| So you've seen those exercise bands at the gym | | | | Wouldn't you rather spend 422.5 days with people |
| and on TV, but do they really do ANYTHING???? | | | | who make you laugh, cry and love....instead of behind |
| First, lets talk a bit about resistance training. It | | | | the wheel yelling at the idiot stopped at the green |
| involves activities that use weights, machines, | | | | light? I guess you get my point. |
| resistance bands or even body weight to work | | | | So how what kind of exercises can we do with |
| against your muscles. This can be one of the most | | | | exercise bands? Well, nearly all exercises in the gym |
| efficient ways in achieving a healthier body. This can | | | | can be replicated with exercise bands. Some need a |
| help you lose weight, get lean, or increase strength. | | | | bit more ingenuity than others, but for the most |
| Resistance training can benefit any age group to | | | | part, can be done fairly simply. Bench-Press, |
| achieve specific results. Whatever your goals are, | | | | shoulder-press, bicep curl, tricep pushdowns, lunges, |
| resistance training, can get you there. | | | | squats, calf raises and a host of other exercises can |
| How Does Resistance Training Work? | | | | all be replicated using the exercise bands. |
| Simply put, resistance training stresses our muscles. | | | | Are they enough resistance for guys too? You bet. |
| This stress, causes the muscle to break down and | | | | The exercise bands recently have been popularized, |
| rebuild stronger. The muscle is adapting to its' | | | | so there are many companies making stronger bands. |
| environment. Of course, this also burns tons of | | | | The Bowflex is based on this concept, but has |
| calories, and if done in proper sequence, can be used | | | | "resistance rods" and is pretty expensive. Also, the |
| to build muscle, or as a cardiovascular exercise | | | | exercise bands work in such a way that the more it |
| program. The popular way to do this is at the gym | | | | is stretched, the more resistance is applied. So at the |
| with a bunch of fancy equipment. However, this is | | | | peak of each repetition, the resistance increases |
| costly and time consuming. So, consequently, there | | | | exponentially. |
| has been a large surge in people that have chosen to | | | | The exercise bands are also very versatile. They can |
| use their home, with exercise bands, to do the same | | | | be used for strength training, and for circuit training. |
| work. This is by far the easiest and most convenient | | | | Circuit training has been found to burn an extremely |
| way to train with resistance for most of us with | | | | high amount of calories per time exercising. Also, |
| busy schedules. There is no driving to the gym, no | | | | circuit training leaves your body burning more calories |
| waiting for machines, no paying yearly memberships, | | | | after the workout is already done for longer periods |
| and no creeps to avoid at the gym (unless you have | | | | of time than other workout regimens. The exercise |
| some creeps living with you!). You can wake up, | | | | bands are excellent for circuit training because you |
| keep your bed-head and dirty underwear on, and get | | | | can move from one exercise to another quickly and |
| a great workout, minus the distractions. You can | | | | easily. There is no changing weights or equipment. |
| even watch the morning news or your favorite | | | | Just change position, and you're set for the next |
| morning TV show when you are working out. Think | | | | circuit! |
| about it....if it takes you 15 minutes to get to the | | | | If you haven't used exercise bands before, pick up a |
| gym, and 15 minutes back...that's 130 hours per year | | | | set at your local sporting goods store and try them |
| of your time. What else could you do with those 130 | | | | out....I think you'll be pleasantly surprised that they |
| hours? For an average lifetime, that's 422.5 days. | | | | may be tougher than you think! |