Chalene Extreme - Resistance Bands

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tinalatina
tinalatina Posts: 499 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey MFP's!

Im going to start using the Chalene Extreme program and I was wondering who out there has used resistance bands, and if you have seen good results still.

I dont know about you all but weights aren't the cheapest thing out there. I heard women saying they have all weights from 2-20lb's and im like "What??? I can't afford to get all those weights!!"

So Can I seriously do this workout with 2 pairs of Light and Heavy resistance bands and a pair of 3# weights?? Thats all I have thus far.

Thanks for the help......

Replies

  • aset132
    aset132 Posts: 91
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    I have done the program sometimes using weights and other times the bands. The bands do work great! There have been many times when I felt like my workout was better with the bands. No worries and enjoy!
  • BeLightYear
    BeLightYear Posts: 1,450 Member
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    There is someone in every video that does the whole thing with the bands, so it's possible.

    That being said, I tore a ligament in my shoulder using them, so be careful!
  • caralw20
    caralw20 Posts: 2
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    I started the workout yesterday. I used free weights, but only because I do the video with a group of ladies at our local gym where we have the weights available to us. I would like to try the bands though. Good luck!
  • jenro39
    jenro39 Posts: 29
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    Hi
    I use the bands at a local boot camp and ended up with tennis elbow in both elbows which is only going away now and its been over 4 months now. So go careful, I picked up weights to use at a local boot sale 2 sets for £1, if you have flea markets or boot sales and really want a cheap pair thats they way to go.

    Good luck.
  • 00trayn
    00trayn Posts: 1,849 Member
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    I've done both, I have 5 lb and 8 lb weights and they weren't too expensive to buy. Some exercises are a bit difficult with the resistance bands. Make sure you get ones with a "soft" handle. The hard plastic ones don't bend when you try to do moves like a tricep kickback and it ends up twisting your arm and wrist in ways it shouldn't. If you get a soft handle, it should work much better (the woman in the videos is using resistance bands with the soft handle). I also gave myself a black eye from the resistance bands with the hard handle when it slipped off my shoe and rebounded into my face. Soooo.... yeah. Just be careful! Or check Craigs List for people selling cheap weights.
  • makena78
    makena78 Posts: 162 Member
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    CLX comes with the purple resistance band. I use that when it's called for. As for weights. Just buy the ones you can work with for now. As you get stronger you can purchase the next pair up. It's cheaper when you only buy them when you are strong enough to use them, verses buying them all at once. And plus you don't know how much you will handle by the end of CLX.
  • janel814
    janel814 Posts: 88
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    It is a personal preference and depends on if you have lifted weights in the past. I would suggest looking into the band sets and an interchangeable set of weights (ones that range from 5-55lbs). I found that I like using the bands better than my actual weights most of the time but there are a few exercises that I use weights instead of the band. Also remember that during the different phases Chalene only wants you to do a small number of reps (10-12, 6-8, and 10-12 reps) and these reps are super slow.

    Good luck and hope you find what you are looking for.

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