tuesday trainer – resistance bands

Welcome to the 10th edition of Tuesday Trainer!!  This week, we’re beginning our “Equipment Series”, with the first installment being RESISTANCE BANDS!

Quick side story:  I remember the first time I ever used a resistance band.  It was actually a gift from my lovely husband – our first ever Valentine’s Day as a married couple.  Since we were poor on money,  but rich on love, we decided to forgo gifts that year.  We had several conversations about the topic: how we weren’t getting one another gifts and how that was ok.  Valentine’s Day comes and what does Travis do?  Get’s me Billy Blank’s Taebo set (which came with resistance bands, i.e. the point of this whole rabbit trail).  I got him …nothing, just like we had talked about.

Now anytime we’re in an argument or quarrel, he likes to bring up the fact that he got ME something for that V Day and got nothing in return.  Good marriaging, dude.  It’s a wonder that he’s still alive and not laying in a ditch somewhere, strangled by said resistance band.

Back to Tuesday Trainer…

Be honest. When you think about training with resistance bands, what comes to mind? Middle aged women in spandex? Never men. People who can’t lift heavy? The elderly?

While resistance bands ARE a little easier to work with than your standard dumbbell or body bar in terms of increasing your strength, they have their place in a high quality, get your heart pumpin’ workout!  You just have to know how to use them in order to get the most bang for your buck!

There are a few tips to making RB workouts more challenging:

• Select thicker tubes for more resistance.
• Double loop the band around your hands and/or play around with how far apart your feet are when performing a standing exercise.
• Perform a higher number of repetitions (12-20 range)

Benefits to training with resistance bands:

• Create continuous tension on your muscles, as opposed to using dumbbells.  You can focus on the concentric (shortening the muscle) AND eccentric (lengthening the muscle) motions.
• Mobility – You can take them anywhere!!  Unlike dumbbells, resistance bands can be easily packed if you are traveling or working out away from home!
• AND they’re pretty CHEAP!  I found this set of 5 for around $25 – with varying resistances and interchangeable handles!

Not too shabby!  I might wear spandex, but I’m NOT middle-aged!

Now – who’s ready to workout?!?!

**Disclaimer – As with ANY new exercise program, it is wise to consult a physician.  Pay careful attention to each exercise’s instruction!!**

The Workout

Trainer Tips: We’ll be doing some Isometric Holds, which means that we’ll focus on holding the exercises to maintain the muscle at a certain length.  For example, as you perform the Bicep Curl, you’ll pause for x amount of seconds at the top of the move, then lower.  I’ve indicated the duration of the hold below.

– Select a RB that is challenging enough for you to perform the exercises with, but that also allows you to execute them with correct form.

– Most of the plyometric moves can be found here.  Heel clickers = plyo jump with a heel click at the peak of the jump.

– Perform circuit one time through.  For more of a challenge, perform twice through.

Exercise	Duration/Repetitions
Overhead Press	20 seconds/5
Barrel Jumps	30 seconds
Hip Adduction	20 seconds/5
360 Plyo Squat	30 seconds
Lawnmower Row	10 seconds/10 each arm
Plyo Burpees	30 seconds
Tricep Extension	10 seconds/10 each arm
Jump Squats	30 seconds
Bicep Curl	10 seconds/10
Heel Clickers	30 seconds
Curtsy Lunge/Hip Adduction Combo	12 each leg
Walking Squat	10 each direction

 

The Moves

Bicep Curl – Me

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Overhead Press – Heather, betterwithveggies

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Tricep Extension – Kirsten, kcaptures

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Hip Adduction– Kristin, eathealthybehappylivewell

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Lawn Mower Row– Heather, healthywithheather

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Curtsy Lunge/Hip Adduction/Shoulder Press – Kristin, STUFTmama

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Walking Squat – Christin, christinjoyful

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Thank you, my ladies!!  Such talent in this bunch, eh?!  If you’d like to join in on the fun, come back Thursday when I’ll announce the next theme in this “Equipment Series”.  For past Tuesday Trainer’s, go here – we’ve made QUITE the exercise catalog!!  You should be able to find something to fit your fitness needs!!

OR you could just get your rake on.

Happy Tuesday!

QUESTIONS:  Have you done any of the Tuesday Trainer workouts?  Worked with resistance bands before?  Been made a fool by your husband?

splendid…lindsay