The Complete Guide to Buying and Using Resistance Bands for Fitness Personnel

What is a resistance band?

A resistance band is a small physical training tool that is easy to carry, easy to use, and very effective. It is also called an elastic band, auxiliary band, tension rope, booster band and so on. Resistance bands are generally made of natural latex and can provide different levels of resistance depending on the thickness of the band.

Resistance bands are widely used in the field of fitness and rehabilitation training, which can effectively improve muscle strength, physical mobility and flexibility, effectively improve sports performance and help treat a variety of chronic diseases in the human body.

★ The benefits of using resistance bands

As a fitness enthusiast who has been lifting iron for many years, why do you have dumbbells at home and a fitness card in your pocket, many people still buy resistance bands, why?

1 No more excuses for not having enough space

Can’t fit bulky gym equipment in your home? Buy a resistance band to try, stacked up to take up a place as big as a cell phone, even during the epidemic, will not delay your training program. But if you can’t even stretch your hands at home, it is still recommended to use it outdoors.

2 No more excuses for too much trouble

Too much hassle to go to the gym? Dumbbells are too much trouble to remove? Resistance bands, you deserve to have. Pull them out → unfold them → start practicing! It only takes a few seconds of preparation time.

3 Cost-effective and versatile

You can use it to warm up, train, or take it to do the rehabilitation.
Whether it is hip and leg training, core, or shoulder and back, arms, it can be perfect for.
Not only at home, to the park, to the gym, to travel, can be easily carried and used.

★ What do I need to consider when buying a resistance band?

Whether on the internet or in the real gym, we have seen resistance bands. However, they are colorful, different lengths and widths, even the posture of each person in the hands is different, who will be a little confused. There are so many resistance bands, which one is suitable for me?

To get a good value and easy-to-use resistance band, you need to choose the most suitable resistance band according to your situation, starting from weight, length and construction.

1 Resistance band shape type

Depending on the shape of the resistance band, there are three main types of resistance bands on the market: strip, loop and rope (long cylindrical rope).

Physical therapy resistance bands: about 120cm long, 15cm wide, without handles, open at both ends, without forming a closed loop. Application areas: rehabilitation training, posture correction, balance training, functional training, warm-up training, etc.

Loop resistance bands: also popular resistance bands, more applications for hip and leg training. Size varies, 10-60cm are available. Application areas: hip and leg training, strength exercise support training (such as in pull-up training to play a supporting role).

Rope resistance bands: Rope resistance bands have live buckles at both ends and can be combined with a variety of shapes of handles. Approximately 120cm long, diameter varies. Fields of application: rehabilitation, shaping, strength exercises, functional training.

For yoga users or physical therapy users, thin and wide bands are more suitable. For the use of a variety of muscle building, shaping users, thick and long strip resistance bands are more flexible and easy to use. For power players who use them frequently, a solid, durable cylindrical rope (with a fabric wrap) resistance band is the best choice.

2 Resistance value of resistance band

Resistance bands are usually marked with pounds or kilograms of the resistance value, 1 pound is equal to 0.45 kg. Using resistance bands in the process of fitness, the main purpose is to use the resistance of the band to increase the exercise load for our movements.

So, how to check whether the resistance band in your hand is suitable for you? You can test it according to the following method.

In the process of training with resistance bands, if the completion of the action can not do 8-10 times, it means that this one resistance band for the current stage of you is a little too much, you should choose a resistance band than its resistance is about 40%-50% lower than the most appropriate.

If in the process of training, the use of resistance bands can easily complete the action more than 10-12 times, and there is no obvious fatigue, that means that the resistance band for the current stage of you is a little too small, you should choose than the current resistance band resistance of about 40%-50% is the most appropriate.

For different fitness purposes of the population, the selection of resistance bands is probably based on the following principles.

