When considering how to increase muscle strength, most people first think about using free weights. They don’t consider resistance bands as an alternative to achieving their goals.
Research is increasingly showing that people should think twice before solely purchasing free weights.
Shared benefits of free weights and resistance bands
Free-weights and resistance bands workouts do share some benefits:
- Increased muscle strength
- Increased muscle size
- Decreased body fat
- Progressive resistance
Why free weights may fall short
Free weights have an inherent disadvantage in facilitating a comprehensive muscle strengthening program.
The fundamental problem is that free weights rely on gravity to generate resistance. That means that only vertical movements can be used to engage muscles. This fact makes free weights limited in terms of impacting all intended muscles.
Resistance Bands to the Rescue
Resistance bands can provide resistance in vertical and horizontal directions while strengthening all targeted muscle groups.
Furthermore, horizontal motions better mimic everyday functional activities along with sports-specific movements.
For example, studies have shown that elastic band training is more effective than free weights in improving the shoulder strength and speed of tennis players’ tennis serve.1
Resistance bands have also been shown to be more effective at strengthening the rotator cuffs of collegiate baseball players.2
Ability to Change Muscle Emphasis
Another benefit of elastic resistance bands is that they make it possible to emphasize muscles like quadriceps and hamstrings during squatting or stepping exercises. That means people can target specific muscles for aesthetic reasons or enhance strength for sports competition.
Athletes are increasingly employing resistance bands to improve performance and help prevent or treat injuries.
Elastic Bands Eliminate Cheating
Cheating while exercising with free weights involves using momentum to move the weight. Once the weight is moving, muscles don’t have to work as hard during the entire motion.
Elastic bands don’t allow for cheating by the use of momentum. The only way to complete the whole exercise movement is by engaging more muscle fibers to continue stretching the elastic material.
Safer workouts
Both dumbbells and resistance bands provide resistance to help muscles have micro tears that build muscle strength. However, resistance bands maintain constant tension on the muscles throughout the entire movement of an exercise. Therefore, bands can create more significant muscle growth.
Resistance bands also limit the user’s range of motion, lowering the chance of injury from overextension of the joints.
The key is to use a “progressive overload approach,” doing slightly more sets and reps over time and pairing training with proper nutrition.
Injury prevention
Athletes are increasingly employing resistance bands to improve performance and help prevent injuries.
Think Resistance Bands First
A growing number of fitness trainers believe that resistance bands and tubing are the most versatile piece of exercise equipment. As a result, it should be considered first by consumers looking to strengthen their bodies.
Bands and tubing are inexpensive compared to free weights. They are easy to transport and can be stored anywhere.
Resistance bands provide tension throughout the entirety of whatever routine you’re doing. They can enhance one’s posture and are excellent for working the core. Bands can also add resistance to any bodyweight exercise like push-ups and squats.
Another essential function of resistance bands is that they are effective as a rehab tool for people recovering from injury.
The key feature to look for when purchasing resistance bands
Physical therapists, fitness professionals, and consumers have seemingly countless options when purchasing resistance bands.
But resistance bands and tubing are manufactured differently, which can dramatically impact the quality and safety of the products.
The lowest cost products are usually made with the extrusion process that involves just a single layer of band or tubing. That means if there is a weakened spot in the band or tubing, is it prone to snapping. This situation often occurs without any visible signs of wear or weakness.
Make sure you buy a dipped (or continuous-dipped) band or tubing instead. These have multiple layers. This process provides a much higher quality, longer-lasting, and safer product.
Stretchwell is one of the first companies to manufacture dipped, multi-layered bands and tubing. We continue to innovate and refine our processes to ensure we provide the highest quality, longest-lasting products on the market.
1.Treiber, F. A., et al. Effects of Theraband and lightweight dumbbell training on shoulder rotation torque and serve performance in college tennis players. American Journal of Sports Medicine 26(4):510-515, 1998.
2.Page, P. A. Posterior Rotator Cuff Strengthening Using Theraband(R) in a Functional Diagonal Pattern in Collegiate Baseball Pitchers. Journal of Athletic Training 28(4):346-354, 1993