2 Bands, 8 Exercises.
Resistant bands are a very useful tool to use for workouts whilst travelling or while at home. One of the main bonuses of bands is their versatility which makes them a great purchase for anyone looking to get a full body workout with minimal equipment. There are an abundance of exercises that can be done with bands with some being simpler than others to perform and some being more effective than others. To give you an idea of how you can use resistance bands to get an effective workout in, here are 8 simple but effective exercises you can do to work the entire body:
Romanian deadlifts:
Wrap band(s) beneath both feet.
Grasp other end of bands with hands
Begin in an upright position
Descend by hinging at the hips maintaining a flat back and allowing the knees to soften in order to keep the shins vertical
Once you feel a slight pull through the hamstrings, squeeze the glutes and stand back up into an upright position
Squats:
Wrap band(s) beneath both feet and over the head so that the band is coming up on the inside of the knees and rest on the traps.
Begin in an upright position
Squat down making sure the knees track with the toes and back remains flat throughout the movement
Once thighs are parallel to the ground then stand back up and return to start position
Lat pulldown:
Lie down on back and attach band(s) to a solid object behind where the head is resting
Position yourself far enough away so that arms are fully extended when you reach for the band(s)
Grasp the band(s) using both hands and pull down until the band meets the chest
Return to starting position
Shoulder press:
Whilst standing place band(s) beneath both feet.
Rest the other end of the band(s) within each hand
Whilst maintaining an upright position, press the band overhead
Return to start position by slowly bringing the band back down to the upper chest.
Seated row:
Begin in a seated position
Wrap band(s) around both feet
Grasp the other end of the band(s) with both hands
Whilst maintaining an upright seated position pull the bands towards the body
Squeeze the shoulder blades together and and keep the rib cage down
Return to start position by allowing the arms to straighten out in front.
Seated chest press:
Begin in a seated position
Wrap the band(s) around both feet then around. the back of the torso
Rest the end of each band in the palms of the hands with arms bent to begin.
Press the arms forward into a straightened position and bring the hands together.
Return to start position by allowing the arms to bend so that elbows are inline with the torso.
Bicep curls:
Begin by wrapping band(s) beneath feet
Grasp the other end of the band(s) with both hands
Stand I an upright position with arms straight by the side of the body
Bend the elbows and pull the band towards the head
Return to the start positioning by slowly allowing the arms to straighten down to the side of the body.
Tricep kickbacks:
Begin by kneeling down on all fours
Attach the band to a sturdy object in front of the body
Position yourself far enough away so that when you grab the band(s) that there is tension on it
Bring the elbow up inline with the torso with the elbow bent
Then, while holding the band, extend the arm into a straightened position
Bend the elbow and return to start position
