Resistance bands for weight bearing exercise

[Calhoun113]

Anyone using resistance bands in lieu of weights for weight bearing exercise? If so which kind? Any links to YouTube for training programs to prevent ADT muscle waste would be helpful. Thanks

[Hidden]

What are your goals and why do you not want to use free weights? (I'm only looking for information since there are many reasons why a person might not want to use free weights)

I have a variety of resistance bands in my car so I can get a little targeted exercise in when I'm on trips.

[Calhoun113 in reply to Hidden]

I understand resistance weight is recommended. I walk but need to do more. Rather not go to a gym.

[Hidden in reply to Calhoun113]

Ok. Dumbbells are really good. Something like this saves a lot of space and is easy to use: smile.amazon.com/gp/product...

These are two of the band types that I use:

smile.amazon.com/gp/product...

smile.amazon.com/COOBONS-As...

I also have this slosh bag: smile.amazon.com/gp/product...

(I wouldn't necessarily start with it - I included it because you might go this route and I hate the sand-filled slosh bags - eventually, you get sand all over the house).

Exercise is amazing and (kind of) free!

1. Association of Muscle Mass with Survival after Radical Prostatectomy in Patients with Prostate Cancer

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/309...

2. Exercise-induced biochemical changes and their potential influence on cancer: a scientific review: Robert James Thomas, Stacey A Kenfield, Alfonso Jimenez

bjsm.bmj.com/content/bjspor...

3. A prospective study of physical activity and incident and fatal prostate cancer: Edward L Giovannucci, Yan Liu, Michael F Leitzman, Meir J Stamfer, Walter C Willett

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/158...

4. Recreational Physical Activity in Relation to Prostate Cancer-specific Mortality Among Men with Nonmetastatic Prostate Cancer: Ying Wang, Eric J Jacobs, Susan M Gapstur, Maret L Maliniak, Ted Gansler, Marjorie L McCullough, Victoria L Stevens , Alpa V Patel

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/287...

5. Obesity associated with a higher risk of fatal prostate cancer, biggest study of its kind finds

medicalxpress.com/news/2022...

6. Associations of Muscle Mass and Strength with All-Cause Mortality among US Older Adults - PMC

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

7. Muscle Mass Index as a Predictor of Longevity in Older-Adults Preethi Srikanthan, M.D., M.S. and Arun S. Karlamangla, M.D., Ph.D

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

8. Why Exercise Is Important When You Have Prostate Cancer, and the Best Workouts to Do: Maria C Masters

livestrong.com/article/1372...

9. Exercise in cancer - PMC

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

[Calhoun113 in reply to Hidden]

Ok I’m motivated thanks

[Hidden in reply to Calhoun113]

Start with something that is very manageable. Don't go the 3 hours a day to start route. 99% of guys who do that quit. Make it a habit and make it easy. Then increase once it's ingrained.

[AussiBrian in reply to Calhoun113]

The gym is really not needed, my friend,

youtube.com/results?search_...

google.com/search?q=chair+e...

youtube.com/results?search_...

[LearnAll]

I use rubber resistance bands to keep muscles strong. I find these resistance bands very useful and easy to use on different muscle group. Do not need to go to Gym every day. Besides these bands are inexpensive and requires little space to store.

prefer these simple ones;

amazon.com/Gaiam-Resistance...

[Calhoun113 in reply to LearnAll]

Thanks. I just ordered some with handles. Will give it a try.

[6357axbz]

Found a review of 24 sets of resistance bands for 2022 from Wirecutter. Here’s an Amazon review of the set they chose to be the best:

Safe, affordable, convenient, what more could you ask for?Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2017

Item Shape: 96 lbs. - 5 BandsSize: One Bag

I love the exercise videos Blake from Bodylastics does on youtube, and that's primarily why I chose to purchase this brand of resistance bands.

I've been using these bands almost daily for the past 3 months, and they've held up amazingly well. I found a great beginner lifting routine that is a 5 day split, and started with just the 3 lb bands, learning how to do all of the exercises with good form thanks to Blake's videos. When I could do all of the sets of a particular exercise at 3 lbs, I moved up 5 lbs the next week. When I mastered an exercise at 5 lbs, I moved up to 8 lbs, and so on.

The great thing about these bands is that they are stackable, so when I was done with 8 lbs, I didn't have to jump straight to the 13 lb band. I simply added the 3 lb band to the 8 lb band and had 11 lbs of resistance to work against.

I was skeptical at how much muscle I could build in just a few months working out with resistance bands, but I'm obviously making steady progress with using heavier and heavier resistance loads each week, and my muscles are definitely starting to show.

