Use Resistance Bands to Build Arm Strength

From dancing with a partner to bike riding, gardening, holding your grandchildren, or simply carrying groceries and laundry, having strong, dependable arms is important to maintaining your quality of life. Arms also play a significant role in fall prevention and maintaining balance.

If you suffer from health issues such as arthritis, high blood pressure, back pain, bone loss, loss of muscle mass, or are overweight or more sedentary than you should be, arm exercises, as part of your overall physical activity plan, can help keep you fit and healthy. You can even do them outdoors, or sitting down if standing is difficult for you.

Also, strengthening your arms can help you achieve good balance. If you struggle to use your arms getting up out of a chair, need to hold a railing as you walk downstairs, or have difficulty maintaining your balance getting in and out of the tub, having strong arms can make these tasks easier while also helping you prevent falling.

Resistance Training

Resistance training—a form of exercise that involves movement against a resistance or load—helps strengthen muscles. Resistance bands—stretchable bands or tubes made from natural or synthetic rubber—are a great way to do resistance training. They are inexpensive, space-saving, and can be easily transported and stored. Check for tears before using bands and remove your rings. Store the bands at room temperature so they don’t dry out or overstretch.

Studies have shown that resistance training—especially when coupled with a healthy diet—helps improve muscle strength, prevents further loss of lean muscle mass, and even reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes. A study published in the journal Sports Medicine linked resistance training with a reduction in anxiety, while a study published in JAMA showed that resistance training helped slow cognitive decline in seniors with mild cognitive impairment.

Getting Started

Before starting any exercise program, always discuss it with your doctor first. Then, if your doctor agrees, the two resistance band exercises below are easy to do and will generate positive improvements in your muscle strength. You can do them with friends or by yourself.

Resistance exercises should be alternated with a day of rest in between before repeating. For example, if you focus on your arms on Monday, work on your legs on Tuesday and then go back to your arm exercises on Wednesday.

Note: In our February issue, we will show you how to use resistance bands to improve leg strength.

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