Gyms have begun to reopen across America, but if you feel trepidation about returning, you aren’t alone. Even before the pandemic, sweating it up with strangers was slightly stinky. Puddles of sweat on weight benches — no thanks! 

If you want to tone up at home without dropping a bankroll on a gym, have no fear. Resistance bands are good exercise and offer the ultimate in fitness for several reasons. Here’s why you should get several pairs today. 

They Are Affordable 

Fitness bands cost next-to-nothing — if you are squirreling away every spare dime, you won’t have to break open your piggy bank. You can find many high-quality brands for under $30, and some cost less than $10. 

The low cost means that you can afford a variety of resistance levels, increasing the quality of your workout. You can find a heavy-duty pair for squats and stationary lunges and more flexible, lighter models to work your upper body. 

They Fit Nearly Anywhere 

When it comes time to store your equipment, resistance bands take a fraction of the space of hand weights or medicine balls.  You can tuck many right under your couch — when a commercial comes on television, you can squeeze in some biceps curls. 

Other alternatives include tucking them into an over-the-door shoe organizer or tossing them into a storage ottoman. You can also tack a few nails into a closet wall to hang them. 

They Let You Control Your Resistance Level 

Resistance bands are good exercise because they’re affordable enough to buy several pairs. However, you can vary your level of intensity even if you only purchase one size. All you have to do is extend the range of motion to make your workout more challenging. You can “choke up” on the band to make it shorter and more challenging to pull. 

They Make Micro-Workouts a Snap 

Are you stuck on an ages-long conference call? Grab your bands and do some seated delt raises or chest presses while you participate. Are you taking a 5-minute WFH break? Why not do two or three sets of squats to get the blood flowing to your brain? Resistance bands make it a snap to sneak in a set or two to maximize your available downtime — like when you’re standing at the microwave waiting for your coffee to reheat. 

They Travel Well 

When folks asked you what you planned to do to celebrate the end of quarantine, did you respond, “hop on a plane?” If you are dying to travel, you don’t want to abandon your fitness goals. What fits readily into most suitcases? You win if you answered resistance bands — they take up less space than a pair of jeans. 

Suggested Resistance Band Exercises 

You have your bands — now, what are some good exercises to do? There’s a wide variety of options, but start with the seven basics below:

• Squats: Place the center of your band under your feet with a handle in each hand. Perform a squat, and increase the resistance by bringing the bands to your shoulders if you like. 
• Biceps curls: You can perform these seated or standing by placing your feet in the center of your band. With one end in each hand, perform a curl. Play with your hand positioning to add variety. 
• Triceps extensions: Get into a lunge position with your resistance band under your forward leg and both ends in one hand. Raise your elbow and squeeze back as you engage the back of your upper arm. 
• Lunges: Place your band under your forward leg and lift and lower your body until your legs both bend at 90 degrees.
• Rows: Sitting on the floor, wrap your band behind your feet and grab an end in both hands. Keep your spine straight as you pull your arms in as if you are starting a lawnmower.
• Delt raises: Get into a half-lunge position by placing one leg slightly forward to step on the center of the band. Keeping your elbows slightly bent, extend your arms to your sides. 
• Core training: As you lie on the floor to do crunches, tuck your band behind your back. Adjust the resistance by making the center portion shorter, then perform the move as usual. 

Resistance Bands Are Good Exercise — Get Started Today 

Resistance bands are good exercise because they’re economical, space-saving and safer than germ-laden gym equipment. Pick up one or several pairs today to enhance your workout routine.