Elastic bands are one of the most versatile training tools that we can find, since they allow us a wide range of exercises for the whole body and can be easily transported in the backpack. We offer you different exercises you can do with an elastic band for different muscle groups existing.
Leg exercises with elastic bands
The muscle groups of the legs are the ones that require the most art to be trained without heavy loads. With the use of elastic bands it is possible to stimulate our quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and calves in a similar way as with machines and heavy loads.
Squats with elastic band
Squats with an elastic band may seem easy at first glance, but if we choose a band that offers us good resistance and we go to muscular failure, or close to it, we will feel a powerful stimulus in our quadriceps. To execute it, follow the guidelines of the previous video, being the width of the elastic band the one that will mark the intensity of the exercise.
deadlift with elastic band
The deadlift is one of the most complete exercises that exist in strength work. With the resistance of some elastic bands we can simulate it so that the more the elastic band is tensed, the more work it will cost us. We will focus mainly on the final part of the exercise, further stimulating our hamstrings and glutes.
good morning with elastic band
The good morning is one of the most underutilized exercises in weight rooms and anywhere we do strength training. We can do it with a bar or simulate it with an elastic band. Place the elastic band on your traps and push your hips back and then return to the starting position. In the video you can see how it runs correctly.
Hip thrust with elastic band
Continuing with the most important basic exercises for the development of our legs, we now find the hip thrust. This exercise is usually done poorly because it allows you to carry a lot of weight, but we don’t get to lock our glutes at the end of the movement. With the elastic bands we get the greatest load at that moment, so our glutes will catch fire when we carry several repetitions.
Pull through with elastic band
The pull through is a mix of deadlift and hip thrust. If you have never done it, I recommend that you try it and you will notice how the upper part of your hamstrings and glutes work. The elastic band will take our hips backwards while we will be the ones we will force with the hip forward to get completely vertical.
Monster walk with elastic band
Hip abduction is one of the great forgotten of glute strength training. The gluteus medius is the main actor in this movement that will help us to develop the glutes in all its muscle fibers. It consists of walking laterally to one side and the other while the elastic band prevents us from doing it.
Calf extension with elastic band
The calves can also be stimulated with the use of an elastic band. From a sitting position, we pass the elastic band through the sole at the toe box. From there we perform an ankle extension, the gesture we make when we accelerate our carthus stimulating our twins.
Upper body push exercises with elastic bands
Upper body pushing exercises target the muscle groups of the chest, shoulders, and triceps. They are all movements that require pushing with the arms. In the next section we will see the counters, those that consist of pulling with the arms.
push-ups with elastic bands
Push-ups are already a very demanding exercise in themselves, but there are times when they fall short if we have a good base of strength. For increase its intensity we use the elastic bands as in the video, so it will cost us much more, especially in the final part of the movement when the rubber band is completely stretched.
Chest openings with elastic band
The pectoral has as its main movement the hug gesture, or what is technically known as horizontal shoulder adduction. With the help of some elastic bands we can simulate the chest opening exercise with dumbbells.
military press with elastic band
When we perform a vertical push we primarily activate the deltoid muscle group. The exercise is simple push the elastic band from the shoulders to the ceiling. As we approach the ceiling, the tension will be greater, so regulate the intensity of the exercise with a more or less thick band.
Lateral raises with elastic band
Lateral shoulder raises are one of the fundamental exercises for increase the muscle mass of the middle part of the deltoid. We will simulate the exercise with an elastic band that we step on with one foot, or both, and we will perform the gesture while the elastic band prevents us from executing it easily.
bird raises with elastic band
Bird raises are the same as lateral raises, but our trunk is leaning forward. This modification means that in this case we stimulate the posterior part of the deltoid. To stimulate all the heads of the shoulders you can fit the military press, lateral raises and these bird raises into the session.
French press with elastic band
The elbow extension mainly activates the back muscles of the arm: our triceps. We will feel fire in our triceps with this variant of the French press very easy to perform. Keep your elbows locked at all times and focus on bringing your hands to your head and extending them like in the video.
Tricep pulldown with elastic band
Another of the angles from which we can attack our triceps it is through a triceps pulldown or press down. We will need a high support where to place our elastic band. If we don’t have one, any iron on our terrace or staircase will do.
Upper body pull exercises with elastic bands
Pulling is the opposite movement to pushing. In this action are activated mainly the muscles of the back and biceps. In this group will be all the exercises that require pulling the load towards us, such as pulling a door to open it.
Rowing with elastic band
We can pull the load horizontally or vertically. The rows are the horizontal pull exercises, that is, we pull the load in front of us. With this exercise we activate a large part of the back muscles such as the dorsal or rhomboid muscles.
Row to the face with elastic band
The row to the face (face pull) is one of the rows that little by little have been making room in strength training. It mixes the stimulation of the back and the posterior deltoid, being one of the best exercises to reduce shoulder pain and to correct kyphotic posture (hump).
Chest pull with elastic bands
If with the oar the traction that we make is horizontal, with the pull the pull is vertical, since the load is above us. In this movement we also stimulate the muscles of the back, but we attack it from another angle, thus making the stimulus more complete.
Pull over with elastic band
The pull over is another of the main exercises in strength training, although It’s not back or chest, it’s both. The shoulder extension that is carried out in this movement activates both our dorsal and our pectoral muscles in its path.
Bicep curl with elastic band
The star movement of the biceps is the elbow flexion. The biceps curl is a very simple exercise that takes advantage of the variable tension of the elastic band to focus your maximum intensity on the final part of the movement. That is, it will cost us more at the end of the whole when the elastic band is at its maximum extension.
Bicep Curl with Raised Elbows with Rubber Band
This exercise seems the same as the previous one, but by raising the elbows in front of the body the activation of the two heads of the biceps is different. For a complete biceps workout, we recommend that you include both exercises in your arm routine.
Core with elastic band
The last muscle group for which we propose some exercises with elastic bands is the core, especially the abdomen. They are exercises that seem very simple, but once we execute them we usually change our minds.
Press pallof with elastic band
Until not too long ago, abdominal training consisted of typical crunches. However, little by little, exercises such as the pallof press are expanding to train our core in an efficient and relatively novel way. Get into the position in the video and hold the elastic band for 20 seconds. It’s not easy, right?
Bug / dead insect (dead bug) with elastic band
This exercise is one of those that McGill places in the top three of exercises for reduce back pain by strengthening the core. McGill is one of the greatest references in the treatment of the back, so at least it is recommended that we try this exercise.
Wood chopper with elastic band
Although it may not seem like it, this exercise is also for abdominals. Focuses on the turn of our trunk, the main forgotten of the core. We will step on the elastic band with one foot first and when we finish one side we will do the same with the opposite side.
In Vitónica | So you can gain muscle mass only with elastic bands
Pictures | istock