People for fitness exercise	Suitable resistance band
People for rehabilitation training, children	5-6 lbs (about 2.5-3kg)
Women who aim to lose fat and shape up	18-24 lbs (about 8-10kg)
Stronger women and men in general	36-40 lbs (16-18kg)
Stronger men	56-62lbs (25-28kg)
Professional fitness athletes, fitness enthusiasts	70lbs and above (32kg and above)

Also note that it is not the greater the resistance of the resistance band, the better the training effect. On the contrary, the greater the resistance the more difficult it is to use, and more likely to cause injury to the body, so you must pay attention to which stage you are currently in, and then according to their stage to choose the right resistance band.

3 Buy one or buy a set?

The current resistance band color of the market is also a variety of colors, but we do not think that the color is designed to look good, different colors represent different tension, so you must look at each color before buying and selling the amount of tension represented.

Everyone’s strength level is different. It’s hard to know which width (pounds) of resistance band is just right for you until you actually use it. In addition, as we gradually increase the intensity of training, the resistance of the resistance band can also be increased, so do not worry about the resistance band does not fit the situation, it is best to choose a resistance band of each color when shopping so that you can replace the resistance band at any time according to the training situation.

4 Which brand of resistance band is good?

As long as you buy from the regular manufacturer, the quality of the resistance band is reliable, there is no need to worry about which brand to buy. Exercisers should be more concerned about the use and maintenance of resistance bands.

For most people, physical therapy resistance bands and ring resistance bands will be able to normal needs, the accessories of rope resistance bands are often more, inconvenient to carry, less cost-effective, and low-cost products are easy to break.

With this repeated stretching of fitness products, there must be a rapid aging process, so the safety will decline over time. Washing and cleaning, sweat pollution, sunlight, idle pile, etc., will accelerate the aging process, therefore, resistance bands in the factory will be environmental testing and tensile performance testing, which can ensure the most basic use of the demand.

My recommendation is to replace a new set of resistance bands every six months to a year in case of more frequent use. Resistance bands that produce openings should be discontinued immediately.

★ How to use the resistance band?

1 Grip method

Basic winding method

It is a good option to wrap the ends of the resistance band in the palm of your hand and hold the end of the resistance band tightly. However, it should be noted that if the nails are long, it is easy to cause damage to the resistance band.

Four-finger clasp method

Clasp with all four fingers except the thumb. The thumb is pressed against the outside of the index finger. Arm training requires a high wrist position, you can use this grip. This grip wrist posture natural, while exercising to finger strength, but people with long nails are cautious to use.

Five-finger grip method

The grip is particularly suitable for shoulder training. By changing the angle of the wrist, it can create a rotational resistance for the wrist, which cannot be done with dumbbells. Suitable for side planks and other movements.

2 Notes

• Improper use may lead to injury, it is recommended to consult professionals or refer to professional resistance band training videos before use.
• Before use, check the resistance band for gaps, cracks, or small holes.
• Adjust the resistance band to the appropriate length and fix it on a stable object to prevent bouncing.
• When using, do not wear jewelry or keep long nails to avoid scratching the resistance band.
• People who are allergic to latex or rubber should avoid using resistance bands of allergic materials.
• Try not to perform training movements in front of the eyes to prevent injuries.
• Do not overstretch the resistance band, generally not more than three times the original length.
• Resistance bands should be stored away from direct sunlight, avoid contact with sharp objects, and regular inspection.
• A period of muscle soreness will occur after training. If it lasts longer than 3-4 days, stop training immediately and consult a doctor or professional.

3 Maintenance methods

3.1 Anti-adhesive

Rubber products are adhesive, so they tend to stick together after a period of use. At this time, you can apply some talcum powder for maintenance. The new rubber products have a layer of white powder, which is talcum powder.

3.2 Storage environment

Rubber will melt in high temperature environment for a long time, and will harden and age in a cold environment for a long time. Therefore, if it is in a region where the temperature changes greatly, the best place to store is indoor room temperature, cool and dry environment.

3.3 Storage condition

After using the resistance band, especially the knotted resistance band, must be untied and then stored. It can be placed directly or hung up.