Resistance training is an extraordinarily important part of physical and mental health. Steven Fleck and William Kraemer, co-authors of Designing resistance-training programs, offer some of the benefits of resistance training:
+ Increased strength & mobility
+ Increased fat-free mass
+ Decreased body fat
+ Improved heart condition
+ Improved mental health
Clearly these benefits are worth working for. However, if you are unable to go to a gym to use weight machine, just as I am unable to, you can still incorporate resistance training into your fitness plan. One way I do this is by using resistance tubes.
Resistance tubes are flexible, lightweight tubes (similar to surgical tubing) that stretch like a rubber band. They have handles on each end to allow for preferred gripping, and come in various thicknesses for increased or decreased resistance.
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| Resistance Tubes |
+ inexpensive
+ portable
+ easy to store
+ light in weight
+ perfect for traveling
+ effective for any
muscle group
Some disadvantages of resistance tubes include:
+ Elasticity will eventually break down, so you will need to replace them
+ They can snap if they are punctured
Often I use these bands while my child is playing or I am watching TV in the evening because they are so easy to transport around the house, and I do not need a lot of space to use them. I also like to leave one band hanging around so that if I have a spare minute or two, I can do a set of whichever exercise I choose. It never hurts to get an extra set in when you have time.
You can find exercises for any muscle group in specialty books and websites. It is surprisingly easy to use resistance tubes; don’t hesitate to try them out.
Thanks for posting this blog on resistance and the benefits to using resistance bands! I will definitely be using them when I go to the gym/working out at home.
ReplyDeleteGreat! They are super inexpensive. Try a low-resistance band to start with; it may be all you need for awhile.
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