Exercise FAQ

There are many differences between resistance band training and regular weight training, but its not difficult to learn. If you’re just starting out with bands, or looking for ways to workout smarter, this is your place! If you have any questions or suggestions for other tips and ideas, please feel free to contact us at (888) 878-2464 or by email at info@rubberbanditz.com.

If your looking for more info about our company or our policies, please check out our General FAQ

Which Band to Use

There are no clear-cut rules for how to manipulate your bands or which bands you should be using. Your selection should be based on your personal workout goals. For trimming down and muscle toning, a lighter resistance with higher repetitions will probably serve you best. If your goal is to build muscle mass, try using a higher resistance and doing fewer repetitions. With any resistance level you choose, do as many repetitions as you can until muscle fatigue during each set.

Raising and Lowering Resistance

Towards the beginning, you may find it frustrating as you try to figure out how to position the bands and yourself in a way that is both comfortable and provides the right amount of resistance. Don’t get frustrated, with experience comes the ease of resistance maneuverability. There are several ways to adjust the resistance in order to meet your personal needs:

 

  1. Distance from the Anchor Point
    As a rule of thumb, the farther you position yourself from the anchor point, the more resistance you will impose on the bands.The closer you position yourself, the less resistance you will impose on the bands.
  2. Interlock at Midpoint
    If you find that your post is too thick or high for your intended use, you can easily link two bands together by crossing them at their midpoints, so that you are left with a new anchor point and a lower overall resistance.
  3. Looping
    Another option to raise the band’s resistance is to reduce the band´s length. Try looping the band around your foot, bar, or post to shorten the length of the band.
  4. Doubling Up
    If using one band provides you with a comfortable range of motion but is obviously too easy, add another band.
  5. Fastening Options
    These allow subtle resistance modifications.
    • FASTENED INSIDE: When the band is fastened around a post so that the free hanging end of the band is positioned on the side of the post closest to your body.
    • FASTENED OUTSIDE: When the band is fastened around a post so that the free hanging end of the band is positioned on the side of the post farthest from your body.
  6. Attachments
    You always have different alternatives to choose from in how you perform each exercise. Grip attachments will change the feel of each lift. Inserting a bar will balance the resistance on both hands and looping the band around the bar will increase the resistance of the lift. Handgrips and ankle straps will alleviate tension on your hands and feet while lengthening your distance from the anchor point, effectively lowering the overall resistance. The door strap can be used to perform virtually any workout with most doors.

General Tips

    • Start with a low resistance to acquaint yourself with the exercise and allow for adequate adaptation.
    • Begin each set with the bands lightly stretched, providing minimal resistance. In order to maintain constant resistance for an optimal workout, do not release any repetition past this point of minimal resistance until your set is complete.
    • Don’t completely lock out your joints to prevent unnecessary strain or pressure.
    • Try to keep your body still with your abdominal muscles and restrict all movement to the target muscle group during an exercise.
    • Keep your wrists straight to avoid placing tension in the wrong areas.
    • To verify that your wrists remain straight, you shouldn’t see any wrinkles on your wrists from bending your hand.
  • Keep your weight centered over your feet and your head centered over your shoulders. Monitor yourself to verify that you are never leaning too far over your feet.
  • Adjusting the anchor point height will shift the resistance.
  • Always try to add at least one more repetition (with good form) or a little more resistance to continually challenge yourself. Prove to yourself that you are getting stronger!
  • Pay close attention to your tempo to control your workout time and encourage proper form. Your tempo will greatly affect your rep count and your workout intensity.
  • If at any point during your workout you begin to feel fatigued, dizzy, or have physical discomfort, you should stop immediately and consult a physician. Individuals with a preexisting health complication or injury should consult a physician and/or physical therapist before using our bands.