Use Resistance Bands for Travel-Friendly Workouts
The fight to get a good workout away from the gym (or your home) is real, but throw a few lightweight resistance bands in your gym bag and you can train anywhere.
Sure, bodyweight workouts are a great option, but add resistance bands to them and you have a tough workout without a gym. Straps come in a variety of colors, each representing a specific thickness, elasticity and tension, making it feel like you are carrying a lot of weight. There are several types, although I personally like closed-loop groups like these . They are simply more versatile than handles with grips , but both work great and are compact.
Best of all, they are affordable and easier on the joints. Since resistance bands are essentially giant rubber bands, they are very useful for helping people get past sticky points in exercise that usually give them problems but still allow them to develop strength in other aspects of the movement (completing a pull-up, for example).
Here are some examples of exercises that can be improved with elastic bands:
Pull-ups
For people who do not yet know how to pull up without assistance, bandages help lift you from below (the so-called “dead hanging” part), although once the tension subsides halfway through the movement, you are on your own. for a strong end of the movement. To keep progressing, try using less resistance bands (so there is less help at the bottom) or these no band exercises to help you pull up.
Push ups
This is a great way to make the push-ups more challenging because the tension on the band will make it harder for you to complete the push-up from the top. Wrap an elastic band around your upper back and hold each end with your hands as you do the push-up. If you feel like you cannot take a position, the resistance is too “great”; go with something weaker.
Deadlift with suitcase
This striped version of the deadlift should be lighter on the back while still targeting the back chain (muscles throughout the back). Grasp the tape at both ends and hold it while standing on it. When you do the deadlift (don’t forget the hip joint ), you will notice the tension build up at the top, but at the same time feel like you are immediately pulled downward. This is a challenge!
Curl biceps
The straps can add additional stress to both the ascending and descending portion of the bicep curl. As with the deadlift above, grab both ends and secure it with your legs, then bend as if you are trying to feed yourself an apple. If you want to make this movement more piquant, focus on the slower ones.
Hip thrusts
The hip thrusts primarily target the gluteal muscles and hamstrings. Securing tapes can be tricky (but possible). Find extra-heavy items, such as one of the bed frame legs, to secure each side of the tape.
Band Pull-Aparts
As the name suggests, the goal is to try to pull the bands apart while keeping your chest and shoulders stable (and not arching your back). This exercise is helpful because we tend to overuse the front of our shoulders in the jerk. Thus, it works on the often weaker shoulder muscles in the back and keeps the shoulders healthy.
Of course, there are so many exercises you can do with elastic bands. ( Here are 33 of them from Greatist. )
You can also add these ribbons to resistance exercises such as barbell deadlifts, squats, and some bench presses.