This archive report was first published on 15 May 2020.
Stay Fit at Home with Resistance Bands ¶
As gyms remain closed due to the stay-at-home and curfew orders, many of us are left wondering how to maintain our fitness gains. One affordable and effective solution is to use resistance bands, which can be used to strengthen and tone your body at home.
According to fitness instructor Mark Amunabi, resistance bands work by creating resistance against the muscles, helping to build strength. 'There are different types of resistance bands, but the basic ones are the small, circular ones and the long ones. While using them, it is like stretching a giant rubber band, repeatedly, which exercises the different body parts,' he explains.
Here are eight exercises you can do with resistance bands to tone your body:
- Wear a resistance band around your thighs and lie on your back with your knees bent and hands placed on your sides. Lift your hips up, but the shoulders and hands should remain on the mat. Then lift one leg up with the other one bent and repeat 20 times on each leg.
- Wear the small, round resistance band just above your knees and stand on it with both feet and shoulders wide. Pull it up to your shoulders and then squats. Do 20 squats and repeat three times.
- Use thicker bands and hook them on a pole. Hold the bands with both hands, legs apart, back straight chest forward, and start squatting.
- Start by kneeling with the hands and knees on a stable surface and put the long resistance band on your foot. Stretch it and keep your back straight and tighten your stomach muscles. Raise the leg with the banded leg off the ground, stretching it upwards. Do 60 exercises with each leg.
- Put the long resistance band on the sole of your feet and lie down in a plank position. Pull the band in front and hold it firmly. Now start moving the leg. This exercise tones the inner thighs and stomach. Repeat with the other leg, doing 60 exercises each.
- Wear the small band on your ankles and lie in a plank position. Ensure that your legs are causing resistance to the bands. Hold your body in the plank position for 60 seconds.
- Use the long resistance band to get rid of excess fat on the sides of your abdomen. Stand leg apart holding the band with both hands. Start by bending sideways to your right. Feel the stretch on the right side of your waistline and lower back. Repeat 60 times then switch sides.
- Use heavier bands for this exercise especially if you want to tone the arms faster. Step in the middle of the band and hold its sides. Back straight and stomach tucked in, pull the band up.
With these exercises, you can effectively tone your body at home using resistance bands. Remember to start with lighter bands and gradually increase the resistance as you build strength.
