As we enter this new year together, we have all been presented with a new opportunity to tackle any goal that we were unable to accomplish in the previous year. One of the most common goals that many people have every year is to lose weight and possibly gain some muscle definition. After a season of way too many cookies, candies, holiday parties and general indulgence, it’s only natural that a vow to lose weight and get fit should follow. That said, due to excuses such as lack of time, space and money, this resolution is more often than not postponed over and over again till it ends up being abandoned all together. In a bid to help you follow through with your weight loss resolution for this new year, we shall be tackling full body resistance band workouts. The popularity of resistance bands as a workout tool has steadily increased due to the convenience they offer their users. Read on to find out the best full body resistance band workouts for muscle building and weight loss.
The following workouts are great for anyone looking to keep fit, lose some extra weight, or even build some muscle:
This is a fantastic workout that targets the muscles in your glutes, quads, hip flexors, hamstrings, abs, and calves.
Do 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps per legs
Squats work your glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, adductor (the groin area), hip flexors, calves, and your core. Punches are a full body workout by themselves as they target the muscles in your obliques, upper back (traps), chest, shoulder, triceps, bicep, forearm, wrist, legs, glutes, hips and your core.
Read More: 4-Day Full Body Workout Plan For Increased Muscle Mass And Strength
Bicycle crunches are well known as one the the best core exercises today (1) especially for anyone with a fupa. These, however, are not the only muscles they target. This exercise also works your hips.
Contrary to popular belief, pushups don’t only work the muscles in your arms and shoulders. In fact this common workout is a full body workout in itself. Push ups target the muscles in your core (abs), shoulders, biceps, glutes, triceps, legs, and your back – especially the upper and middle back.
If standard push ups are too advanced for you, try the simple knee push-up variation.
A great full body exercise that highly targets your core and the muscles in your arms. You will need two bands for this exercise.
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The question of ‘how many full body workouts per week’ is one that many beginners often ask themselves. After all, the more you workout the higher your chances of achieving your goals, right? Wrong.
When it comes to working out, more is not always better. While doing full body workouts 5 or even 7 days a week is totally doable, we suggest reducing this number to either 2 or 3 non-consecutive full body workouts per week.
The main reason behind this is that your body and muscles need rest. According to a study published by the Journal of Applied Physiology, lack of rest in between workouts can lead to exercise induced muscle damage which often occurs between 24 and 48 hours after a workout session.
This condition is said to be characterized by symptoms such as loss of muscle strength and power, delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), swelling, reduced range of motion of the affected limbs and much more (3).
As if exercise induced muscle damage from exercising too much wasn’t bad enough, you may also suffer from overtraining. The overtraining syndrome has been known to cause problems such as plateaued progress, a lack of appetite, insomnia and moodiness, lowered immunity, chronic fatigue and even depression.
As stated above, rest is very important when doing full body resistance band workouts – or any other workouts for that matter. We have two types of rest/recovery days: passive and active recovery.
Passive recovery or a passive rest day involves taking the entire day off from any kind of exercise. Things to do on passive rest days include napping, meditating, going for a professional massage, eating (do not turn to unhealthy foods or overindulge), and catching up on your favourite TV shows and movies.
On the other hand, on active recovery days, you engage in some low intensity exercises. These exercises place very minimal stress on the body and help with blood circulation. Examples include a self massage with a foam roller, yoga, swimming, and Tai Chi.
Read More: 30-Day Full Body Challenge For The Ultimate Physique Transformation
If you are looking to create your own personalized resistance loop and workout full body routine, then you must make sure to use the following tips to ensure that you are not only saving on time but also getting the maximum results from your program of choice.
According to the Mayo Clinic, failure to do this leaves you more susceptible to injury and reduces your athletic performance. Harvard Health Publishing, suggests that your warm-up and cool down should each be at least five to 10 minutes long (2).
Please note that you do not have to make up all these different routines in one go. Start with one and as you learn more about your body and all the different exercises that can be done with a resistance band you can make other routines.
Yes, they are. These exercises are a good option for anyone who wants to workout but does not have the time or money to afford and go to the gym. These bands are also less expensive and much lighter and more compact than any other gym equipment which makes them easy to store, carry and take them wherever you want. Finally they offer resistance to normal workouts which makes them perfect for weight loss and muscle building.
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