If you're just getting started with strength training, resistance bands are a great way to build up muscle before jumping over to heavier free weights!

[Calhoun113 in reply to 6357axbz]

Thanks

[6357axbz in reply to Calhoun113]

They are called Bodylastics Resistance Bands

[Gearhead in reply to 6357axbz]

96 Lb? If that's the weight of all the bands, handles, and connectors, that seems unbelievably heavy.

I bought an inexpensive but good quality set of bands near the peak of the pandemic when all gyms around here were closed. They were helpful, and I still use them occasionally, but I prefer getting out of the house and going to the gym where it's easier to focus on the exercise objective.

[Canoehead]

Theraband. It’s what you find at most physical therapy facilities. Their usefulness is only limited by your creativity.

[Calhoun113 in reply to Canoehead]

Thanks

[London441]

Bands are great if you like them. Calisthenics are equally good and require no equipment at all obviously.

My entire ADT run was in the heart of the Covid lockdown. I had no choice but body weight exercises. I eventually bought some bands but didn’t prefer them.

I did balance work, pushups and squats mostly-a lot of them.

I did also have one piece of equipment-a pull up bar. Pull-ups are one of the all time great exercises and you can use bands to make them easier if you can’t do them unassisted. Assisted pull-ups are still superior to most gym back exercises and the bar can also be used to work abdominals quite well.

All this only to say whatever you’ll put the most effort into and stick with-the right option for YOU-is all you should really care about.

[timotur]

I use bands for keeping the rotator cuff in good shape--there's a lot of youtube physical therapists that have good suggestions for using bands. I use the heavier bands, which are about 1/2" wide and 1/4" thick.

[andy_diggs]

I tend to use free weights these days, but I have a set of resistance bands I started off with to get me to a point I could start using heavier free weights. I also use the resistance bands for doing some dead-lifts still as the loading builds up toward the stronger part of the move rather than when I am in the bent position. I do this because I still have some ongoing lower back issues. The resistance bands are also great for holidays and travel.

I just got them from my local K-Mart in Australia, but they are available all over the place.

amazon.com.au/Resistance-Fi...

I ended up making my own board to stand on and loop the bands through for some of the trickier moves, but it is not a necessity.

Exercise Board

[maley2711]

anyone..... suggestions for those for whom resistance training poses risks as a result of joint problems? tennis elbow, etc.

[MateoBeach]

You have been given many good views on resistance band training as an alternative to weights for strength training. And they are so portable and inexpensive. I hate spending time in gyms too. But it is hard to do the big muscle groups with the bands effectively. Especially legs and glutes. They respond best to squats and hinge dead lifts which are hard to simulate with the bands.Since you like to walk (as do I) I’ll offer an additional way to get good leg and glute strength for free outside the gym. I incorporate sets of exercises into my walks. I will do sets of walking lunges (start at 20 and work up to 50) and do 4 sets of these spread throughout the walk. Then also do sets of step ups on a low wall or planter (or a stump if in the forest) about knee high or slightly lower. Try to do 3 sets during the walk (start at 10 on one leg, then the other. Work up to 20 each side.) you will feel that these two provide much more strength, stability and core than walking alone provides.

Then I also add upper body into the mix on my walks: inclined pushups on bus benches or similar. I do 3 sets with narrow grip, elbows along your sides plus 3 sets with wider hand placement and elbows flare away but aligned with the shoulders. 6 sets to whatever your max is for that day. Then I throw in 2 sets of dips on another bench, legs out in front. I have one sign structure with a round bar about waist level. I hang underneath it, Legs out in front and do hanging pull ups, (same as a rowing motion) one set wide, with palms forward. Then on the way back another set with palms back facing for more biceps . If you can find a high horizontal bar you can add regular pull ups. Feet don’t need to be off the ground but can help a bit as these are very hard with a free hang.

So that is my personal par course using available “street furniture”. I do it up to 3 times per week, not on consecutive days. You can mix it up to keep it fresh. It’s free, fun and outdoors!

[SViking in reply to MateoBeach]

Wow that is a great routine! I'm a hardcore athlete who does weight routines for more athletic horsepower. At 70 I still wrestle twice a week in Jiu Jitsu so I must divide my energy between lifting and rolling in order to get some kind of recovery. Jiu Jitsu days are five, 7-minute rounds with a 90 second break in between. Since dropping the free weights altogether, there is no more joint pain and overall strength is stable. (without testosterone though, strength gains are rare)

I periodically hit the gym to measure any strength loss or gain and have lost about 10-20% of after being on Orgovyx for the last seven months--same as last ADT cycle. The biggest issue I have is an extremely low hemoglobin level which really affects my endurance. Daily 3-mile hikes are becoming noticeably more difficult. Guessing this is bone marrow thing?

