Senior Fitness: Resistance Bands Could Work For You

Exercise is everything when you reach midlife and beyond.  Increasing muscle strength is vital when it comes to maintaining joint stability and flexibility.  The hard part is figuring out when and how to do it without spending an inordinate amount of time, injuring yourself, or spending a lot of money in the process.

 

 I just finished reading an article by Blake Hannon (St. Joseph News-Press. St Joseph, Mo: April 13, 2010). He discussed using resistance bands to spice up your fitness program.  Whether you are a beginner who just wants to get in shape, are dealing with chronic joint problems, or just looking for new ways to liven up your program, resistance bands may be the answer.

 

The good news is that using resistance bands or tubing is one of the safest and the easiest way to improve fitness, and they are just as effective as using weights. Resistance bands are certainly adaptable for everyday living and healthy movement.  The key is to work with resistance bands that are appropriate for your level of fitness.  A band’s color is indicative of the level of resistance, although colors vary by brands so try them out before buying.

 

The act of stretching rubber could be just what you are looking for.  Resistance bands are effective, easy to use, inexpensive, and travel friendly. The cost is minimal and you can do a lot of different things with just a few bands.   Some people’s joints can’t handle the stress of free weights or even the fixed motion of machines.  Exercising with resistance bands require little joint movement and are perfect if you have arthritic joint issues.

 

Primarily, the bands are used to work on muscle tone and definition.  However, they are versatile and if your aim is to focus on muscle growth, you can increase the amount of resistance in the bands by shortening the bands length or using different thicknesses.

 

Fitness bands are ideal if you travel a lot as they are flexible enough to pop in your suitcase, affordable, and entirely portable.  The author mentioned www.bodylastics.com if you are looking for a sophisticated home gym that you can pack in a bag, but you can find resistance bands at any store with athletic equipment.  Ask a trainer at the gym or check out videos and books so that you can plan a program that will pique your interest and work for you.

 

 

Comments

[Anne Burnell]

Yes, getting started is the hardest part. It takes a some personal work to decide that being unfit will lead to poor health, visits to the hospital, and a lifetime of being on medication. What a life.

It's not that difficult. Start with five minutes per day, Work from there, The benefits will be miraculous.