Resistance Bands: Exercises You Can Do Anywhere!

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By Cameo Morningstar

Resistance Bands

The sun is shining, the weather is clear, with resistance bands - you can workout anywhere!

Spread out in the living room, venture to the beach or head over to the nearest park.

With this simple but effective, full-body resistance band routine you are guaranteed excellent results.

Beginners:

Do the following workout as a circuit (meaning you go from one exercise to the next with no rest in between). Do the circuit two times a week for the first two weeks on non-consecutive days. Complete the circuit once if you are brand new to exercise or if you have taken a long hiatus. Complete the circuit twice if you have been exercising for a few months. Warm-up for 5-10 minutes by taking a brisk walk, peddling on a bike, or even doing some jumping jacks. Follow the circuit with 30-60 minutes of cardio. Beginners, this can be anything from a brisk 45-60 minute walk to a light 30 minute jog. It depends on your level of experience. Please consult a doctor prior to beginning this routine if you have never exercised, or if you have existing health problems.

Intermediate:

Do the following circuit 3 times a week on non-consecutive days. Perform the entire circuit 3 times. Follow the circuit with 30-40 minutes of moderate to high intensity cardio. For turbo-results, add an extra day of cardio to your week - 50-60 minutes at a moderate intensity.

Advanced:

Do the following circuit 3 to 4 times a week on non-consecutive days. Perform the circuit 3 times. Follow the circuit with 30-40 minutes of cardio at a moderate to high intensity. For turbo-results, add two additional cardio days of 45-60 minutes. You should take at least one complete day off each week.

Examples of Cardio (that you can do anywhere)

Light Cardio: Walking, Bicycling, Hiking

Moderate Cardio: Speed Walking, Biking at a high RPM with some hills, Jogging

Intense Cardio: Jogging, Running, Biking at high RPM with resistance, Hills, Hiking Up Hill, Interval Training (alternate between 1.5 minutes of low-intensity exercise followed by 30 seconds of super intense activity - do this for 15-25 minutes for a mega-calorie burn.)

***Note On Resistance: Generally, large muscle groups like your legs, back, and chest will require the highest level of resistance and smaller muscle groups, like triceps, will require the lower levels of resistance. Each individual is different and it all depends on your level of experience. You should be able to perform 12-15 reps with perfect form. It should be challenging, especially on the last 2-3 reps***

Legs: Squat (a)

Stand with legs a little wider than hip with. Place your hands on your hips or in front of you as shown. Keep your abs tight, your head and chest lifted.

Legs: Squat (b)

Lower your body slowly as if you are trying to sit on a chair that is too far behind you to quite reach. Keep your knees in line with your ankles and do not let your knees go over your toes. Return to starting position and focus on holding your abs

Shoulders: Side Delt Raise (a)

Stand with one foot slightly forward, centered on the band, arms relaxed at sides, hands against legs. Keep your chest up, shoulders back and abs tight.

Shoulders: Side Delt Raise (b)

Raise your right arm out to the side. Focus on keeping your shoulders down (away from your ears). Keep your elbow in line with your shoulder and the under side of your arm parallel to the ground. Keep your arm bent as you raise it to the side and

Lunges (a)

Stand with feet together, hands on hips, your chest up, back straight and abs tight.

Lunge (b)

Take a giant step forward with your right leg and lower your body in a slow controlled motion. Keep your weight centered. Your front foot should aim straight ahead and your knee should never go over your toes. Your back leg should be extended behi

Chest Option 1 - Flye (a)

Anchor a band around an inanimate object - such as a bench or a pole. Sit or stand with arms outstretched - in line with your chest and shoulders.

Chest Option 1: Flye (b)

Squeeze chest as you bring arms together in front of you. Your palms should be facing each other and your arms should have a slight bend. Return to start - slowly. Repeat 12-15 times.

Chest (option 2) Press (a)

If you prefer, you can do this exercise as shown, using your back as the anchor. Simply stretch the band across your upper back, grasp handles and lift arms out to sides. You may need to increase resistance by wrapping the band around your hands a

Chest (Option 2) Press (b)

Press forward, focus on contracting chest and keeping wrists strong. Return slowly to start, repeat 12-15 times.

Back: Seated Row (a)

Sit with legs outstretched, feet together, back flat, chest up and abs tight. Adjust the length and resistance on bands by wrapping them around your hands.

Back: Seated Row (b)

Pull back on bands by squeezing your shoulder blades together. Keep your elbows close to your body. Return to start and repeat 12-15 reps.

Triceps Option 1: Dips (a)

Sit on a chair or bench with your hands on either side of hips. Walk your legs out in front of you.

Tricep Option 1: Dip (b)

Bend arms and slowly lower body until shoulders are in line with elbows and then push back up to start. Repeat 12-15 times. If it is too difficult, try bending legs and placing feet flat on floor.

Tricep (Option 2) Overhead Extension

Place left hand on hip and left leg on end of band. Hold other end of band in right hand. Bend Right Arm Behind your head. Keep your abs in tight.

Tricep (Option 2) Extension (b)

Extend arm overhead, keep your elbow next to your head.

Bicep: Curls (a)

Stand on center of band and adjust resistance. Plant elbows against your waist.

Bicep: Curl (b)

Curl arms up with fists facing in toward shoulders and keep wrists straight. Lower back to start. Repeat 12-15 reps.

Why Is Resistance Training So Important?

If you want to lose weight and keep it off, resistance training is crucial. When you train with weights or resistance bands, you increase your lean body mass. When you increase your lean body mass, you increase your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). The higher your BMR, the more calories your body burns AT REST. The more calories you burn, the more weight you lose. Look at it this way. If you try to lose weight with diet alone, you lose both fat and muscle. As your body shrinks, your metabolism slows down. Soon your body requires fewer calories to maintain your new, lower body weight.This is difficult to keep up for long, which is why so many people who starve the weight off end up gaining it right back as soon as they go back to their old eating habits.

Aside from the weight-loss benefits of resistance training, are the health benefits. Lifting weights helps build strong bones, and for women this can help prevent osteoporosis. It makes everyday tasks and chores easier to do by increasing your joint mobility and range of motion. Resistance training tightens your physique which keeps you looking and feeling young.

***PHOTOS BY SIOUXSIE SUAREZ***

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