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If you’re considering investing in a new fitness gadget, you don’t have to drop hundreds on a home gym. What if you could get the same quality workout on the cheap? You can, with the help of resistance bands. These lightweight exercise devices offer a host of advantages, and they fit nearly any budget. Here are nine benefits of resistance bands that you can’t beat.
If you dwell in a downtown loft, your space is probably at a premium. You might not have the room for a bulky multipurpose gym, even if you find one at a significant discount on sites like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace.
Resistance bands are lightweight enough to hang on a hook. They’re also compact — slide them under your couch and pull one out to do biceps curls during commercials when watching live broadcasts.
If you are a member of the jetsetter club, you know that hotel fitness facilities can sometimes leave a bit to be desired. Who decided that tossing a treadmill in an old supply closet qualified as an “onsite gym?”
Resistance bands fit into your suitcase without adding excess pounds when you check your luggage. You can perform a full workout in the privacy of your hotel room, even if your lodging lacks a fitness studio.
Do you have arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome? If manipulating bands alone challenges your grip strength, you can find models with attached comfort handles that ease the ache.
However, if your bands double as yoga straps — more on that later — you might prefer a smooth, flat piece of rubber. You can find models in this style, too.
Perhaps resistance bands’ biggest perk comes at the cash register. Unlike weight machines, which can cost hundreds of dollars, you can find full resistance band sets for under $50.
Are you on a tighter budget? If so, don’t despair. You can often pick up individual resistance bands as you go, adding heavier numbers as you gain strength and have the extra cash.
If you invest in free weights, you could end up with a stack of dumbbells over time. Think about the lengthy rows at many gyms — who has all that space?
Resistance bands’ compact size means that you can up your “weight” without requiring much extra floor space. You can even double up your gear to increase intensity.
You know that you can’t spot-reduce fat — you need a full-body workout to meet your fitness needs. Resistance bands offer the answer.
You can loop a band under your feet to add resistance to squats and lunges. You can also work the sides of your body with abduction and adduction to target your inner and outer thighs. There’s no end to the variety of upper-body exercises you can perform.
Weight machines have one disadvantage — your range of motion only extends as far as the device allows. Resistance bands let you increase your range of motion by stretching a bit farther each time you perform an activity.
Best of all, you can work up to this gently. Unlike a heavy free weight, you don’t run the risk of resistance growing so great, you drop the dumbbell or injure yourself. Gentle, self-directed growth reduces your injury risk.
Resistance bands aren’t only a boon for strength training. They can help you improve your overall flexibility.
If you do yoga, you know that a strap can help you get into challenging postures without sacrificing your form. A sturdy band can work as well as a towel for helping you master asanas like the pose of the dancer.
If you have a disability, resistance bands offer fitness freedom. You can use them in a chair simply by pushing back from your desk to give yourself some room.
Since they come in various “weights,” you can tone your workout down on days when pain makes movement uncomfortable. You can also tie them to stationary objects if you are missing a limb to perform activities with the remaining side.
If you are seeking the best new fitness gear, look no further than the tried and true. You can’t beat these nine benefits of resistance bands.
