Band Options and Exercise Routines
Exercise band routines will vary from person to person because everyone has his or her own individual fitness goals and abilities. Because there are so many different exercises that involve exercise bands, it is likely that you will never meet another person who uses their exercise bands the same way as you do. Some people use exercise bands only in stretching, helping them to achieve a better stretch with less strain on other parts of the body. Other people use exercise bands in their strength routines because the resistance is a great way to build and tone muscle mass.
Suggestions for Exercise Band Routines
If you have exercise bands and are looking for great exercise band routines, probably the best option is to use them for a variety of exercises. Although exercise bands allow people to easily do resistance training, which is very effective in building and strengthening muscles, relying exclusively on exercise bands for a complete workout is not a good idea. It is important to remember the benefits of aerobic exercise and cardio training. These components of a workout are essential to fitness success and healthy living, and exercise bands cannot be used in those types of exercises.
A good beginning for exercise band routines is stretching. However, remember to do a simple warm-up to loosen your muscles before beginning any stretches. Walking or slowly jogging for five minutes is a good warm-up activity. When using exercise bands in stretching, it is important to remember not to push your muscles too far and to perform each stretch slowly. Push your muscle to the point of the natural resistance and then use the exercise band to apply slightly more gentle resistance or pressure. It is especially effective when stretching if you push your muscle to the point of resistance, hold it there for five to ten seconds, relax and loosen up your muscle completely, and then push your muscle to a point of resistance slightly further than initially.
After stretching with your exercise band, you can now use your band for strength exercises. Whether you decide to do your strength training before or after cardio is really a matter of personal preference because there are scientific studies that show the effectiveness of both times. Unless you are training for a specific purpose, it is best to include exercises in your exercise band routine that work all the different muscle groups. For example, make sure that you include exercises that work the quads, the hamstrings, and the calves (leg muscles); the biceps, triceps, and shoulders (arm muscles), and your abdominal and back muscles (your core).