The BEST Piece of Workout Equipment (especially for a Home Gym)

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My Beloved Mini Resistance Bands :)
Hello again! I am passionate about sharing with you how you can be healthy, strong, and fit right from the comfort of you own home. My favorite piece of gym equipment for an At-Home Gym (and can be used in any type of gym) is a RESISTANCE BAND. These things are pure magic; there are several main types of resistance bands: 
  1. Straight Resistance Bands (with or without handles)
  2. Mini Bands (this is what I call them, also known as Loop Bands)
  3. Pull Up Assist Bands (basically the larger version of a Mini Band)



You can copy almost any workout with resistance bands- they are a good alternative to cable machines, as well as free weights. Pretty much anything you can do with a cable machine, you can jimmy-rig a resistance band to do the same thing (some exercises may incorporate some sort of a wall attachment, or anything else sturdy enough to firmly hold it in place). I would recommend purchasing some type of resistance band if you are looking at starting your own home gym (whether that be just a few pieces of equipment, or a full-blown gym). They are so versatile, lightweight, easy to pack (for trips, vacations, or even moving), and relatively inexpensive! I have purchased all of my resistance bands off of Amazon, and they work great! Here are links to the two resistance bands I personally own, use, and love!

I own the Straight Resistance Band, which has handles (Bollinger), as well as Mini Bands (Limn). I am saving up to purchase this Pull Up Assist Band. Obviously, I have not tried it out, so I cannot personally testify to its quality. I am planning to buy the pack that includes all five, simply because it is less expensive to buy them altogether than separately.


The Bollinger Resistance Bands come with the attachable handles, as well as three bands which vary in resistance, from 4 lbs all the way to 10 lbs. The red one (pictured) is the most resistant (at 10 lbs) so I personally always have that one attached. I gave away my 8 lb one, and use the green one with out handles (usually for reverse flies or to warm up). 
I recently added a wall attachment in the garage (with help from my dad), and absolutely love all the things I can do! I will go into more detail about this beauty in a coming post all about my home gym.


The Limn Mini Bands, which are pictured at the beginning of this post, are my go-to piece of equipment for so many exercises. I absolutely love how there are five, yes FIVE, different levels of resistance, ranging from "X-Light" (the yellow) to "X-Heavy" (the black). Because of the diversity, these can work well for an Upper Body and also Lower Body workout! From reverse flies to bicep curls, lateral squat walks to glute kickbacks, these can work every single muscle group in your entire body. Like I mentioned earlier, certain exercises are best when you can attach the band to something, but there are still so many exercises you can perform with just your body and the bands!

Here are just some exercises you can perform with just a Mini Band:
  • Squats
  • Deadlifts
  • Lateral Squat Walks
  • Abductions
  • Glute Kickbacks
  • Fire Hydrants 
  • Donkey Kicks
  • Clamshells
  • Glute Bridges
  • Concentration (Bicep) Curls
  • Reverse Flies
  • Bent Over Rows
  • Tricep Kickbacks
  • Chest Fly/ Pull Aparts
And even more you can perform with a wall attachment: 
  • Glute Pull Throughs 
  • Adductions
  • Abductions 
  • High Bicep Curls 
  • Tricep Pushdowns 
  • Lat Pulldowns
  • Straight Arm Lat Pushdowns
  • Face Pulls
  • Low Rows
  • High Rows
  • Chest Fly
And the list goes on and on!! There is so much room for creativity, but also plenty of basic and simple exercises if that is more comfortable for you. As you can see, there are many reasons resistance bands should be a staple in any gym, especially a home gym! Whether you are just getting started, or have been into fitness for year, resistance bands are simple, easy to use, inexpensive, and can really elevate and mix up your workouts! 

Another great way to use resistance bands is with free weights! One of the most common uses I have seen is to keep a band around your knees while doing barbell or dumbbell squats- this forces you to push your knees against the band, activating and using your gluteus minimus and medius. Along with any sort of abduction, this is a great way to not only work all of your glutes, but also build your lateral strength (which can protect you Iliotibial Band, also known as your IT Band).

I have owned these bands for well over a year now, and are still in great shape! I have noticed some little tears in the straight resistance band, however they are not significant enough to be dangerous. I would recommend replacing your bands as you see considerable wear and tear on them; the last thing you want it to do is snap or break on you!

I hope you enjoyed this article about Resistance Bands! I also hope you try this type of equipment out :) If you do, let me know what you thought! Soon I will be making an At Home Resistance Band Only Workout, so keep your eyes out for that ;) 
Hannah

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