View Full Version : Resistance Bands and Weightlifting
Does anybody use resistance bands to workout? Not being able to always have access to a gym has got me wondering if I could use resistance bands to build muscle mass as well as tone muscle. Can resistance bands be used as a substitute for wieghtlifting used to build muscle mass? Any information on this topic would be good, I really want to get back to strength training but dont have access to a gym.
If that is all you have, it is much better than nothing at all. However, you will not get anywhere near the same results as you would if you had access to free weights and certain machines.
Cliff Hargrave
02-03-2006, 15:33
Most of the resistance bands I have seen are pretty flimsy. I don't think it would take very long to build up enough strength to where they were useless. You would probably be better served with just plain old body weight exercises. Just my opinion though.
John Lucas
02-03-2006, 16:17
I dont have the money for weights or a gym either, so for arm strength, I use a few dumbells from 10-25 pounds, many different kinds of pushups and pullups. Recently I added a 80pound bag of cement mix in a duffel bag that can be used for all kinds of exercises. Also, I put my car, (which doesnt run at the moment) in Neutral and push it up and down the driveway. There are probably alot of great implements for building strength around you if you stop to pay attention.
I think you would get better results in a gym with professional equipment, but I would say forget the resistance bands, I have not personally used them, but I think you could get better or similar results with these free methods. I say either save your money up or get a gym membership. In the mean time, get creative.
Pretty good take John L. Thanks for that post!
Jason
Thanks for the info. I guess I will have to wait till I can afford membership at a gym or till I can afford home gym equipment :D . Do you have sugeestions on where I can get cheap home gym equipment? By the way I came across a product called "Power Pushup 2" got any info on that? Thanks.
Cliff Hargrave
02-03-2006, 17:09
We have a local bulletin board website that offers free classified ads. It is literally filled with used exercise equipment. Lots of folks buy stuff with good intentions, then the equipment ends up collecting dust until they decide to get rid of it. You can pick up some real good bargains. See if there is anything like that around your area.
Buying a cheap set of used dumbbells and a bench of some kind will give you more bang for your buck then just about anything else. Add those and a bar to do pullups and you will be in business.
Jonathan Randall
02-03-2006, 20:30
If that is all you have, it is much better than nothing at all. However, you will not get anywhere near the same results as you would if you had access to free weights and certain machines.
That was my experience as well. The bands I used were ok for some very general toning and endurance gains, but paled in comparison to the improvements I saw using free weights - or even Nautilus Machines.
Interesting question - Jason, I have actually seen a person put resistance bands on free weights (I know, seems superfluous) - He claimed it helped with his explosiveness. That he would explode on the way up, then it really made him work the negative on the way down.
Personally, I thought it was a lot of extra effort for an unknown gain. What are your thoughts?
Interesting question - Jason, I have actually seen a person put resistance bands on free weights (I know, seems superfluous) - He claimed it helped with his explosiveness. That he would explode on the way up, then it really made him work the negative on the way down.
Personally, I thought it was a lot of extra effort for an unknown gain. What are your thoughts?
The only study that I am aware of that has been performed on this was actually done by our lab when I was doing my masters in Wisconsin. The paper is in press right now. We found that in certain situations you could increase your power production by adding bands to the back squat exercise. I would say that much more work needs to be done on this area before I am ready to sign off on their use.
Wallace BJ, JB Winchester, and MR McGuigan (In Press) Effects of elastic bands on force and power characteristics during the back squat exercise. Journal of Strength and
Conditioning Research
...You would probably be better served with just plain old body weight exercises. Just my opinion though.
I agree with Cliff on the body-weight exercises.
About 4 years ago, I decided to start using light loads of free weights for the first time in about 25 years. After just a few weeks of doing basic exercises (bench press, military press, curls and reverse curls) I started getting pretty significant pain in my shoulders and elbows. I switched over to own-body-weight exercises, with the help of a couple of neat little bars for pull-ups and dips that fit into any standard 30" door frame with just a few finishing nails. I've done pull-ups with various grips, dips and push-ups regularly over the last three years and have had what I'd call good results. I believe I've at least stopped the strength and muscle mass decline that inevitably sets in at around 40 (I turned 52 a couple of weeks ago), and the exercises have never given me any discomfort at all.
Of course, massai, you're a lot younger than me, so you could probably benefit a lot from free weights. And, to be fair, I was doing the weights without any assistance from a trainer, so it's quite possible that I was doing some things wrong, which could explain the joint pain. But I don't think you can go wrong with simple own-body-weight exercises.
Good luck to you with whatever regimen you choose.
Howard,
Your point is well taken however if your goal is to get strong, powerful, or grow the size of your muscles, you will not do so past a small increase with body weight only exercises. Most likely you were doing the lifts wrong. I have trained several elderly females that could only walk with help from a walker or cane and got them doing free weight exercises. Proper technique and understanding of the stimulus needed for the desired response are key.
John Lucas
02-04-2006, 11:14
Pretty good take John L. Thanks for that post!
Jason
Hey, thanks, I'm learning.
Also, you might want to check garage sales, this very morning, I got lucky and found a bar, some rusty clamps, and about 150 pounds worth of crappy plastic covered ceramic weights for 10 bucks. Not much, but atleast its a start. Now I just need a makeshift bench.
Howard,
Your point is well taken however if your goal is to get strong, powerful, or grow the size of your muscles, you will not do so past a small increase with body weight only exercises. Most likely you were doing the lifts wrong. I have trained several elderly females that could only walk with help from a walker or cane and got them doing free weight exercises. Proper technique and understanding of the stimulus needed for the desired response are key.
Jason, thanks for your response.
At this age, I couldn't care less about the size of my muscles - provided that I'm doing something to delay the loss of muscle mass that comes from age. I'm primarily interested in maintaining muscle tone and a bit of strength, and in controlling my weight, which, fortunately for me, seems to come kind of naturally - genetic, perhaps.
I suspect that you're right about me doing the lifts wrong in some way. Just to give you an example, if I recall correctly, I was using about 75 lbs total weight (including the 15 lb bar) for military presses, doing three sets of 12 - 15 reps each. I'm about 5'8", about 155 - 160 lbs. This amount of weight didn't feel like a lot when I was doing the lifts, and I never really had any pain or discomfort when I was lifting. It always came afterward.
At this point, I'll probably just stick with the OBW routine that I follow. It has served me well, and as I say, it seems to be working to stave off muscle mass decline.
Getting older really sucks, but it does beat the alternative. :)
Thanks again for your response. I enjoy reading your posts in general.
Best regards, Howard
Good luck with things howard!
kicking goose
02-05-2006, 01:02
I don't use a gym either. Best exercise routine I've found is easily this one http://www.angelfire.com/ny5/shenandoah/OBB/OBB.html
It's given good results for me, and the only "workout equipment" I use for it is a chair and a wall.
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