Exercise Bands

[Catlover]

I recently read an article stating that using exercise bands was 2nd best to weights in terms of building muscle. The article then went on to use "strength building" and "sculpting/loss of inches" interchangeably. I don't think the two are the same thing, and over the years I've come to believe that there really is no such thing as "sculpting." However, since the exercise bands are cheap, portable and easy to use on days when I can't get to the gym, I am interested in knowing whether I should incorporate them into my fitness routine and will any strength training can result from them. Can anyone help me with this question?

[FreelanceWanderer]

Catlover (hey, I'm a cat lover, too!), my personal trainer often has me use exercise bands, and I've been seeing good muscle definition. The bands give a good burn, and you can adjust the intensity by taking up more or less of the band in your hand or under your foot. You can use them for pretty much everything, from squats and lunges to tricep extensions to bicep curls. Even better, they're super-portable...my trainer let me borrow some bands for my month-long Germany trip (which is where I am right now!).

Good luck,

FW

[jippykid]

Strength bands are a great addition to your workout. Especially if you've been doing standard strength training -grunting out reps and blindly sitting down at machines that tell you how to move. The bands offer resistance to you muscles throughout a greater range of motion, and therefore challenge your muscles in a different way. I like them specifically because I can feel my muscles as they do the work. Using them has helped me take a more conscious approach to fitness.