Here’s what 30 days of resistance band training can do for your body

Resistance band training is becoming an increasingly popular alternative to gym machines.

After all, it does seem easier to do these exercises. And it’s much easier to pack a few resistance bands in your suitcase when you’re traveling, whereas you’d need to book an entire airplane for your abductor machine and treadmill.

But how does resistance band training stack up against the alternatives? And how will you look after 30 days of consistent resistance workouts?

Keep reading to find out.

First:

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Do resistance band workouts really work?

There is strong evidence to suggest that resistance band workouts can be effective for building strength and muscle.

A 2019 review published in SAGE Open Med compared the effects of resistance training with elastic devices (tubes and Thera-Bands) and conventional devices (weight machines and dumbbells) on the outcome of muscular strength.

Anyway, this review included eight studies, and the results say, quote: “Elastic resistance training is able to promote similar strength gains to conventional resistance training, in different population profiles and using diverse protocols.”

However:

It’s important to use proper form and technique when using resistance bands to maximize that strength workout. And, of course, to avoid injury.
You should adjust the resistance band to provide a good level o resistance to work against.

What are other benefits of resistance band training apart from muscle strength?

Let’s jump straight into it:

1. Better flexibility and mobility

Resistance band training can improve flexibility by stretching and lengthening your muscles. The resistance bands provide a controlled resistance that challenges the muscles as they stretch, increasing your flexibility over time.

When your muscles are stretched, they become longer and more pliable. And that improves your range of motion, reducing your risk of injury as you naturally age.

Even better:

Resistance band exercises can be modified to meet your individual needs. For example, people with a limited range of motion can use resistance bands to perform modified versions of exercises. But once you gain more flexibility, you can challenge yourself with more advanced exercises.

2. Better balance and stability

Resistance band training can increase balance and stability by challenging the body’s stabilizer muscles.

But you have to do the right moves.

Here’s how that works:

The stabilizer muscles are the muscles that work to keep the body stable and upright, and they include muscles in the core, hips, and legs.

Resistance band exercises that target the stabilizer muscles, such as single-leg squats and single-leg deadlifts, can improve your balance and stability by engaging these muscles during movement.

As your body becomes more stable and balanced, it can better support your weight and reduce the risk of injury.

That’s not all:

Resistance band exercises that involve movement in multiple planes of motion challenge you to move in different directions. This can improve overall functional fitness and improve your balance considerably.

3. Better cardiovascular health

Resistance band training promotes cardiovascular health by increasing heart rate and improving cardiovascular fitness.

The process is simple:

The resistance bands provide a challenging workout that increases the demand on your body.
When the body is challenged during exercise, the heart must work harder to supply oxygen and nutrients to the muscles.
This increased demand can improve cardiovascular fitness, which is the ability of the heart, lungs, and blood vessels to efficiently deliver oxygen and nutrients to the muscles during physical activity.

And there’s science to back that claim up:

A 2020 study showed that only 12 weeks of moderate-intensity elastic band exercise significantly improved older adults’ functional fitness and blood pressure parameters.

Another 2021 study in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine concluded that resistance band training prevents the progression of Metabolic Syndrome. This type of exercise reduces insulin, glucose, HOMA-IR, and blood lipid profiles.

And even better, it can significantly decrease your body mass and blood pressure, both of which are sometimes associated with cardiovascular health.

Here are some tips to maximize your results:

Use the maximum resistance to challenge your body.
Consider doing HIIT-based sets: do some intervals faster, followed by slower-rep intervals.
Incorporate other cardio in your daily routine. It can be something as easy as walking or swimming.

4. Improved Posture

Resistance band training can improve posture by strengthening the muscles that support the spine. The spine is supported by your core, upper back, and shoulders. These muscles work together to maintain proper posture and alignment of the spine.

Resistance band exercises that target these muscles will strengthen them considerably – with the same effect as actual strength training.

As those muscles become stronger, they can better support the spine and help you maintain proper posture.

As a result, you will have less back pain, neck pain, and even fewer tension headaches associated with incorrect posture.

5. Weight Loss Potential

Resistance band training can help you lose weight in two ways:

One, it increases your muscle mass.
And second, it boosts your metabolism.

Let’s unpack the science.

Muscle is metabolically active tissue, which means that it requires more calories to maintain than fat. When you increase muscle mass through resistance band training, your body needs more calories to support the increased muscle tissue. And that leads to a higher metabolism.

Resistance band exercises targeting major muscle groups, such as the legs, core, and upper body, can increase muscle mass and boost metabolism.

Why?

Well, these exercises provide a challenging workout that increases the demand on the body, which can increase muscle mass over time.

That’s not all:

Resistance band training can be a more time-efficient way to increase muscle mass than traditional weightlifting methods. You can adjust those bands in real-time to provide a variety of resistance levels, making it easier to challenge your body and increase your muscle mass.

Besides, a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis published in 2022 shows that resistance bands improved body fat in overweight or obese people better than bodyweight and free-weight exercises. And that leads to improved body composition in the long term.

So how will you look after 30 days of resistance band training?

If you start a resistance band training routine now and follow a consistent and effective exercise program, you can expect to see and feel major improvements in your fitness and overall health.

After 30 days of resistance band training:

You will be stronger. If you can now lift 10 pounds for your bicep curls, in 30 days, you will be able to lift at least 15, if not more.

You will have better posture, balance, and stability. That means you will walk straighter and prouder. Your backaches and migraines will likely have improved considerably.

Even better, you may experience improvements in cardiovascular health and endurance. This will lead to improved physical performance and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.

And you’ll notice significant improvements in your mood and overall sense of well-being, as regular exercise has been shown to positively affect mental health.

That’s not all. If the above studies are correct, you may also have reached your weight loss goals.

Overall, after 30 days of resistance band training, you will look and feel stronger, more confident, and more energetic. You’ll also notice improvements in physical performance and overall health, which lead to a more active and fulfilling lifestyle.

Author
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Mary D. Brown

Mary is a mom of three, blog writer, strength training addict, fitness psychology guru, Origami dork, and Metallica lover. She has degrees in Communication and Physics and is a certified Personal Trainer.

Mary advocates for one powerful idea: fitness is about challenging yourself, but it’s not a race against the clock. She wants people to understand that the best fitness equipment doesn’t have to be expensive or very popular. The best workouts and machines should always fit your style and needs, not the other way around. So, Mary’s dedication and hard work are the engines that keep this website going.