The Resistance Band

The Resistance Band is an highly versatile and portable piece of small equipment. It comes in different tensions so you can start light and build up muscle and increase strength. But at the same time the resistance band is low impact so does not load the spine or joints like an heavy weight might. This is why it has many benefits in Pilates.

The thicker the Resistance Band the greater the resistance. Starting with a light resistance and gradually increasing it allows you to slowly build up strength or increase your fitness again aiding rehabilitation and recovery from injury.

The Resistance Band can also help with stretches. If you have difficulty with a move, eg hamstring stretch (pictured), when you start, you can use the Resistance Band to guide a stretch and assist the move in a controlled way. If your hamstring is tight, using a Resistance Band allows you to relax the rest of the body, in particular your neck, because you are not having to strain to reach for your leg.

Later the Resistance Band can be used to allow you to deepen a stretch, by gently adding tension or pressure and thereby improving flexibility.

The Resistance Band can help you improve at an exercise, eg the Roll-Up (pictured) where you can wrap the band around your feet to control and assist the movement. Allowing you to build up strength, so you can eventually do without the band. Similarly with a Single Leg Circle, which is about mobilising the hip and getting the leg circling without the rest of the body moving. Using a Resistance Band around your foot, when you start, helps you control the circle.

The Resistance Band can be used to increase the level of difficulty of an exercise by adding resistance in a controlled manner eg in the reverse of the Roll-Up (pictured) if you tighten the tension on the band, this will increase the difficulty of returning to the floor.

The Resistance Band can be used to add another element or variety. So for example when you first do a Single Leg Stretch (pictured), you relax your arms on floor. Adding a Resistance Band to the movement brings in co-ordination of the upper body with the lower body, adding a bit of toning for the upper body, because of the tension on the band making your muscles work.

Resistance Bands are generally available but I would recommend getting a physio grade one, such as the Sissel Fitband Essential.

For help with purchasing a Resistance Band please email me.