The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encourage you to get at least two strength training sessions each week. Things like lifting weights, doing bodyweight exercises and practicing yoga all count. Resistance bands are another way to strength train and can help you get fit and firm in a short amount of time. Here’s how to include them in your routine for the most benefit.
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1. You Can Use Them Anywhere
It’s hard to get fit if you can’t find time to get to the gym or you don’t want to leave the house. Resistance bands are inexpensive and you can use them right in your own living room while you watch your favorite television shows. By using resistance bands you increase your chances of sticking to your program so you can reap the benefits.
2. You Can Tailor the Bands to Your Ability Level
Resistance bands are perfect for beginners and experts because they can be altered to go along with where you are in your workout routine. As you get stronger and better at the moves, you can increase the resistance of the bands and add to your sets and repetitions so that you can stay on track and get your progress off the ground.
3. Start with Two 20-Minute Sessions Each Week
As I said before, the experts recommend two strength training sessions each week. Using your bands for about 20 minutes at a time is sufficient to give you the results you want and crave. Be sure to include a variety of moves that work each of your major muscle groups. This will prevent muscle imbalances that can lead to an injury or disproportionate look on your body.
4. Lean Muscle Mass Boosts Your Metabolism
When you build lean muscle, which you can do when you use your resistance bands, you boost your metabolism. How? Lean muscle mass burns more calories at rest, which means you maximize your calorie burn, helping you lose weight and tone up at the same time. What more could you ask for?
5. Resistance Bands Can Be Used Alone or with Other Equipment
Here’s what’s so great about resistance bands: they can be used on their own or you can use them in conjunction with other equipment. Mix and match resistance bands with kettlebells, free weights and your bodyweight moves to keep your body continually challenged and to boost the results of your strength training moves.
6. You Also Burn Calories
Yes, resistance bands are ideal for building lean muscle, but when you use them, you also burn some calories. Clearly, it won’t be as many calories as you burn with running, biking or swimming, but you can still work towards the calorie deficit that results in weight loss. Burning calories and building muscle is the sure fire way to look the exact way you want to look.
7. You Can Also Improve Flexibility, Endurance and Range of Motion
Increasing all of these things helps you get a better workout when you’re doing other activities. When you can work out longer, move easier and do new things as you get better at working out, you easily make it simple to boost your benefits and get the best work out possible.
Have you ever used resistance bands? What are your favorite benefits?
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