Resistance Bands And Multitasking Moves!

Hi there! HAPPY Monday!!
How are you doing?! Did you have an AWESOME weekend?! Mine was both fun and relaxing!! This is the beginning of a new week so lets start it out going STRONG! Ready?! Bring FIT on :D

Today's post is all about RESISTANCE BANDS. Did you know that weights aren't the only way to get sculpted? Resistance bands are powerful, portable, and inexpensive tools for strength training that can be used ANYWHERE!

Lifting weights is a proven way to build lean muscle and burn fat but machines and dumbbells aren't always an option if you're traveling or can't get to a gym. Resistance bands are low-tech, lightweight fitness props that are perfect for at-home workouts or tossing into your suitcase. Many celebrities use them when they're on the road.
The bands have other advantages too. They're great for targeting multiple muscles at once and give you a greater range of motion then other kinds of equipment. Plus, "by creating resistance in multiple directions, your core has to stabilize to maintain the correct movement pattern," says Dennys Lozada, personal trainer and instructor at The Fhitting Room in New York City. As a result, your body builds more muscle fiber and burns more calories both during and after exercise.
New research offers even more incentive to jump on the BANDwagon. A recent study in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, the first to compare similar exercises using weights versus bands, found that people who did resistance-band push-ups gained just as much strength as those who did bench presses using a barbell.
Perhaps the best thing about resistance bands, though, is how adaptable they are to any fitness level. "You're the one who dictates how much tension there will be when you're pushing or pulling," Lozada says. A set of flat, looped bands of varying resistance levels (light, medium, and heavy) will give you the most versatility. Start with the light band and move up from there.

Work your arms, legs, back, and core with this routine from NYC instructor Dennys Lozada. Do 20 reps of each move, with a light-resistance looped band. Do 4 to 5 sets, 3 times a week.

SQUAT AND PRESS:
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, band under middle of feet. Hold band with palms up at chest level so band forms a rectangle between hands and feet. Keeping weight on heels, lower into a squat until thighs are parallel to floor. Stand and thrust arms overhead. Return to start. 

LEG RAISE:
Start on hands and knees with band looped around thumbs and right foot. Extend right leg straight back, foot flexed, toes to floor. Lift foot to hip level. Lower and repeat. Do reps. Switch sides; repeat.

BAND PUSH-UP:
Start in high plank, wrists under shoulders, band stretched across back (just below shoulder blades) and looped around thumbs. Bend elbows to lower toward floor. Press back to start.

BENT-OVER ROW:
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, band under middle of feet, knees soft. Hinge forward, keeping back flat, and grab band on both sides at knee level. Hold elbows close to body as you pull hands to chest, squeezing shoulder blades at top of each row. Return to start.  

CORE TWIST:
Securely loop 1 end of band around a door handle, the other around your hands. Stand a few feet from door with left side facing it so band is taut. Extend arms in front of you, palms together. Engaging abs, rotate upper body 45 degrees toward door, lessening tension. Twist back to start. Do reps. Switch sides; repeat.

I personally like to add this routine into my regular workout when I want some multitasking moves!
I also like to use some of these moves with my clients who have limitations, because as stated above, how adaptable resistance bands are!!

If you don't own resistance bands, they're a great investment for your at-home workouts! Very inexpensive to purchase so NO EXCUSES...lol!
Have a FITastic day!!
SEE YOU on Wednesday :D