Gym equipment is great and I love nothing more than having an hour to myself in the gym to burn off some steam. But you don’t need a gym to have an effective workout. This week, let’s have a chat about resistance bands and how you can use them to get some amazing results. There’s also a dinner recipe that is quick and easy and great for when friends are over.
I often have to travel and believe me, it’s not as glamorous as it looks! Being away from family, missing the kids terribly, losing time waiting in airports, living out of a suitcase, the list goes on. So over the years, I have perfected some great ways to make the time away as close to my home routine as possible. One way I do this is to move my body. I always feel better if I do something. There isn’t always a gym, so I bring with me the one thing that I know is versatile and handy to use, resistance bands.
What I love about them is they are so versatile. It doesn’t matter if you’re a first-timer to some exercise, an athlete or an avid weight trainer. Resistance bands are for everyone! Here are five ways to use resistance bands in your workout.
1. Squats: Place the resistance band under your knees. Stretch the knees apart until you feel resistance. Begin your squats. This is great for supporting your knees too if you have any discomfort.
2. Thighs: Place them on your thighs. Lying on your side raise your leg up into the air nice and slow. Feel that resistance, hold for two and slowly come back down.
3. Push-ups: Place the resistance bands above your elbows. Get into the position for push-ups. This will feel great in your arms and also help bring you back up!
4. Ankles: Place them at your ankles and lie on your side. Raise your leg up in the air in a slow movement,
5. Under arms: Place the resistance bands on your wrists and put your arms out in front of you. Start stretching out wide, you will feel the burn under your arms for a great burn.
What I love is you can use the easy resistance band and work your way up to the stronger band as you build your resistance up. The real beauty of the bands is you are only using your own resistance to train and this means you can set the pace of your training, in particular if you have any areas of pain or discomfort. I get a lot of my members asking about pain in the joints and lower back and this is the perfect piece of equipment for them. As always, make sure you consult your doctor or physiotherapist when starting out on something new and they will be able to advise you on the best stretches to help you personally.