They don’t take up space and you can use them anywhere: four exercises with elastic bands to complete your routines

Muscles are the body tissue that has the most influence on healthy aging. Strength exercises, with weights, pulleys, elastic bands or our own body weight, are an essential component of physical exercise at any age, but especially in middle age and later, with even greater importance for women during and after the menopause.

Strength exercise helps prevent the loss of muscle mass and bone mass which, although they are natural processes of aging, can accelerate it if we do not stay strong, increasing the risk of falls, fractures and loss of mobility and independence as a final result. Additionally, strength training helps in the management of chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity, in addition to providing other mental health benefits and helping to reduce symptoms of depression.

When we think about strength exercises, bars and dumbbells come to mind, or the cumbersome machines that many gyms offer. However, there are alternatives to do these exercises anywhere, and one of the most useful, portable and complete ones are elastic bands.

Elastic bands offer many advantages over other types of strength exercise equipment. They are lightweight, portable and affordable, and suit people with different fitness levels. Additionally, working without heavy equipment reduces the risk of joint injuries. With the bands it is possible to work all muscle groups, which means that they are also used in rehabilitation exercises. Unlike weights or machines, elastic bands promote stability and control, since they involve the constant use of stabilizing muscles, as occurs with free weights.

Types of elastic bands

On the market we can find several types of elastic bands, each one designed for a specific type of exercises. Tubular elastics usually come with handles and are perfect for imitating the use of traditional weights. However, they usually have light or moderate resistances. Flat bands, made of latex, are known for their use in rehabilitation exercises, yoga and Pilates. Finally, the lightest circular bands are those that are placed around the knees to take lateral steps and thus exercise secondary muscle groups, such as abductors and adductors.

Heavy elastic bands, which also come as a closed circular band, but of longer length, are usually thicker and stronger. These bands are frequently used in CrossFit and functional training due to their ability to exert a large amount of force. Its resistance can vary from a few kilos to more than 100, depending on the thickness. They are generally sold in different colors that indicate the approximate resistance they offer:

Keep in mind that colors may vary between different manufacturers, and that thicker bands can be difficult to handle as they offer great resistance. As we will see, this resistance is indicative, since it depends on how far the band is stretched.

Benefits of training with heavy elastic bands

One of the biggest benefits of using heavy elastic bands is that they provide variable resistance. As you stretch the band, the tension increases, forcing your muscles to work harder throughout the range of motion, and especially at the end when the contraction is maximum. This is very convenient for gaining strength and stability, especially in compound movements like squats.

Some recent experiments have proven that training with elastic bands can be as effective as training with free weights. According to a study Published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, the use of elastic bands equals or improves muscle activation compared to traditional weight training, precisely because of the dynamic resistance they offer. In other words, they work like a gym that we can put in our backpack and take anywhere.

These are the basic exercises that we can do with heavy elastic bands:

Band squats

Squats are a basic exercise to strengthen the legs and glutes. To perform a band squat, pass the elastic band behind your neck on one side and step on the other end with your feet shoulder-width apart. The upper end of the band can also be held with your hands close to your chest. When going up, the band provides resistance, like in a barbell squat.

Press chest with band

To strengthen the chest and triceps, this exercise reproduces the movement of a press bench with barbell or dumbbells. Attach the band to a stable point behind you, such as a pillar or post. With the band behind your body, push forward as if you were doing a press chest with dumbbells.

Rowing with band

Rowing is an exercise to work the back and biceps muscles. Place the folded band under your feet shoulder-width apart, and hold the ends with your hands apart. With your trunk inclined at 45 degrees, pull the band as far as it will go. Another variation is to place the band around a fixed object, such as a pole, and pull it while standing or sitting, keeping your back straight.

Press shoulder with band

He press shoulder straps with band working the shoulders, triceps and stability of the core. Step on the band with your feet and hold the other end at shoulder height. From this position, push up until your arms are fully extended.

How to incorporate elastic bands into your weekly routine

The recommendations to perform resistance exercise at least twice a week are a good starting point to get the most out of elastic bands. If you like to go running, you can use them as a warm-up before a race, or if it’s a heavier, more complete routine, you can use them on alternate days when you’re not running.

Elastic bands are also perfect for performing functional movements that mimic daily life, such as lifting a weight off the ground or placing it high, or specific sports, such as tennis or martial arts. In the latter, the bands help us simulate movements such as a backhand or a kick, and the resistance offered by the band helps to achieve greater power and expressiveness, as well as to strengthen the muscles and prevent injuries.