{"id":10693,"date":"2024-04-23T08:59:49","date_gmt":"2024-04-23T07:59:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mensfitness.co.uk\/?p=10693"},"modified":"2024-07-19T09:14:38","modified_gmt":"2024-07-19T08:14:38","slug":"how-to-use-resistance-bands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mensfitness.co.uk\/features\/how-to-use-resistance-bands\/","title":{"rendered":"How to use resistance bands"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Expert strength and fitness coach Jack Hanrahan explains how to use resistance bands for strength training at home.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

So you’ve finally got your hands on a pair of the best resistance bands<\/a> \u2013 but now you’re left wondering how to use them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many people see resistance bands as nothing more than stretching aids. But the truth us, these handy bits of kit can give you a full-body strength workout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Training with resistance bands involves pulling or pushing against the tension contained within the band when it is stretched, and it\u2019s a form of training that comes with numerous benefits and some important advantages over lifting weights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benefits of using resistance bands<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

So, why might someone start resistance band training? For personal trainer Jack Hanrahan<\/a>, they\u2019ve had a special place in his gym bag for more than a decade of workouts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cResistance bands are a fantastic tool for training at home and incredibly versatile,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ideally, they would be used alongside barbells, dumbbells and kettlebells, but the message is that, by themselves, they are still an underrated and seriously effective tool. So, it’s worth learning how to use resistance bands properly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Resistance bands are cheap<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the key advantages of training with resistance bands is cost, Hanrahan explains:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA pair of 30-40kg dumbbells is pretty pricey, but you can get two or three resistance bands that would be \u00a350 or something, and they\u2019re going to generate a similar amount of tension when they\u2019re stretched.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. They are lightweight and portable<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As well as that, they weigh next to nothing and \u2013 unlike 40kg weights \u2013 can be packed into your bag when you next go on holiday (if such a time ever occurs).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also take them down to the park safe in the knowledge that you won\u2019t look as odd as someone doing the same thing with a huge set of dumbbells.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. They are safer than weights<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While you might worry that you\u2019re going to let go of the band and smack yourself hard in your beautiful face, resistance band training should be safer for your body than lifting heavy weights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s because the tension of the band changes according to where you are in your movement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you think about a deadlift,\u201d says Hanrahan, \u201cthe load is consistent through the whole range. So your lower back is potentially compromised in that bottom position, where the muscles are being loaded. But with a band, there\u2019s very low tension there, because the band is not very stretched.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"topless<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

How to use resistance bands to build muscle<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The safety element is partly why resistance bands have gained a reputation for being exclusively used for rehabilitative purposes. But they are far more flexible than that, says Hanrahan, and you can certainly learn how to use resistance bands to build muscle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research<\/a><\/em> showed that using a combination of bands and weights is more productive than using weights exclusively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two principal ways in which the body builds muscle: mechanical tension and metabolic stress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first, which sees muscles contract strongly when loaded with heavy weight, is less applicable for band training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The focus with bands, therefore, is on metabolic stress: the burning you feel when a muscle is working hard for a long time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How many reps should I do with resistance bands?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Resistance bands work particularly well for higher reps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hanrahan recommends 15 to 30 reps, with between 60 and 90 seconds of rest between each set. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although rather than assigning a rep range, with bands it can sometimes be better to \u201cjust work\u201d, says Hanrahan \u2013 \u201ckeep going with perfect form until you feel like your technique is about to break down or you\u2019re a couple of reps shy of failure.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s a good idea to slow down your reps, too: increasing time under tension and maximising muscle activation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A post shared by Jack Hanrahan Fitness (@jackhanrahanfitness)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>