Effective Ways to Shed Pounds Using Resistance Bands

The convenience and versatility of resistance bands can’t be beat. These portable, lightweight exercise tools are seamless to use anywhere and offer an excellent full-body workout that strengthens, tones and burns calories. By using resistance bands in your workouts, you can engage multiple muscle groups and lose weight without the need for fancy gym equipment or an expensive membership. To help you get started, we spoke to an expert who explains how you can get lean and lose weight with resistance bands.

The 5 Best Ways to Use Resistance Bands for Weight Loss

If you want to lose weight and sculpt a lean body, grab your resistance bands and listen up! According to Ronny Garcia, CPTfrom Blink Fitnessyou can exercise using resistance bands with weight loss in mind in five productive ways.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

1. Circuit training for the whole body: This form of exercise ensures that your heart rate stays high, engages all major muscle groups and builds strength. By incorporating resistance bands, you experience constant tension with each workout, which activates more muscle fibers and increases calorie burning.
2. Resistance band HIIT: The extra resistance the bands provide during a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) session makes each exercise more intense, helping to build muscle tone and strength.
3. Compound Exercises: These types of exercises promote balanced and functional strength and core stability, which can result in a lean physique.
4. Core strengthening exercises: Adding resistance bands to classic core exercises improves full-body stability and helps sculpt and define your abs.
5. Active recovery: Don’t sleep on active recovery days! Using lighter bands during these sessions will help increase your flexibility and range of motion, resulting in faster recovery time and injury prevention.

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Building Muscle and Burning Fat: How Resistance Bands Compare to Weights

“Resistance bands provide constant tension throughout the range of motion, while traditional weights only provide resistance during specific parts of the lift,” explains Garcia. “Resistance bands can be used to target a variety of muscle groups (both upper and lower body.) Traditional weights are limited to specific movements due to the nature of the equipment.”

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Plus, resistance bands are easier on your joints, as their elasticity absorbs some of the impact. They are also lightweight and portable, making them ideal for home training, travel or the gym.

The best resistance band exercises to lose weight and get toned

1. Banded Squats

1. Place a loop resistance band around the thighs, just above the knees.
2. Stand tall with your feet shoulder width apart.
3. Engage your core.
4. Press your hips back as you lower into a squat, lowering until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
5. Keep the tension in the band by pushing the knees out a little.
6. Push through both heels to rise back to standing.

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2. Banded push-ups

1. Loop a resistance band around your upper back, under your shoulder blades.
2. Hold the ends of the band with each hand.
3. Assume a high plank position with your hands on the floor under your shoulders and your body in a straight line.
4. Bend your elbows to lower your chest to the ground.
5. Press back up to a high plank.

3. Standing row

1. Attach the band to a stable object at chest height.
2. Stand tall, facing the anchor point, with feet hip-width apart.
3. Hold one end of the resistance band in each hand with your arms extended in front of you.
4. Activate your core and maintain a long chest.
5. Bend your elbows and row the band towards your torso.
6. Gradually extend your arms to the starting position.

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4. Banded Glute Bridge

1. Place a loop resistance band around the thighs, just above the knees.
2. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the ground.
3. Activate your core and push your knees out slightly to create tension on the band.
4. Press through your heels to push your hips toward the sky and squeeze your glutes at the top.
5. Hold the position for a moment.
6. Slowly lower down to the mat.