Resistance bands are a great way to get fit without clutter and at a minimal expense. Many people still underestimate their effectiveness, however. Perhaps it is their unassuming look or their lightweight feel. They are kind of cute, coming in different colors. Maybe that’s why resistance bands have gotten a bad rap. To anyone who doubts their effectiveness: I challenge you to try them.

Resistance bands are slowly coming out of the background of at home fitness. In the past, home workouts were considered easy, the traditional suzy homemaker’s way to stay active. Now, however, suzy homemaker is a tough chick and home workouts are not just for her anymore. Resistance bands have grown with the popularity of home workout programs and are now being taken seriously by many.

When you see people like Tony Horton using resistance bands, you have to know there’s something to them. These small, portable, tubes pack a serious punch and carry real muscle building potential.

Programs like P90X are far from easy and utilize resistance bands in nearly every workout. Same goes for the tough ChaLEAN Extreme program and 10 Minute Trainer. These aren’t your average home aerobics that were popular 20 years ago; these are hardcore fitness training systems.

Resistance bands can be used in place of many pieces of home gym equipment. While a chin up bar is recommended, resistance bands can even be used for chin up exercises. They can obviously be used in place of hand weights and can even be used in some cardio routines.

Resistance bands go with you. One of the great things about these bands is they travel well. They can get thrown in a suitcase or even a briefcase. They will fit in your carry on or your desk drawer. No more worry about home gym clutter, these little guys can stow away just about anywhere.

So, before you go judging resistance bands, give them a shot. If you have had your doubts about them, prepare to be surprised at just how good of a workout they can provide.

Be Sociable, Share!

•