- While sitting on the floor, wrap the therapy tape around the soles of your feet. Extend your legs long in front of you.
- Sit up straight and hold each end of the band with your palms facing inward. Bend at the elbows and pull the shoulder blades toward the center line, pulling the band toward you.
- Gradually return your hands to the starting position.
During all of these exercises, you’ll get the most out of your routine by gradually releasing the tension on the band.
Bonus: shoulder flossing
Don’t forget—resistance bands can be an equally good warm-up and cool-down accessory. To lubricate your shoulder joints before or after a workout, try this shoulder thread therapy exercise:
- Hold your resistance band—whether it’s a mini band, tubular band, or therapy band—in front of you, palms facing down.
Advice: The more tense your shoulders are, the wider your grip should be. If your shoulders are very mobile, don’t grip the band more than a few inches above your shoulders.
- Slowly, in an arc, pull your hands towards your ears. You should roll at the shoulder so that the crooks of your elbows are facing the ceiling.
- Evenly pull your arms down past your hips and toward the floor. Your elbows should now be facing outwards.
- After a pause, slowly move your arms along that arc and return to the original position.
If you use shoulder flossing as a relaxation routine, try to match your breath with your movements (inhale as you lift your arms up, exhale as you pull your arms down) for added relaxation.
Find irresistible training support at Chuze Fitness
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Plus, there’s minimal resistance to taking the first step toward your health goals: try a free 7-day pass peek into what a better future looks like.
Sources:
Prevention. How to Use Resistance Bands Properly: A Beginner’s Guide. https://www.prevention.com/fitness/workouts/a60653919/how-to-use-resistance-bands/
Fits very well. How to use resistance band exercises for strength and muscular endurance.
https://www.verywellfit.com/how-to-use-resistance-bands-8426367
So + Good. Neck in knots? “Shoulder Flossing” is a surefire way to relax. https://www.wellandgood.com/shoulder-flossing/
Reviewed by:
Ani is the Vice President of Fitness at Chuze Fitness and oversees the Group Fitness and Team Training departments. She has had a 25+ year career in club management, personal training, group exercise and instructor training. Ani lives with her husband and son in San Diego, CA and loves hot yoga, snowboarding, and all things wellness.
