There is a lot of talk about elastic bands for training and all the exercises that can be performed with them. But people who aren’t much of a gym goer might feel lost trying to understand what an elastic band is, what it’s for, and why you should use it and not, say, dumbbells for exercise. Resistance band , the English term used to define these training materials, in Spanish would literally translate as “resistance bands” and helps us better understand their function. In our language they are known rather as elastic bands and with synonyms such as bands, ribbons, ropes or strips.

Today they are very fashionable in the fitness sector and many trainers and athletes take advantage of them to create and practice an infinite number of exercises. In fact, you will find them in a wide variety of disciplines: from training with elastic bands for swimming, to elastic bands for football training or Pilates with elastic bands. However, strength training with rubber bands before hitting the gym was originally used for muscle rehabilitation in muscle injury recovery and even cardiac rehabilitation. The first bands of therapeutic use were made with surgical tubes, the current ones are obtained with elastic material such as rubber or latex.

WHY IS AN ELASTIC BAND IMPORTANT?

One of the main reasons that leads many athletes to do the work with elastic bands is that they allow you to effectively train all the muscles in any place. Effectiveness and practicality are two key aspects of training with rubber bands. Other advantages are:

1. They add  variety in training,  because they allow you to take advantage of the resistance of the rope and change position to work the muscles you want.

2. They are light.  Which allows you to take them with you anywhere without many problems. Either to train outdoors or to put them in your suitcase when you travel.

3. They help you a  improve coordination. The resistance created by the elastics allows you to maintain a constant tension in the muscles, which engages several muscles at the same time improving balance and coordination.

4. Ideal for everyone. With personalized exercises and the right elastic bands, you can train with rubber bands at any age.

5. They are very economical. One of the great advantages of training with materials like rubbers is that they are cheap and if you take care of them as recommended by the manufacturer they will last you quite a while.

HOW DO ELASTIC BANDS WORK?

What you need to know about how to use the elastic band is that during the exercises you take advantage of the resistance that the band creates during the movement. However, working on muscular endurance is only one of the benefits that can be obtained from exercise bands. You will be able to improve flexibility, balance and coordination as well.

CHOOSE ELASTIC BANDS

Now that you have the clearest ideas about this material for exercising, before you start practicing, it remains for you to choose the most suitable elastic band for you. If you’ve already made progress with this task, you’ll have seen that sports and fitness stores have different types of elastic bands. Which exercise bands should you buy to get started?

1. Basic gums. They are the typical bands of rubber or latex-type elastic material, one meter or one and a half meters long. They are usually of different colors that indicate greater or lesser resistance. The thickness of the material is what makes the difference, the thicker, the more resistance and the greater the intensity of the exercise. They may be perfect for you if your goal is to stay in shape by gently training all muscle groups.

2. Elastic bands with grip.  In this case it is elastic cords with loops on both ends. If you are looking to work your muscles more intensively, these elastic bands are among the most recommended types because they are more resistant. However, grips limit the variety of exercise.

3. Fabric elastic bands. They are an intermediate solution between the two previous options. Being made of elastic fabric offers greater resistance for those who want to work more intensely, but they offer the same freedom of movement as simple latex rubber bands.

In addition to the types of elastic bands for exercises that we have indicated, keep in mind that there are others specific for the practice of Crossfit, fitness, Pilates, etc. To start practicing your exercises at home, you can opt for a basic one and, perhaps, buy some of different resistance levels to increase the intensity of your exercises as you practice.

TIPS WITH ELASTIC BANDS TO GET STARTED

Once you know what type of elastic bands you will need to train, you can start working on your muscles. Before proposing a basic routine for training with elastic bands, we want to remind you of some tips to perform this type of exercise safely.

1. Keep your spine straight. This is very important both to prevent muscle injuries and to improve the effectiveness of training. Both in standing, sitting and lying exercises, make sure that your spine does not bend forwards or backwards.

2. Look in the mirror. It’s always a good idea to have a mirror to check your posture at all times. Especially for beginners and if you practice at home using the mirror will help you correct and improve.

3. Avoid sudden movements. Concentration is very important when exercising even when it comes to lower impact practices. To prevent muscle injuries, perform complete movements and follow a constant rhythm.

4. Follow a complete routine. Find an exercise table suitable for your physical condition and that meets your goals. Do not skip the warm-up and stretching phase because they are also very important for your body. If you don’t know which exercises are right for you, check with an expert first.