Incorporating a resistance band into your strength training program is one of the best ways to add variety while working on your improvement as well.
One of the best things about a resistance band is that you can easily adjust the tension so it fits for your level. This means that with the one piece of equipment you can continue to use it as you advance through your program and get stronger.
Secondly a resistance band is nice because it will provide a constant source of tension while you move through the exercise. This will cause your muscles to work harder and you will see a greater stimulus put upon them. As a result, muscle growth will occur faster with you having to put in less work.
Good exercises to perform are bicep curls, shoulder presses, lateral raises and overhead tricep extensions. You can also perform leg raises and leg extensions by tying one end of the rope to a solid surface and then moving the other leg (with the other end of the rope tied around it) away. For the leg extension exercise, note that the one end would need to be tied underneath your legs so that when you extended the leg, there was tension in the rope.
Keep in mind too that you can buy ropes that have different tension levels to further match your strength levels. You may be able to buy some of these from your local physiotherapists office and if not major department stores will usually carry some variation. The commercial ones you find also usually come with attached handles as well so for some individuals this may make it slightly easier for them to use.
So if you are looking for a change from regular weight training, give this a try. It is a good way to change your program up a little and apply a new stimulus to the muscles. Additionally, since you are changing the stressors slightly, you will also decrease the chances that you will experience overtraining.
