Using Bands on the Road

If you’re serious about training, you’ll know that hotel gyms can be a nightmare. Light dumbbells, a plethora of cardio machines but no squat rack, and a distinct lack of weight plates makes them a dedicated trainee’s worst nightmare.

Try these two circuits on for size –

1.

-       Band hip extensions

-       Jump Lunges (No band required)

-       Band-Resisted Push-up

-       Band Pull-down

-       Band Curls

2.

- Banded squats

- X-band walks

- Band upright rows

- Band assisted or resisted chin-ups

- Band pushdowns

The Exercises

-       Band hip extensions are performed by kneeling on all fours, the band around the sole of one foot, with the other end secured by your hands. You then kick back, squeezing your glutes and hamstrings on each rep.

-       Jump lunges are like normal lunges, but jumping between positions.

-       Band resisted pushups were described earlier.

-       Band pull-downs are much like regular lat pull-downs, but you’ll need to loop the band over a rack, or machine and sit or kneel on the floor.

-       Band curls are no different to barbell or dumbbell curls. Stand on the band for resistance and adjust your foot position as needed.

-       Banded squats are like normal body-weight squats, but performed while standing on the band, with it also looped over your shoulders.

-       For x-band walks, stand on the band with the loop in your hands, cross the end so it forms an X-shape, then take steps out to one side, before returning to the middle.

-       Band upright rows – think regular upright rows.

-       Assisted and resisted chin-ups were described above.

-       Pushdowns = regular cable pushdowns, but with the band looped over a high structure, as you did for pull-downs.

Setting Up The Circuits

A nice, simple way to program your circuits is to just perform a set number of reps on each exercise. You could start with 12 to 15 of each, perform the circuit straight through, rest 60 to 90 seconds, then go twice more before moving on to the next one.

Something a little more interesting, however, would be to set yourself a time – say 30 to 45 seconds to perform as many reps as you can before switching immediately to the next.

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The key with using bands is to think of them in the same way you would “regular weights.” Don’t see them as an easy option – go hard, program effectively, and you’ll see great gains.