Bands Friday

On Fridays we exercise with resistance bands. These are long, thin pieces of plastic that you can stretch in all directions and easily vary the resistance. To vary the resistance on the band, change where you are holding it. That is, to make it easier with less resistance, hold the band nearer to the ends. To make it more difficult with more resistance, hold the band closer to the center. What I really like about using resistance bands is that for many of the moves, you use your body to anchor the band. This helps to work your core even while you’re doing other exercises.

Here are some band exercises. We do anywhere from 10 to 16 repetitions of each exercise.

Overhead stretch

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold the band with both hands spaced a comfortable distance apart. Extend your hands above your head, so the band is parallel to the floor. Stretch the band by lowering your arms to your side. At the bottom of the move, your arms should be sticking out to your sides, parallel to the floor. Return your hands to the starting position. This is one repetition. If the move is too easy or too difficult, adjust the position of your hands on the band.

Chest-level stretch

The next move is similar, and we usually move directly into it from the first stretch. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold the band with both hands spaced a comfortable distance apart. Extend your arms so they are straight, and your hands are in front of you. Hold the band so it’s parallel with the floor.  Open your arms so that they are sticking out to your sides, parallel to the floor. Return your hands to the starting position. You’re opening and closing your arms. This is one repetition. If the move is too easy or too difficult, adjust the position of your hands on the band.

The next two moves I like to combine with a mini-squat. This is just a partial squat in which you bend your knees then come right back up to a standing position.

Overhead, single-arm stretch

Place the band behind your back and hold it at chest level. While holding the band, and using your back as an anchor, extend one arm to the ceiling. Return it to the starting position. Extend the opposite arm to the ceiling. Return to the starting position. This is one repetition.

Across the chest, single-arm stretch

Place the band behind your back and hold it at chest level. While holding the band, and using your back as an anchor, extend one arm to stretch the band across your chest. Return it to the starting position. Extend the opposite arm across your chest. Return to the starting position. This is one repetition.

Lat pulls

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold the band in both hands. To anchor the move, extend one arm straight out, so your hand is somewhere between eye-level and just above your head. Keep this arm still. Your hands should be comfortably spaced on the band and at the same level at the beginning of the exercise. Use the non-anchor hand to pull the band down and back. This is single motion, not a two-step process. You hand will end up at the level of your hip and slightly behind it. Return to the starting position. You should feel this exercise in your back muscles. Complete all repetitions on one side before switching arms.

Chest press

Band around your back at chest level. Holding the band in both hands, elbows bent so your hands are at chest level. Extend both arms straight in front of you, so they are parallel with the floor. Return to the starting position. This is one repetition. You are pushing the band in front of you. If you want to make this move a little more difficult, don’t release all the tension in the band when you return to the starting position.

Double-arm rows

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent, one foot forward and one foot back. Use your front foot to stand in the center of the band. Bend at your hip flexors, pulling your belly button to your spine. Hold one side of the band in each hand with your arms extended straight toward the floor. Pull the band up with both hands by bending your arms and shooting your elbows up into the air. Your hands will be at chest level. Return to the starting position. This is one repetition. You should feel this exercise in your back muscles. Complete all repetitions one side before switching to the other side.

Bicep curls

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent, one foot forward and one foot back. Use your front foot to stand in the center of the band. Hold one side of the band in each hand. Press the sides of your arms from the elbow to your shoulder against your body. This is to anchor your arms so that only the lower half moves. Pull up the band by bending your arms at your elbows. Return to the starting position. This is one repetition. You can do this move with both arms at the same time or do each arm individually. We’ll often do several double-arm bicep curls then finish off the move with single-arm bicep curls.

Tricep kickbacks

Anchor the band around your waist. Hold one side of the band in each hand. Your arms should be bent with your hands holding the band near your bottom. Keep your arms stiff from the elbow to the shoulder. Extend your lower arms so that you straighten your arms behind you. Return your arms to the starting position by bending them at the elbows. This is one repetition. You can do this move with both arms at the same time or do each arm individually.

Tricep extensions

Hold the band in both hands. Your arms should be bent so your hands are at about chest height. One arm is the anchor and will not move. Keep your arm you will move stiff from the elbow to the shoulder. Straighten that arm by extending it to your side away from your body. The arm you extend with be a little lower than the other arm. Return your arm to the starting position. This is one repetition. Complete all repetitions one side before switching to the other side.

Shoulder raises

Stand with a foot on one end of the band. Hold the other end in your hand on the same side of your body. In the starting position, your arm is hanging by your side. Lift your arm so it is extended straight out to your side at about chest height. Return to the starting position. Lift your arm so that it is extended straight in front of your at about chest height. Return to the starting position. This is one repetition. Complete all repetitions on one side before switching to the other side. These are difficult and we usually only do about six repetitions.

Side bend with a twist

Stand with a foot on one end of the band. Hold the other end in your hand on the same side of your body. This move will be similar to the side bend we did in yoga. Extend your arm and the band over your head. Tip to one side until you feel the stretch. Hold for a couple of counts. Return to the starting position. This is one repetition. Do four or five of these before moving on to the twist.

For the twist, instead of extending your arm, stand with your elbow bent and your hand at about shoulder level next to your body. You want to feel some resistance on the band. With your hips remaining forward, twist your torso away from the band. Return to the starting position. This is one repetition. Do four or five of these. Switch sides and do both exercises.

We end this workout with a plank. No need to use the band for this. See Wednesday’s post for instructions on how to do a plank. Come back Monday for arm day!