1. They’re DIVERSE.
On Instagram, you’ll notice most fitness gurus using these bad boys for them PEACH gains. Don’t blame them, but they can be used for so much MORE than booty band exercises.
Agility training, H.I.I.T workouts, arms, you name it!
Don't forget that to truly get them booty gains, you need to incorporate progressive overload (bar thrusts, reverse lunges, deadlifts, etc.) to make the muscles in your booty actually WORK for gains. Resistance bands can only get you so far in the "gains" department.
2. They’re FUN.
I went through a hot minute where working out was not so fun. It was more of a chore eliciting quite a few groans and thrashings around on my bed as my goal-oriented self battled it out with my lazy, alter ego. No joke.
Implementing resistance band exercises into my workout regimen revived my passion for fitness. Back in college, I was mainly attached to weight training and unrealistic expectations—for me---in the amount of cardio I did each week. My body, at that time, didn’t get the proper amount of rest and recuperation that it needed, eventually burning me out. Not only was I working out 4-5 days a week, doing cardio 3-4 days a week, but I was playing either beach or indoor competitive volleyball 5-6 days a week.
Don’t get me wrong, I love being active. I thrive on it. It helps me mentally and physically stay sane and healthy.
Graduating college and coming back home, set apart from the incredibly social and competitive environment of college, I found myself in a stump. Most of the time, I was working out alone—which was fine, but as time went on, my competitive spirit began to dwindle, and pushing myself during workouts became difficult, along with my results.
Adding in resistance bands, rejuvenated my workout regimen and my motivation. I instantly discovered that I was having FUN working out and was having no problem pushing myself. As the week went by, and the next, I noticed more definition and fat loss! Something that was never easy for me to say, as I’ve always had a difficult time losing fat. I’m that meme where I sniff lettuce and gain 10 pounds LOL
Becoming a personal trainer, and absorbing FACTS contrary to myths all over magazines and the internet, I’ve discovered that a lot of this was due to the style of exercise that works best for my body type and that my nutrition was aligning with my goals—but that’s a blog post for another time!
3. They’re transportable
Imagine this. You’re going on a week-long, family vacation. Every year you find yourself with spare time, an itch to exert some pent-up energy. That or you simply want to keep working towards the goals you set for yourself. You have to take a flight from Florida to Tennessee, but you find yourself in a bit of a stump----do you take the 10 lb. dumbbells or the 15 lb. dumbbells? You might need the 5 lb. dumbbells, too….Would they trigger the alarm going through TSA? What would you say when they find three sets of dumbbells in your carry-on bag?
“The gains never quit.”
Yeah, I didn’t think so.
Save yourself the hassle and snag up that bag of bands. They take up less space than a pair of shoes and they weigh a lot less. Plus, with the different variations of strength in each band, you can switch up the resistance in each/any exercise.
Here are some of my favorite resistance band exercises!
1. Banded Jump Squats
These bad boys are a great way to add cardio to your workout. Make it HIIT! Wearing a band during jump squats puts pressure on your quads and gluteus maximus, helping build muscle in both these areas. Your glutes are activated to stabilize your knees, while your fast-twitch muscle fibers are activated for this explosive movement.
2. Banded Side to Sides
Place the resistance band above your knees. Keeping a slight ready posture, step side to side. Initially, you'll think, "This is too easy, I don't feel anything."
Within the next few reps or so I promise you will! I recommend going for time over reps. For example, 3-4 sets of 30 seconds.
3. Banded Fire Hydrants
Now, there’s absolutely, positively NO way you’re not going to feel burn with this exercise. On a mat, towel, or whatever flat surface of your choosing, go into the tabletop position with the band placed above your knees. Picking a side to start with first, raise your knee outwards (like a male doggo peeing on a fire hydrant, hence the name) to about a 90-degree angle, or as far as you can lift, and returning to starting position. Continue repetitions on that side and repeat on the other side to even it out!
4. Bent Arm In-and-Outs
For this exercise, you’ll mainly feel the burn in your deltoids and forearms. With your band placed a little past your wrists, holding your arms in a 90-degree position. Keep your elbows tucked to the side of your waist. As you rotate your elbows outwards, the palms of your hands will naturally turn to face downwards.
I hope this article has been useful, if not entertaining, and that you join me back here on my blog or at my Instagram: @liftingbae
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