You can't resist falling in love with Resistance Bands

Jane Arlow • March 26, 2021

Why should I use resistance bands?

Well, that's an excellent question! This underrated and unassuming piece of exercise equipment gets first prize for the best "all -you’ll-ever-need" piece of fitness equipment! (Please note that this blog does contain affiliate links)

The benefits far outweigh the simple structure and size, making a resistance band the one piece of exercise equipment that there's no excuse to not own!

You can use resistance bands for so many types of exercises that can help you build and stabilize muscle and increase flexibility. Looking for some examples? Grab my free twenty minute video by clicking here

Anybody can benefit from the use of resistance bands: whether you're a beginner; someone who usually uses weights; you're recovering from an injury; or even have limited mobility.

What are the benefits of using resistance bands?

Resistance bands really have got a lot to offer!

1. They're inexpensive and easy to store. They take up hardly any space and you can perform a variety of exercises with one band. This means you don’t need so many weights or other kit. If you work-out at home, a set of resistance bands are essential.

2. You can train anywhere. They're so portable and lightweight and can be easily stored in your backpack, handbag, or suitcase. No matter where you're going, you'll have a portable gym in your pocket.

3. They're versatile. You can train almost any muscle in your body with a band. By narrowing your grip, you can increase the resistance of the elastic band, increasing the difficulty of the exercise. This creates countless possibilities to train your body and adapt the level of your workout according to the progress of your training.

4 You get the same muscle activity with bands as with weights, but less chance of injury. In fact, training with resistance bands provides similar and sometimes even greater muscle activity versus weight training. One major difference is that there's a lower amount of force applied to your joints, which means that more stimulus can be provided to the muscles with less chance of injury - the need to control the bands from snapping back into place means greater stimulation and strength through the muscle’s full range of motion,

5. The constant tension from bands requires you to stabilise the rest of your body to maintain form during many exercises. This also means that you'll often need to activate your core for balance. It's also much more difficult to "cheat" the exercise by using momentum.

6. Resistance bands are ideal for rehabilitation. They've been proven to improve strength, size, and function of muscles in the elderly as well as those undergoing rehabilitation. Bands can provide very light or heavy resistance which can be used in targeted ways for specific muscles while protecting joints.

7. Bands are epic for both, post-workout stretches, and pre-workout mobility. Using a band in a stretch acts as a support while you extend your range; and can also help you to reach stretches that you might not usually be able to reach! Power bands are also excellent for improving ankle and hip mobility while squatting when wrapped around a sturdy object (e.g. a pillar or tree).

8. Using bands reduces the pressure on your joints versus weights. They're not dependent on gravity and therefore reduce joint compression, which helps to prevent injuries on your joints in the long-term. Due to the flexible and variable execution of movements during an exercise, the workouts are also less repetitive, therefore reducing stress on your joints.

What sort of resistance bands should I buy?

Resistance bands come in a variety of sizes, types, lengths, and resistance levels from low resistance to heavy-duty strength.

• Resistance bands with handles- these are primarily used for working out and building muscle strength. The handles provide a sturdy grip and allow for a variety of exercises, similar to you might perform in the gym with free weights or machines.

• Flat resistance bands- we often use these in our Pilates classes for resistance and to stretch. They're wide and flat, making them easy to wrap around your hand and adjust the length easily. They can be cut into smaller pieces.

• Loops- These bands are like therapy bands but are smaller and form a closed loop. I like to use these for strengthening the butt muscles! This type of loops is also great

• These closed-loop tube bands come in several variations, such as leg bands with ankle cuffs and figure-8 shapes with handles for the upper body. These are more muscle-specific and limited in the variety of exercises that can be performed.

• Power and Mobility Bands- Theseare more heavy - duty loop bands and add variable resistance to weight training, as well as providing pull-up assistance.

What exercises can I do with resistance bands?

Recently, I've been using resistance bands in Pilates to mimic the actions of a Pilates Reformer machine, as well as doing variations on the classical mat exercises. This gives us really wide set of exercises to choose from. Want to see some of them in action? Check out the video.

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October's Breast Cancer Awareness Month and if you haven't done it recently, please let this be the nudge you need to give them a good feel up. Here 's a link to the NHS website below showing how to perform your check and what to look for. If you're one of my gentlemen readers, please don't think this doesn't apply to you. It does. Men can still get breast cancer. And if you find something that doesn't seem right, please contact your GP as soon as possible. 80-90% of lumps are likely to be benign, but for the small percentage of those that aren't, early detection and treatment are your best chances of having successful treatment and being around to annoy friends and family for a long time. Don't skip your mammogram I know having mammograms is really uncomfortable. But this is one of the best ways to check for cancers that aren't otherwise easily spotted. So if you get invited, please go. (And don't skip your smear test either!!!) Know your risk factors 1 in 7 women will get breast cancer in their lifetime. Here are some of the risk factors: - Age : older women are more likely to get breast cancer than younger women and age is the highest risk factor. - Genetics : Breast cancer risk is higher if you have first-degree relatives who've had it (although 85% of women with a relative with breast cancer WON'T get it). - Breast density (relates to the percentage of non-fatty tissue): the risk is highest for those with the most dense tissue. You can ask your radiographer to tell you whether you have dense tissue at your mammogram. - Lifestyle factors: These include having overweight or obesity, alcohol consumption, tobacco use and insufficient physical activity. - Exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals: These "forever" chemicals, such as pthalates and parabens, show up in makeup and toiletries. Risk doesn't normally come from one exposure to one chemical, but from prolonged exposure to many different chemicals over a long period of time. You can read more about the risks here It's worth noting that even if you get a diagnosis, it's unlikely you'll ever know if there was "one thing" that caused it. What happens if you get a diagnosis of breast cancer? I am in no way competent to comment on the treatment plan your medical team recommend for you. Everyone I know who's had breast cancer has had a different treatment plan, depending on: the stage of cancer; whether it had spread further; whether it was hormone-receptive; whether it was due to genetic mutation; and the age of the woman. I do know that for all of us, it was a really scary time. You should be given access to resources outside of the surgical and oncology team, often via a Macmillan nurse, who can answer questions on topics from your treatment and reactions, to claiming for extra benefits. They're also great if you're not sure what questions to ask. While you're in the heat of the panic, it can be difficult to think clearly about what you need to know. Using "what should I be asking that I'm not?" is super helpful. Keep moving after your diagnosis, during and after treatment The one thing I can advise you on with all confidence, is to keep moving. Exercise is safe, possible and helpful for individuals with breast cancer, throughout the treatment cycle. In fact, international guidelines say you should try to get back to your normal activities as soon as possible. Exercise can help reduce the risk of cancer coming back; and may stop stage 1 cancers from growing further; and can also reduce treatment side effects like tiredness, cognitive impairment or lympoedema. Yes, you may need to dial back your usual activities if treatment leaves you feeling exhausted. But whenever you can, please aim for 150 minutes of exercise in every week. Many forms of treatment also lead to a higher osteoporosis risk, so please also do resistance-based and/or some impact-based exercise every week. I'd also recommend paying attention to shoulder mobility. Scar tissue and "guarding" of surgery sites can reduce your range of movement a lot. Check in with your medical team to confirm if there's any specific movements you should avoid during your treatment plan, and when you'll be signed off to go back to them. One last piece of advice someone else gave me... When you tell people you have cancer, a lot of them will have an opinion on your treatment plan. Especially if they're of the "my friend cured their cancer by just eating this one thing.." type. Unless this person is an oncologist, you can safely ignore them! So, what are you still doing reading this? Go off and give yourself a fondle!