Resistance Bands: A Serious But Simple Core Workout

Many of you have seen resistance bands, and I am sure some of the most hardcore of you out there have laughed at them. How can a band or little tubes that stretches do anything for ME? Well, if this has been your attitude, it is time to lose it. Resistance bands, or exercise tubes as they are often called, are extremely efficient and extremely effective as well. The title of this article says serious but simple…simple because the bands can go anywhere you go and be used anywhere as well, but make no mistake, the workout you perform with them can be grueling and VERY effective.

Below are a few of the key core exercises that you can do using resistance bands:

Basic Squats-Squats are one of the greatest exercises for the entire body and they make an incredible foundation for your core strengthening routing. To perform them using exercise bands, simply put both feet on the middle of the band, and squat down while grabbing the handles with your palms facing outwards. When standing up, keep your elbows bent and your arms tucked into your side. Once you are standing straight up, begin squatting back down again, and make sure your knees don’t travel forward past your toes.

Woodchops - Woodchops provide an incredible core workout and are ideal to perform with a resistance band. Simply step on the band with your left foot and grab the band with both hands. Now, squat down and twist towards your left foot, then stand up, pulling the band with your hands so that when you are standing up, your arms are extended above your heard on the right side of your body. Imagine the action of starting a lawnmower and you will perfect this awesome core strengthening exercise using resistance bands.

Good mornings or Deadlifts - Working out your lower back is easy and much safer with resistance bands than with regular free weights. Simply by stepping on the bands and holding the handles in your hand you can bend that the waist keeping your legs straight and perform good mornings for your lower back or simply bend at the knees for some traditional deadlift exercises. Both provide an excellent core workout.

Any and all other exercises - When using resistance bands, any exercise you do will provide some training for your core. Whether you are doing bicep curls, triceps extensions, or lat pulls, you will have to stabilize your core and contract your abdominals and lower back during every exercise in order to perform the exercise properly and keep yourself free from injury. Focus on this core stabilization to maximize the benefits of using this incredibly effective, yet simple device.

Different drills can also be performed for a variety of athletes that requires speed and agility by following specific protocols that enhance lateral or stabilizing muscles. In addition the using a bands or tubes can be positioned in ways the body can only be hit or exercised while in the similar sport specific position during a portion of that sports typical movement patterns. For example, the over hand smash of a volley ball or tennis player, the extended arm of a pitcher or over head , reaching catch of a football wide receiver.

From just a few dollars of surgical tubing , to mass manufactured high end exercise bands costing $50 or more, resistance bands come in all shapes and sizes but one thing is for sure: There is no other piece of exercise equipment that is as portable or effective at helping you develop a strong core as resistance bands.