Resistance Bands Science

The Crossfit has gained great popularity in recent years, positioning itself as one of the biggest fitness trends in the world. It is a sport based on constantly varied exercises, with functional movements, executed at high intensity. It is a very technical sport since it combines movements of various sports disciplines such as weightlifting, gymnastics, calisthenics and running. It can be done individually or in groups, and the sessions are usually short, varied and adaptable depending on the level of each participant. In Crossfit a great variety of material is used, from rudimentary material like truck wheels to rings, kettlebells and of course resistance bands. Strength training is very important in this sport, therefore, the use of resistance bands is fundamental to develop training successfully. But the bands can not only be used to apply load to our workouts, but also to be able to improve our technique and make it easier for us to carry out, when we do not hav...

Deanna Dorman is a celebrity Master Trainer, Fitness Nutrition Specialist, and Pilates instructor. She is the creator of TheLiveFitGirls.com and has been featured in Shape, Self, Women's Health, Buzzfeed, and a number of other print and online publications. She is the creator and founder of The Fitness Collective - an on-demand video app that delivers new workouts every week!

Disclaimer: You should consult your physician or other health care professional before starting a HASfit program or any other fitness program to determine if it is right for your needs. This is particularly true if you (or your family) have a history of high blood pressure or heart disease, or if you have ever experienced chest pain when exercising or have experienced chest pain in the past month when not engaged in physical activity, smoke, have high cholesterol, are obese, or have a bone or joint problem that could be made worse by a change in physical activity. Do not start this fitness program if your physician or health care provider advises against it. If you experience faintness, dizziness, pain or shortness of breath at any time while exercising you should stop immediately. HASfit offers health, fitness and nutritional information and is designed for educational purposes only. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for, nor does it replace, pr...

As we have explained in the previous post about the differences between free weight and resistance bands, there are also similarities in the effect that both proposals have on the training. 1. PROGRESSION OF LOAD In the same way you can use dumbbells, bars and disks, more and more heavier, you can use harder resistance bands. You can always make progress in loading your workouts. In this respect, the bands are the same as the free weight. 2. VARIABLE SPEED With bands and free weights you can, for example, accentuate the eccentric phase of the movement to enhance muscle damage, but they also allow you to work at an explosive speed, so this is another characteristic that resistance bands and free weights would have in common. 3. FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT Unlike machines, for example, free weights and resistance bands allow a much more natural movement. And this is not only better for the biomechanics of the body, but also better for muscle activation, because y...

The resistance levels of the elastic bands are based on the material, we already know that it is rubber, but there is also rubber latex. The difference between the two is that elastic rubber bands are for short distances and small sizes. Unlike elastic rubber latex bands, they are for large sizes and sizes. These are more elastic, but it does not mean that they are stronger, but that they support the larger measurements. To differentiate the resistance levels, colors were used in each elastic band. Some considered it a marketing strategy, but many physiotherapists clarified that for a differentiating issue in the use of rehabilitation, they began using elastic bands by color to differentiate them. For example, the yellow ones are the most efficient but the most basic. Let's see a comparative table of resistance levels.

The fitness community is used to training with the traditional method with free weights because it is a useful way to achieve goals. This has caused that other ways of applying loads such as resistance bands are not studied. In recent years, resistance bands have a greater role, due to their low cost and easy transportation, being very useful for strength training for the elderly, but what advantages do bands have with respect to free weight? 1. ALTERATION OF THE FORCE CURVE With the bands you give the muscle a different stimulus, since unlike the free weight, the bands provide a variable resistance. A 10-kg dumbbell weighs the same during the entire movement, but a band generates more tension. 2. RESISTANCE IN MULTIPLE DIRECTIONS Free weight only exerts resistance in one direction, against gravity. The resistance bands exert tension in all the directions of movement since it does not depend on the gravity if not on its elastic tension. 3. CONSTANT TENSI...