and curl your hands up toward your shoulders. Lower your arms slowly so
the band doesn’t just snap back into place. (You can find a whole chapter
full of band exercises in our book Weight Training For Dummies,published
by Wiley.)The advantages:Bands and tubes take up zero space, and they’re portable.
They give you an instant strength workout, whether you’re in a small studio
apartment, in a hotel room, or on a camping trip in the Mojave Desert. Bands
and tubes are easy to adjust, too; to make an exercise tougher, just use a
shorter or thicker band or step farther away to stretch the band further and
increase the level of resistance. They’re also cheap: You can purchase a
couple of bands for around $10. Even if you go hog wild, you’d have trouble
spending more than $60 on a set of bands, a travel bag, and a video explain-
ing how to use the bands.The drawbacks:If a band or tube slips, you can get snapped in the face or
groin. Ouch. Also, reproducing the same amount of work from one workout to
the next is difficult. You know when you’re lifting a 20-pound dumbbell or a
50-pound weight stack, but bands and tubes have no comparable measuring
system. They simply come in different resistances: usually light, medium,
heavy, and extra-heavy. (There’s no universal code for color. One company’s
yellow band may be the easiest resistance, whereas another company’s
yellow band may be the most difficult. Look for band thickness.) Also, know
that there’s a limit to how much strength you can gain with bands.When you’re using bands and tubes, keep the following tips in mind:Lift and lower the band or tube slowly.If you move carefully, you’ll feel
your muscles working in both directions.
Don’t wrap the band or tube so tightly around your palms or feet that
you cut off the circulation to your hands or feet.Instead, wrap it
loosely several times so that it forms loops, the way you wind a dog’s
leash around your hand.When you wrap a band or tube under your feet, make sure that it’s
secure.You don’t want a band to slip out from under you.
Use bands or tubes that are specifically designed for exercising.Inspect
them frequently for holes and tears and replace them when they’re worn.Your Body .....................................................................................................
Yes, your very own body can function as strength equipment. You can lift it,
lower it, curl it, twist it, and bend it in all sorts of ways that are designed to
increase your strength. We’re talking leg lifts, push-ups, pull-ups, and the like.
When you move your body weight, you’re fighting gravity — and that can be
a considerable fight.Chapter 13: Demystifying Strength Equipment 203