Are elastic resistance bands any good?

Options
SkinnyGirlPending
SkinnyGirlPending Posts: 20
in Fitness and Exercise
All my exercising has to be done in a small indoor space (I sunburn too easily to be outside in anything but a winter coat and it's hard to exercise in a winter coat when it's above freezing). I currently mostly jump rope and do sit ups.

I am drawn between getting resistance things or buying hand weights. Any advice will be helpful. Thanks.

Replies

  • KevinMassine
    KevinMassine Posts: 54
    Options
    A lote of people will post here telling you that resistance bands are no good ..... When I am at home I do use weights 4 times a week and have had the best results.....but with that said I work 5 weeks out of country and 5 weeks off (at home). When Im out of country at work I have no access to weights and use resitance bands and body weight exercises and have great results as well. The results are a little smaller but still results. ...... If using resistance bands to gain muscle just make sure you increase the tension.

    Best of luck!
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
    Options
    If I'm stuck in a hotel I use resistance bands, or a kettlebell (providing I'd had a company van, I'm not having a kbell destroying my car).

    Eta: Check out Mark Lauren, you are your own gym.
  • curds
    curds Posts: 201 Member
    Options
    Hey, I wouldn't necessarily say the results are smaller with resistance bands not for me anyway. I used to use resistance bands, but stopped because the resistance I had was starting to become too light for me. I saw really nice results with it especially on my back! I think personally for me DBs are better for my arms and resistance bands are nice for my back.
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    Options
    resistance bands aren't bad but I'd try and get some body weight workouts rather than resistance bands since alot of resistance band workouts aren't compound workouts (at least, as far as I know) but with body weights, I can hit multiple muscles with 1 type of workout
  • plantboy2
    plantboy2 Posts: 224 Member
    Options
    Good for shoulders and biceps - I take them away with me when I go overseas in case I can't get to a gym. Everything else you can do with your body (as long as you can get to a pull up bar....)
  • phipps3113
    phipps3113 Posts: 16
    Options
    What you do does depend on your goals, of course. I have been using a couple of long tubes with soft handles on the ends for a variety of combination moves for arms, shoulders and back along with flat strap type elastic bands that I have tied the ends together that can go over my shoes or around my ankles or knees or sometimes even on my hands in some moves when doing pushups. I learned to use them doing TapouT XT and it has been very good to lean out and develop softer areas. If you want to really building muscle you will likely need to go with weights of some sort for heavier lifting days. There is also a YouTube channel called FitnessBlender with tons of free videos that you can run on your computer or other device when so many ideas, you are only limited by your desire.

    Good luck finding what works for you. Just remember, the best exercise to do is the one you are not doing... :)

    Mark
  • SkinnyGirlPending
    SkinnyGirlPending Posts: 20
    Options
    I am not looking to build muscle so much as burn calories and not get too awful squishy. Truth is, I need something to do between jump rope sets. I want to be skinny and a bit soft but not squishy.

Categories