Resistance bands are arguably the most versatile piece of equipment that you can buy for a home gym. They are an excellent means to add resistance to dozens of exercises for every major muscle group in all planes of movement. Using them couldn’t be easier: Simply attach one end of the band to a stationary object (or stand on it) and pull to create resistance at the opposite end. The less slack in the band, the greater the tension, and thus the more challenging the exercise. Think of resistance bands as a viable alternative to cable pulley exercises found in health clubs–at a fraction of the cost.
A nice little side benefit is that resistance bands are highly portable. A set of five bands weigh around a pound and take up very little space. You can toss them into your suitcase and take them with you on business trips or vacations. This way, you never have to worry about getting in a workout regardless of where you are.
Now this isn’t to say that resistance bands aren’t without shortcomings. The main problem when using a band is that the tension starts off fairly easy and then becomes progressively more difficult as you move through a given range of motion. This is contrary to the way your muscles are designed work. In real life, the force placed on a muscle usually drops substantially toward the end of a lift, as does the muscle’s leverage. So for optimal functional transfer to activities of daily living, your best bet is to integrate band training with other exercise modalities. Simply combining them with body-weight movements will provide a large number number of low-cost exercise options for a workout that can be performed anywhere. Adding dumbbells and other weighted implements to the mix will optimize training results if you’re willing and able to spend the extra money.
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