Are you struggling to get the results you need at the gym? Sick of paying the extortionate prices just to not reap the benefits? Well we know the answer to this problem and it lies in the question, which is better resistance bands vs free weights.
This article is here to give you an alternative approach. Keep reading to find out more about resistance bands vs free weights, what is better and what the benefits are for both.
Check out our other articles on resistance bands like “Resistance bands back workout”.
What are resistance bands:
Resistance bands are one of the best and most adaptable pieces of exercise equipment you need in your setup. One of the cheapest additions to your equipment setup, but also one of the most effective.
There are 3 main types of resistance bands that benefit different workouts:
- Resistance tubes (upper-body workout)
- Pull-up resistance bands (Pull-ups)
- Resistance loop bands (lower body workout)
These bands are a great way to improve your strength from anywhere. As you can train without the need for large weights, and take these bands with you on the go. The resistance they provide vary from each band, which give you the ability to build up your muscle slowly.
What are free weights:
Free weights are another great exercise that helps increase your strength and muscle mass. Much like resistance bands, free weights are also classed as a resistance exercise. However the difference between the two is that free weights do not limit your range of motion.
They are one of the most popular pieces of equipment in gyms and are an extremely effective way to increase your muscle mass. No matter if you’re lifting for the first time or if you’re a pro, free weights let you add the required amount of weight that is suited to your ability.
Benefits of resistance bands vs free weights:
Resistance bands:
1. Resistance bands are more portable
Possibly the best reason to ditch the weights and start to focus on resistance bands instead is their portability. Fitting into any bag with ease, this piece of equipment can be taken anywhere. Meaning you can work out at-home, at the park, on holiday or on a plane if you couldn’t wait to land.
Compared to free weights, resistance bands can fit easily in your home gym or bedroom. Therefore freeing up more room for some other clunky equipment, that you think you need.
2. Easier to control
A big factor in increasing muscle through free weights is your form and ability to keep your movement under control.
During free weights control is vitally important as it can turn into a nasty injury, especially if exhaustion takes place. Resistance bands are much easier to control due to the movement of the exercise. Therefore increasing the results achieved and making your work out safer from injury.
3. Helps with rehabilitation
The control also gives you the ability to gauge how much resistance you can handle. Therefore making it safer than free weights where lots of people tend to move to heavier weights too quickly.
As a result of this resistance bands are far more widely used for rehabilitation and recovery exercise. Individuals recovering from injury can slowly up the resistance that they are using with the bands.
Resistance bands are also good for rehabilitation as they help build the strength back in your muscles without adding extra weight onto your body. This is vital is it ensures that there is less of a chance of more pain or further injury.
Benefits of resistance bands vs free weights:
Free weights:
1. Know what you’re lifting
A advantage of free weights is that you know exactly what you are lifting. Since free weights are often engraved with their exact weight in kilograms. Therefore allowing you to properly gauge how heavy a weight you should be lifting.
Resistance bands are also only fully at their resistance limits when they are stretched fully,. Compared with free weights where you know that you are working against the weight that it says from the start.
2. Much more progressive
We are not going to lie here. Although we do love resistance bands and all they offer, free weights are a lot better for strength progression.
If you are looking to build muscle fast and build a lot of it then it’s safe to say free weights is probably the way to go. This equipment lets you increase your weight to much heavier levels as opposed to the equivalent resistance you would get.
This results in a much quicker muscle mass production than you would achieve with resistance bands. Due to the increased size of weights that are available to you.
3. More Variety
Lastly, one of the biggest advantages of free weights is that there is far more of a variety of equipment you can use and exercises you can do. Therefore benefitting you in more ways.
Types of free weights include:
This variety gives you the ability to focus in on specific muscles much more effectively than with resistance bands. Also changing up your workout will help keep the enjoyment in it as well, making sure you don’t get bored of doing the same routine over and over again.
So which is best?
Debate: resistance bands vs free weights
Obviously we are not going to say that one is necessarily better than the other. Both have their benefits and faults.
If you value, portability, control and safety then resistance bands is a good shout. Whereas if you prefer, variety and progression then you should use free weights instead.
Whatever method and equipment you use, as long as you are using them effectively then you will see the results that you want to see!
Check out our other articles if you want to know more about the “types of resistance bands” and “Resistance bands back workout”
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Check our other blogs on “Rehabilitation, recovery and rest”.