Like an enormous elastic band, flat resistance bands are the typical mobility and strength-work-on-the-fly bands that you've seen peppered all over fitness-focused social media accounts. They're the ultimate space saver, weigh almost nothing and are incredibly affordable. Similarly, you can grind out almost every standard exercise with one of these resistance bands. That they're suitable for yoga and pilates is just an added bonus. Mini Resistance Bands Whether you are a fitness enthusiast, an athlete, or just starting your fitness journey, the 13 resistance band moves provided below offer a comprehensive workout solution that targets various muscle groups: It is the quality and versatility which got the most praise. Several comments mentioned that even bigger, stronger people will get big benefits from them. Some people were surprised, wondering why they had not gone down the resistance band route sooner. Resistance bands are light, durable and capable of generating high amounts of tension,' says Hanrahan. 'This makes them a very cost effective loading tool that will last a long time.' They're also easy to stow and carry in your gym bag, making them perfect for travelling, he says. Not All Resistance Bands Are Created Equal

There are myriad reasons to bring a band into your training regimen, as you'll discover below: Resistance Band Exercises Will: Improve the Quality of Your Reps High-Quality Latex Material: The 48" resistance bands are made of eco-friendly natural latex, which is highly elastic and very durable. The Reebok resistance band is adjustable. It is also available in three different resistance levels. This means that these resistance bands are incredibly variable and you can use a single band for near enough an entire workout – though you will need to progress through to heavier resistances eventually if you want to maintain progressive overload. You can increase the resistance by doing different workouts, with up to 100lbs possible with the right technique / combinations. Use them with your regular core exercises to add resistance and thus promote progressive overload. For example, perform you Russian twists with a looped band anchored to your feet, held in both hands, or perform 3D chest presses with a band anchored to a door or post, or perform leg raises with a looped band anchored to the floor and your ankles. Staying safe with resistance bandsSince resistance bands force your muscles to work hard through the entire rep, there's no relying on momentum. They're also ideal for correcting harder-to-spot errors. Placing a band just above your knees during squats forces you to 'push your knees out against the band, strengthening your abductors and perfecting your form,' says Lankester. Glute Bridge – Work your glutes and hamstrings by incorporating resistance bands into this effective exercise. Lunges with Resistance Bands – Add resistance bands while performing lunges to challenge your legs and glutes further. Nevertheless, if you’re just starting out and want some foundational instruction and a stylish piece of training equipment, BootyCo’s figure of 8 band will serve you very well. Tempo: 2-0-1-2. That's two seconds in the eccentric phase, straight into a one-second concentric phase, and a two-second hold before the next rep. Single Arm Cross Body Press

Experiment with angles. Barbells and dumbbells are good for lifting heavy weight, but bands are all about mind-muscle connection and spot targeting different stretches of muscle. Try a few different angles, adjusting fulcrum points in relation to anchor points, until you feel the ultimate stretch and resistance in any given muscle or muscle group. Realistically, once more, big looped bands or handles will work well for all of this, though the result can be achieved with most styles. Each of the bands has a D-ring at both ends, which you use to attach it to one either the handle or the ankle straps. Each band is 48 inches long (plenty enough, even for taller users as one 6-foot 8-inch user mentioned in the comments). Standing Bicep Hammer Curls – Engage multiple arm muscles by performing hammer curls with resistance bands for an efficient arm workout. This is our first figure of 8 resistance band that we’ve reviewed, and the only one to make the list. Figure of 8 bands can be used in much the same way as circular bands, though with slightly greater utility in pulls and less utility in other movements.Loop bands also bring a lot to the table. Classically, it’s common to see them used for side steps and so forth to work the outer legs, though they have far more uses than this. They are particularly good for rehab post injury and physiotherapy to overcome any weak points, especially in the limbs. They can also be used as improvised SlingShots to aid with chest press power. The one downside is that they don’t specify the resistance that each of their bands delivers. This is pretty common, though these are the only ones on this list that do so. Instead, you get to choose between ‘light’, ‘medium’ and ‘heavy’. They come in three different strengths (not amazing, but decent enough for a lower budget brand). These are 4-8lbs (the light pink ones), 5-10lbs (the medium pink ones) and 6-12lbs (the purple one). You get all three in the set. This will be everything you need to get you started, all for less than twenty quid. Resistance bands are amongst the best value for money, most accessible and most portable pieces of fitness equipment you can buy. However, there are some things that you need to bear in mind when using them, especially if you want to make the most out of your workouts.