[CrazedLedZepFan]

I've started doing aerobic exercise daily almost, but now I'm trying to incorporate some strength training as well, but I am completely new to it!!

A few weeks back I bought some resistance bands from Wal-Mart (easy,moderate,advanced). I sorta know how to use them, though I'm not entirely sure I'm doing it right. This is all I have to work with.

Can someone help me out? Is this something I only do a few times a week? Do I replace my aerobic workout for the day with a resistance one or do them both? So confused and not sure where to start...

[Depalma]

Welcome!

There's a resistance band workout posted up in the stickies that is an excellent full body program to start off with.

How often to do this and whether to do it on its own day without cardio is going to depend upon your recovery abilities. For the first few weeks, you may want to do this twice with a couple of days of in between skipping or cutting down the cardio on that day and then go to a three non-consecutive day or an every other day schedule and doing the amount of cardio that you body tells you it can handle at that point.

The posted workout should get you off to a good start. It is full body so make sure you have recovery days in between (even if you feel fresh enough to do multiple days in a row). As you expand your menu of exercises, if you feel like doing resistance work more than an every other day basis, you may opt to move away from full body workouts to a split routine, but you should have a decent selection of exercises that you are proficient at before taking this course.

[Bravissimo]

Resistance bands will only improve your strength a little bit, then it's off to the gym!

[Depalma]

Bravissimo, have you ever used the blue "strong" jumpstretch band?
If resistance bands can only improve your strength a little bit, then I'm sure that you must have no problem doing squats, deads, military presses, good mornings with this. That is a good feat for many here. It is basically a 175lb military press. Then, of course, there is no law that says that you can't double bands up. Those of us with a 350 lb military press, please stand up (Depalma remains seated).

I'll quote Alwyn Cosgrove from "Your Body is a Barbell,":

"Muscles are just plain dumb. Despite their ability at some level to perform amazing Cirque De Soleil type feats, muscles only ‘know’ two things – stretch and tension. They can’t differentiate between stretches (whether the stretch is coming from yoga or from Taekwon-do kicking) or types of tension."

While an argument can be made for or against certain types of resistance based on where in the range of motion the tension is greatest, this is goal dependent and cannot be used to make a blanket statement such as bands can only make you stronger a little bit.

As long as the bands are providing a challenging resistance, there is no necessity to go to the gym. Of course, I'm all for adding as many tools to my toolbox as possible, bands, dumbells, barbells, cable machines, free motion machines, kettlebells, medecine balls, sleds, etc. They all can have a place in a training program. However, if a person only has access to bands, as long as they follow the principle of progressive overload and choose the manner in which they provide that overload so that it coincides with their goals and start with nutrition that supports both their goals and their training, they will be fine.

Are you against body weight exercises too?

[nelie]

I would agree, I used to go to a gym but all my workouts are done at home these days. Resistance bands are awesome although I haven't fully explored them. One of my other favorites does not have to be done in a gym (kettlebells).

[mommy23monkeys]

So glad I found this thread. Off to ck out the sticky. Thanks!!!