Without spending over $100!

‘If something stands between you and your success, move it. Never be denied.’
— Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson

The year 2020 has been tough on many people. There are still many lockdowns across the world. Those lockdowns have a serious impact on our mental and physical health.

Keeping our mental and physical health in good shape is even more important nowadays. However, working out has become a bigger challenge for many people. A lot of gyms are closed, limiting our options for staying in shape.

So we get challenged to improvise. Going for a run outside is easy to practice, but doing resistance workouts isn’t. Buying weights are expensive, and storing them in your home isn’t always convenient.

Most people don’t realize that we don’t need heavy weights or barbells to do resistance workouts. The most cost-efficient way to get simulate your gym routine is to buy a set of resistance bands. A complete set (usually 4 or 5 different bands) costs around $50.

What workouts can you do with resistance bands?

The workouts you can do with resistance bands can vary from high reps and speed to heavy and slow reps. My preference is to use them in small circuits of 3 to 4 exercises. I always do full-body workouts, and the setup usually looks like this:

• Circuit 1
  Push-ups with a resistance band on my back, holding the band with both hands.
  Squats with a resistance band over my shoulders and under my feet.
  Shoulder press with a resistance band under my feet and pushing it up with both hands.
  Triceps extension with a resistance band strapped around a tree or pole behind me, holding the band with both hands.

• Circuit 2
  Bend over row with a resistance band under my feet, pulling the band up with both hands.
  Good morning with a resistance band under my feet and behind my shoulders.
  Biceps curl with a resistance band under my feet, holding the band with both hands.
  Side bend with a resistance band under my feet, holding the band with one hand.

I will do 4 sets of each circuit. Between the 2 circuits, I’ll have a couple of minutes to rest. In between each exercise, I always try to minimize my rest to keep my heart rate up.

Need some inspiration?

It can be challenging to get creative with resistance bands, although most of the exercises can be copied from the gym. In the YouTube link added below, you can do 90 different exercises with the resistance bands. It gives you enough variation to make many different circuits and avoid getting bored with your exercises.

Another big advantage of resistance bands

Something that is quickly overlooked when owning resistance bands is that you now have a portable gym. The bands can be stored in a backpack and be taken wherever you go. Even when taking an airplane will become normal again, you can easily store it in your luggage.

That means that wherever you are staying, you will be able to do your workouts. I always take my set of resistance bands with me on holiday. I never have to worry anymore if there is a local gym where I’m going.

Final thoughts

When pulled out of a positive training rhythm, it's common that it’s hard to maintain that flow. Therefore, we need to stay on top of our game. When we get challenged, we need to start improvising. Get creative and see what other people are doing to adjust to the regulations.