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That doesnt sound like it should be an eye-opening realization, but it was for me.
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Repeat with slightly heavier things next workout.
My heavy things of choice arebarbellsand dumbbells.
Theyre also standarda 10-pound weight plate or a 25-pound dumbbell is the same everywhereand easily accessible at any gym.
But when thegyms closed, I had to rethink that strategy.
Something thatwasrelatively easy to find in stock?
Heres what I learned.
1. it’s possible for you to pretty much work every muscle group with resistance bands.
And the farther you pull the band, the heavier the resistance feels.
The 3/4-inch band is my moderate-weight band.
I use it for bigger upper-body muscles like my back, in exercises likerowsand single-armlat pull-downs.
Resistance bands help you do gym exercisesminus the gym.
Changing up the anglepulling vertically and horizontallymakes for a more well-rounded strength training experience, Miklaus says.
Depending on where I choose, I can do pull-downs, high-low rows, or horizontal rows.
Speaking of fire-escape workouts, I also use the stairs to crank out a few sets of pull-ups.
If you cant get a bodyweight pull-up yet on your own, bands come in handy to provide assistance.
Just secure the band above you, andput your knee into the loop.
(In the case of pull-up assistance, thicker bands make the move easier, not harder.)
Resistance bands challenge your muscles differently than free weights.
Using resistance bandsduringa workout was new to me.
Then I wondered: Does it justfeelmore difficult because Im not used to it?
Nopethe inherent nature of resistance bands means you actually are working harder at completion.
With a dumbbell, you are actually going to lose tension toward the top of the range of motion.
For example, I struggle with the final lockout on the deadlift.
Slowing down reps and adding pauses is a key strategy formaking exercises feel harder when you cant add weight.
They make for killer supersets.
Id just get more sets of dumbbells and weight plates for my at-home workouts.
Dumbbells cost around the same at similar weightsand many places are selling them for more than usual now.
Plus, youd likely need several different pairs to get the right weight for all your different exercises.
Perform Better Resistance Band
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