There is no denying though, the incredible sense of well being from hard exercise. The harder we train the better we feel.

And if you are serious about using bands, spend the money and buy the flat ones. The tube versions are ok but not for serious work. There's also a ton of videos online for developing productive routines. Experienced lifters will understand how to get the same angles of resistance needed to stress muscles without the gravity factor. You can do squats, dead lifts and any other major muscle group without the risk of injury from slinging heavy iron around.

[EdBar]

Yep I use them together with dumbbells and a bench press. To be honest I feel the resistance bands more than the free weights when I’m done. Good for maintaining tone and strength. I purchased mine in Academy Sporting Goods.

Ed

[Calhoun113 in reply to EdBar]

Thanks Ed

[Currumpaw]

Hey Calhoun1131

Eugene Sandow, an old-time strong man, used a chest expander extensively even using special attachments to secure one end of the bands to whatever to increase the number of exercises.

I bought my first chest expander when I was 15. It has five heavy springs. I still have it. I have handed it to a competitive, amateur power lifter that is about 6' 3" and weighs about 260, He was unable to stretch all five springs out. To begin, I would suggest the UEASY chest expander on Amazon for about $20. Get the 120 kg expander because you can use just one band or all five. You will be surprised how many exercises you can do with an expander. Using pronated and supinated grips changes the emphasis in muscles and muscle groups. I have one of the UEASY models and have given them for gifts. The black bands supply the most resistance at 120 kgs and the red bands the least at 65 kgs. Divide those numbers by five to get the resistance of just one band. I suggest the black bands. I never replace the covers on the handles. It isn't necessary and changing resistance is very easily and quickly done. Type, "sandow demonstrating chest expander exercises", into your search bar for illustrations and video of Sandow and others demonstrating chest expander exercises. "All About Strand Pulling", by Syd Devis is a very good booklet about chest expanders and the exercises that can be done one. At one time "Strand Pulling" was a competitive sport in England as power lifting is today. You may find a copy on John Woods' site, "Old Time Strong Men".

Bands have become popular. Bands can be used in conjunction with traditional weight exercises to eliminate weak areas in the range of motion of the lift--or just to add a different stimulus to prevent stagnation.

I would suggest James Grager's Undersun bands. The most popular set contains five bands with varying resistances. There is also a set with the three lighter resistance bands. Again, Amazon. Grager has done many YouTube videos showing how to exercise the entire body using these bands. The videos are well done and they are almost like having a personal trainer demonstrate the exercises. The bands have a lifetime warrantee.

The advantages of bands of various types is that the resistance starts at nothing and increases as the distance the bands are stretched. The risk of injury is greatly reduced. That is why therapists have utilized bands to rehab patients.

One advantage the chest expander and bands have is that if you are watching the news, a movie or whatever, you can always do a set during a commercial.

I wish you the very best,

Currumpaw

[NecessarilySo]

I use a two-foot bungee cord and 20-lb hand weights for arms and upper, squats for legs, and situps for belly.

[Moespy]

Personal Trainer just recommended these. They arrive today from Amazon. Multi pack with different tensions and all have handles. He likes the band for strength training. I like being able to train at home.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005D7GJ...

[6357axbz in reply to Moespy]

Which set are you getting, the attached handle set of the extreme set?

[Moespy]

The attached handles. I am not interested in getting big I just want to activate my muscles. I think I will only use the first few levels at best.

[6357axbz in reply to Moespy]

I like that reasoning. Let us know how you like them please.

[Moespy]

Will do.

[6357axbz in reply to Moespy]

Thanks!

[Moespy]

I received the exercise bands about 20 minutes ago. Very good quality, very nice handles and I love the different resistance for each of the bands. It came with an excellent manual that shows all the different exercises you can accomplish. It also has attachments for doors so you can do different exercises. I will take everything to my trainer tomorrow and have him show me the best exercises for me to build muscle while protecting my back. Very happy with the purchase so far and seems like an excellent value. Good luck to you.Jim

[j-o-h-n]

In the old days putting on a condom was considered a resistance band.

Nowadays getting rid of the old unused melted stuck ones when cleaning out the glove compartment definitely tests your resistance.

c'est la vie

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Sunday 05/15/2022 7:17 PM DST