Top 10 Theraband Exercises To Do At Home
Theraband exercises are increasingly gaining popularity among fitness enthusiasts of all ages. A theraband is the perfect addition to your home workout routine. This versatile exercising tool can be used for a variety of workouts. From the elderly to pregnant ladies, these theraband exercises are safe for everyone.
In this blog, we look at some common, but highly beneficial theraband exercises that you can do safely from your home. Each theraband has a different resistance level, often denoted by its colour. Use a theraband that is stretchable enough for your body. Ideally, your theraband should allow you to complete between 8-12 reps for three sets with minimal discomfort.
10 Most Effective Theraband Exercises
1. Knee squat
Place both your feet in the centre of the band and stand upright. Hold the band’s ends at hip height. Squat while keeping your back and elbows straight. Hold for a moment and then gently return. Allowing your knees to twist is not a good idea.
2. Abduction
Wrap the band over your thighs and fasten it. Lower yourself into a half squat. Without shifting your feet, press your right knee outwards right, a few inches. Return to the beginning. Then, with the left side, perform the same process.
3. Bicycle crunch
While resting flat on your back, tie the resistance band around your feet. Your hands are firm on the ground at your sides. To look forward, raise your head, neck, and shoulder blades. Maintain your lower back’s connection to the floor, and then pull your left knee in towards your chest while stretching your right leg a few inches over the mat. Extend the left leg while pushing the right knee toward the chest to reverse the leg position. As if you were riding a bicycle, flex your legs in a pedalling manner.
4. Leg extension
Tie one end of a resistance band to a low-levelled point (for example, an inclined bench or the lower back legs of a chair) and the other end of the band around your ankle. To generate stress on the band, keep sitting and take a step back from the anchor, keeping your feet hip wide apart. Raise your right leg off the floor and transfer your pressure to your left foot. Extend your knee in front of you until it is straight. Reverse the movement slowly. Continue for another 8-12 reps, and then switch legs.
5. Anti-rotation band walkout
Attach a loop or tube band to a cable column or sturdy support, somewhat below your chest. Squat slightly while tightly grasping the free end of the band and creating proper tension. Go laterally with both hands, keeping them extended in front of your chest, and your core taut, until the band becomes too stiff to move any farther. Return to the beginning position by gradually moving forward towards the column in a taut manner. Continue on each side for 6-8 reps.
6. Upright row
Maintain a shoulder-width distance between your feet and the band’s centre. Stretch the band handles towards yourself and place them just in front of your thighs. Raise the band right up the front of your torso to shoulder height using your elbows, keeping your elbows bent and in a high V. Return to starting position gradually. Repeat the technique for a total of 10- 12 reps. After you’ve mastered rowing with the band, you can get yourself a rowing machine.
7. Standing abduction
Wrap the free end of a resistance band around your right (outside) ankle and secure it to strong low-levelled support (ankle height). Stand up erect with your right side towards the support. To create tension, stand perpendicular to the band and walk away from the support. Position yourself into a quarter squat from a wide stance. Working against the tension, bring your right leg into your left. Repeat this procedure slowly. Before switching sides, repeat for 12-15 reps.
8. Plantar flexion
Sit on the ground with one leg directly ahead of you and the other bent at the knee. Wrap the middle of a resistance band all-around ball of your foot while holding both ends. Sit upright and point your toes away from you while you flex your foot forward. Bring your toes back up in a steady motion, extending them towards your knee as much as possible. Return to the initial position slowly. On each side, do 10-12 reps.
9. Wall lateral pull-down
With your back to the wall, take a position (lateral). Stretch your arms over your head while holding the cord between your wrists. Flex the band while drawing together your shoulder blades while pulling your arms down and elbows to the side. Return to your starting place and do the same thing again.
10. Fire hydrant
Begin with crawling on all fours. The band should be above your knees. Maintain a proper alignment of your neck, back, and hips. Stretch the band by moving your left leg towards the side. During the workout, do not rotate your body sideways. Switch sides and repeat the exercise.
These are some of the many effective theraband exercises you can do from the comfort of your home to improve your health and bring your body back in shape.
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Frequently Asked Questions
As there is a large variety of exercises, you might get confused to choose the best-suited one for you. To solve this, begin by breaking down the process of choosing the perfect exercise. First know which muscle you need to exercise particularly on, and look up those specific exercises. Listen to your body. If it extensively pains then stop doing that particular exercise and lookup for an alternative, there are tons to choose from. Start from the easiest, least challenging one. If you are still not able to figure it out, take advice from your physiotherapist.
Yes, it can. It mostly depends on how you exercise, but the type of theraband you use will certainly affect it. If you have just started exercising with bands, it is better to use a low resistance one. Using a high resistance band in the initial stages themselves might cause strain to your muscles as your body is not used to handling that amount of tension. So, the type of band you are going to use should be ideal for your weight, energy, and potential, and only then you will be able to exercise safely and productively.