Most of us are hard-pressed to find the time, energy, and motivation to go to the nearest fitness club to engage in a good ol’ fashioned dumbbell routine and don’t have the funds to mount a personal fitness center in the convenience of our own home.  There is a simple solution to this quandary, however, and it goes by the name of “resistance band.”

    Sure, many people may scoff at the resistance band workout because it looks easy.  Studies have shown, however, that resistance band exercises have benefits that are unattainable through the use of free weights.  For example, resistance bands stimulate your muscles by allowing you to perform much more controlled movements and keep a constant tension on your muscles during both the concentric (lifting portion) and eccentric (lowering portion) of the movement.  That’s nothing short of a two for one deal! 

    Resistance bands also encourage good form because, unlike with free weights, the exercises are not usually performed with quick, explosive movements.  They also promote safe lifting techniques, provide a greater stimulus for muscle growth, strengthen and elongate the muscle fibers, and increase flexibility and coordination.

Aside from the physical benefits of resistance bands, they are also affordable (between $12-$20) and convenient for traveling.  I can personally attest to the effectiveness of the resistance band workout because I went abroad for six weeks over this past summer and my workouts consisted of jogging and resistance band exercises.  When I returned home I found that I had not only maintained my strength while I had been away, but that it had increased significantly.

    One aspect of the resistance band workout that should be kept in mind is the fact that, as you get stronger, the number of repetitions performed in each set will increase.  Although a high number of repetitions and sets (between 15 and 20 repetitions and 5 to 7 sets) will increase the endurance of the muscles, they differences in strength and size will be minimal.  A way to increase the difficulty of the resistance band workout would be to periodically change the exercises performed (luckily, there are a wide variety of exercises that can be performed), to purchase a band with greater resistance, or to incorporate different forms of exercise (push ups, pull ups, etc.)

Here are a few tips for using resistance bands:

• Rest 30-90 seconds between each set.
• Perform each exercise in a slow and controlled fashion.
• Perform each exercise with a resistance level suitable for you. Once the particular exercise becomes less difficult, then it's time to add more resistance either by using a thicker band or doing more repetitions and/or sets.
• Most resistance bands come packaged with exercise instructions, but exercises can also be found online.

(REMEMBER: ALWAYS OBTAIN CLEARANCE FROM YOUR PHYSICIAN BEFORE ATTEMPTING ANY FORM OF EXERCISE ROUTINE.)