Resistance bands FAQs
Are resistance bands effective?
“They’re unbelievably effective,” Kira Mahal, founder of MotivatePT told us. “They’re our favourite piece of equipment and the first one we always tell our personal training clients to buy. They allow you to easily progress compound exercises so they’re brilliant once you have passed the beginner stage.
“For example, once you’ve mastered a set of lunges, the best progression is adding a resistance band in and then playing with the intensity,” Mahal added. “They are also incredibly effective for improving balance – we use them a lot with beginners who don’t have great core strength, senior clients and pregnancy clients who struggle with balance as their belly grows.”
When would you choose resistance bands over weights?
“We would choose them over weights in many instances,” Mahal said. “They’re great for warming up and for targeting small muscle groups for rehab clients, and we love them for our pregnancy clients, as there is far less risk of injury. They really allow you to hone in on smaller areas of the body without letting dominant muscle groups, such as your quads, take over.”
What types of resistance bands are there and how do you use them?
Resistance bands can be flat or tubed, come in a length or a closed loop and are made from various types of stretchy material. They come in different levels of resistance, so choose one that suits your level of strength and what you’re using them for – they’re graded either by weight or levels of resistance, such as extra light to heavy. Sets with a range of weights are ideal as you can either progress or use different bands for different moves (for example, your legs can handle more resistance than your upper body).
Resistance bands are very versatile – longer ones can be stepped on and used for upper body work – for example, lifting it upwards in a bicep curl. Shorter loops tend to be used more for lower body work, such as having it around your thighs in a squat position and taking small steps to the side to work against the resistance, but can also be used for upper body. YouTube is a great resource for resistance band exercise inspiration.
The verdict: Resistance bands
The TRX bandit kit is well made, offers excellent versatility in terms of resistance range since you can easily double up the bands inside the handle, and you can use them with and without the handles, too. The set also travels well which is great for keeping up your fitness regime when you’re on holiday.
The Enertor set is a good place to start if you want to see how you get on with resistance band work without investing a lot of cash first, or if you just want to add in some warm ups/strength work before or after your usual exercise regime, such as running or cycling.
Voucher codes
For the latest discounts on sports equipment and accessories, try the links below:
Put pedal to the metal without leaving home with the best exercise bikes
