Resistance Band Workouts for Women
To get through a tough workout, it helps to have a partner who pushes you to work harder and offers support at the same time. Although they aren’t much for conversation, resistance bands do much of the same thing. When it comes to maximizing your full body workout, resistance bands—elastic bands used for strength training—are one of the best tools you can use.
How Do Resistance Bands Work?
Resistance bands are flat, sometimes looped, or like Curves’ resistance band, a sleeved resistance tubing designed to add an external force without using weights. The force needed to stretch the band exerts your muscles similarly to what weights or Curves strength training machines do. There are several benefits to incorporating resistance band exercises into your full body workout: 1
Stronger muscles: Engaging in a resistance band workout strengthens your muscles. In fact, a 2019 study found that using a band offers the same strength training results as using traditional gym equipment. 2
Lower impact: Because they provide resistance without weight, the bands offer a lower impact strength training workout. Free weights are more likely to lead to injury than resistance band workouts.
Versatility: Resistance bands are highly versatile and can be used to enhance nearly every exercise, for back, core, arms, and legs. Using a band, you can easily vary your workouts by moving the band and challenging your muscles in different ways. You can also increase or decrease resistance by shortening the band if you are using a longer band or increasing the thickness if you are using a looped resistance band.
Portability: One of the greatest things about resistance bands is that they are portable! You can pack it when you go on vacation, to visit family for the holidays, and for business travel, so you can stay on track with your resistance band exercises, like MyCurves On Demand, Curves at-home workout wherever you go. 3
Better form: Resistance band exercises force your muscles to work throughout the entire rep, so you can’t cheat or rely on momentum to get you through it. And because resistance band exercises use the band for proper form, for example, “push your knees against the band,” during squats, you will be more likely to complete each move properly.
When you are on the go and unable to get to the gym for your full body workout, you can use your at-home workout, MyCurves On Demand and resistance band to enhance a full body exercises so they are similar in intensity to the machines you use at Curves.
Resistance band leg workout:
Resistance bands are a great way to add some spice to your lower body workout. Strong legs are important for maintaining stability and balance. Band exercises for legs target specific muscles in the lower body. The following are good exercises utilizing the Curves Loop Resistance band:
- Squats
- Clamshells
Resistance band arm workout:
Strong arms help you look more toned, and they make daily tasks like loading groceries into a high cabinet or carrying kids, easier. There are several resistance band exercises for women you can use to mimic the arm strength training machines at Curves. Good resistance band arm exercises include the following:
- Bicep curls
- Triceps extensions
Back, chest and upper body resistance band workouts:
MyCurves On Demand, at-home workout, resistance band back exercises are particularly effective for improving posture and strengthening muscles in both the upper and lower back to reduce pain and injury. Specific muscles worked include lats, delts, and rhomboids. There are numerous ways to use a resistance band for upper body exercises. Some of the best resistance band back exercises include:
- Shoulder press
- Reverse fly
- Band lat pulldown
Ab & core resistance band workouts:
A resistance band ab workout will enhance your core workouts by creating more tension and further engaging your muscles. Resistance band core exercises can also help strengthen your pelvic floor—an area of weakness for many women. Resistance band core exercises include:
- Oblique crunch in squat
- Seated back raise
Curves Loop Bands
Whether you use them to enhance MyCurves on Demand when you work out from home or on the go, Curves now offers two resistance bands to choose from—the traditional Curves Resistance Bands and Curves’ New Loop Bands. Both can be used to enhance all types of exercise and to improve muscle strength and tone and protect your joints from injury.
Find out more about Curves fitness equipment here. Or, find a Curves club and speak to a Curves Coach today about getting your own Curves’ Resistance Band!
Sources:
- How Effective Are Resistance Bands for Strength Training? – Cleveland Clinic
- Effects of training with elastic resistance versus conventional resistance on muscular strength: A systematic review and meta-analysis – PMC (nih.gov)
- How Effective Are Resistance Bands for Strength Training? – Cleveland Clinic
