What fits in your purse, is light as a feather and can tone your ass and arms in one fell swoop? We’re all for trendy fitness studios and fancy equipment, but when it comes to workout tools that are effective and easy to use nothing beats body bands. Tiny but powerfully toning, do not underestimate the way these flimsy little fitness accessories can transform your workout routine.
Essentially just a giant rubber band or strip, body bands — also called resistance bands — are perfect for building strength and toning muscles using your own body weight, wherever you are. You can easily slip one into your bag to use at the gym, while you’re traveling or even at work for a little refresh. To be honest, we keep body bands in our desks — there’s nothing better than a quick leg and glute burn to blast you right out of a 3pm energy slump!
Aside from perfect portability, body bands are crazy affordable — you can buy them in a set with different levels of resistance for just a few bucks. They are also highly adaptable and can be used to target pretty much every major muscle group. Body band workouts are low-impact, meaning they are gentle on the joints and supportive of proper alignment.
We’re sharing a few of our favorite ways to use body bands and why they’re a truly obsession-worthy tool. Get inspired by insights from celebrity trainers and their A-list clients, and snag a fail-proof routine or two to try out now…
Resistance Band Workouts to do at your desk | The nine-to-five work struggle is real and it’s important to maximize the time we have to workout. One way to do this is to incorporate exercise into your everyday routine. Resistance bands are awesome anywhere – home, office, gym, you name it. They come in different sizes, offering different amounts of resistance. Learn a few exercises that are so simple they can even be done at your desk. CHECK OUT
An intense full-body workout | This intense full-body workout can literally be done anywhere – hotel rooms, bedrooms, the office, you name it – all it takes is a band and a few spare minutes. We all have long days at work, trips away from home and lazy weekends that stall our healthy habits – but a good workout doesn’t have to involve the gym. You can give your body the exercise it needs (and deserves) using nothing but resistance bands. Discover a circuit of resistance band exercises that Lauren Gores often does while traveling for a full-body workout, as recommended by her trainer, Mike Alexander. CHECK OUT
Jennifer Garner’s workout with body by simone | When actress Jennifer Garner stepped onto the Oscar’s red carpet last spring, everyone was buzzing about her incredible figure. Having just completed three months of intensive fitness training for her new role, the attention was well deserved. Jennifer partnered with A-list fitness guru Simone De La Rue to train six days a week, a program which involved lots of bodyweight strength training that utilized simple, portable tools like body bands. CHECK OUT
pack ’em up | Keeping your handbag well stocked with wellness essentials is like having a personal assistant who is there for one thing only: to make sure you look and feel your absolute best, no matter what the day throws your way. Body bands are tiny, lightweight and will let you secretly fit in a workout anywhere. When we’ve been sitting all day, a few minutes of work to activate those sleepy glutes can boost posture, get the blood flowing and help us feel strong. CHECK OUT
