It used to be looked down upon to only use bands as your way to weight train. The common excuses were it did not provide enough resistance, and they weren’t strong enough. While it has been proven before that using bands can provide an effective workout, I’ve found it takes a situation like lockdowns for people to trust in the benefits of bands.  

The Benefits

Before going into how to actually utilize bands in a proper workout program for the most muscle growth, I’d like to touch on why bands are effective to begin with. They provide a resistance that gets tougher the more you pull on it. This can allow for a stronger peak contraction, and constant tension throughout the entire movement (whereas with dumbbells the tension relies on gravity). Bands are also extremely versatile providing variability, and resistance through many angles that can’t be accomplished with dumbbells alone. They’re lightweight, and easy to pack making them a staple for when you are traveling and have limited access to equipment. I’ve had clients use this with great success on their trips as they are now able to sneak workouts in their hotel room if needed.  

Resistance

You may have noticed there are many different sized bands. Some are thin, and commonly used around your ankles or hips, or even rehab exercises. Others are really thick and seen being used by powerlifters on their main lifts for extra tension. When you buy a set, there usually is an anchor attachment so you can attach it to your door. This opens up a whole new variety of exercises you can incorporate versus just having to go off the floor and standing on them. Some sets even come with different handles to help target specific muscle groups.

Progression

You want to follow the typical rules for progressive overload. Each week make sure you are doing 1 rep more than the week before, or in this case, using a harder resistance. Anything up to 30 reps can send a muscle growth signal. The higher up in reps you go though, the closer to failure you have to reach. If you get to a point that the bands you have are too easy to achieve any of these guidelines then there are intensifier techniques you can implement.

Isometric Pause

Add a 3-5 seconds pause at the peak contraction. Make sure to really feel the muscles working and squeezing. 

Super Sets

Super sets can be used as a way to get more work done in less time, or to make an exercise more intense. You could pair antagonist muscle groups (think chest and back) when trying to save time on your workout. This would involve doing the opposing muscle exercises back to back and then taking a rest in between sets. You could also pair two similar exercises (think pull-ups and bicep curls) to add more volume to a given muscle group.

Mobility

Bands can also be used for mobility drills to help the individual get into a deeper stretch, or assist them to get into a proper position. You could use it to reach the proper range of motion for shoulder dislocates for example. They can also be used to help with a pull-up if you weren’t able to get a full range of motion with just your bodyweight. Hanging it off the bar will allow you to control coming down, and assist you coming up. Just choose the appropriate band thickness for your skill level.  

By utilizing all the tips above, you can create a comprehensive bands only workout that provides an effective muscle building stimulus while also keeping focus on technique and mobility. No need for dumbbells, and a great alternative for those who don’t have access to a gym.