5 Benefits Using Resistance Bands in Your Fitness Routine
Resistance bands: stretchy rubber bands for workouts that come in various sizes, colors, and resistance levels, allowing you to customize your workout and target different muscle groups more effectively than traditional weight lifting.
They’re perfect for home workouts, muscle building, toning, flexibility, mobility, and are an incredibly versatile and affordable piece of fitness equipment that can benefit women of all ages, but they are especially useful for women in their 20s, 30s, 40s and beyond.
Here are the top five benefits of incorporating resistance bands into your fitness routine…
Women's Fitness Game Changers: 5 Benefits of Using Resistance Bands
1. Build Lean Muscle and Improve Strength
Resistance bands are great for building and toning muscles, especially in areas such as the glutes, thighs, and arms. They provide resistance throughout the entire range of motion, which helps to activate more muscle fibers than traditional weight training.
One study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that resistance band training was just as effective as free-weight training for improving muscular strength and power in trained athletes (1). Additionally, using resistance bands can help activate smaller muscle groups that may be neglected with traditional weight training exercises.
2. Increase flexibility and mobility
Using resistance bands can help improve flexibility and mobility, which is important to prevent premature aging. They allow for a greater range of motion during exercises, which help reduce the risk of injury and improve posture—and who doesn’t need a little help with their posture these days?!
A study published in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy found that resistance band stretching was an effective method for improving hamstring flexibility in healthy adults (2). Additionally, using resistance bands during warm-up exercises can help activate muscles and improve range of motion.
3. Convenient, Portable, Affordable
Resistance bands are lightweight and portable, making them an ideal piece of equipment for home workouts or for taking on the go. They take up minimal space and can be easily stored in a drawer or in a small bag—making them a great toss-and-go item to help you sneak in an extra workout at the park… or while you wait for your yoga class to begin.
They’re also are an affordable alternative to traditional weight training equipment. They are typically less expensive than free weights, machines, and other types of fitness equipment, making them accessible to those on a tight budget.
4. Suitable for all fitness levels
Resistance bands come in different levels of resistance, ranging from light to heavy. This makes them suitable for all fitness levels, from beginners to advanced. You can easily adjust the resistance level by using a different band or by adjusting the length of the band.
Many advanced practitioners will oscillate between different strength levels to tone, activate and alleviate pressure on certain muscle groups. It allows you to customize your workout to your body’s specific strength levels and needs, and can be extremely helpful after a big surgery, giving birth, or simply just getting back into shape after falling out of your good habits.
5. Low-Impact and Easy on Joints
Resistance bands activate more muscle fibers than traditional weightlifting—but unlike heavy weightlifting, using resistance bands is a low-impact exercise that is easy on joints. This makes them a great option for women who may be recovering from injury or have joint pain. In fact, a study published in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine found that resistance band exercises were associated with significantly less joint pain compared to free-weight exercises (3).
So you can rest easy knowing that when you push yourself with resistance bands you won’t feel much joint-based regret compared to hitting it hard with free-weights at the gym.
References:
1. Colado, J. C., et al. "Elastic bands are effective and economic alternative to traditional resistance training." Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol. 24, no. 5, 2010, pp. 1355-1362.
2. Weppler, C. H., et al. "Improvements in hamstring flexibility with self-administered proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation: A randomized controlled trial." International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, vol. 8, no. 6, 2013, pp. 767-776.
3. Colado, J. C., et al. "The effects of elastic resistance training on explosive leg strength of older women." Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, vol. 9, no. 3, 2010, pp. 468-472.