Why is strength training with a resistance band as effective as using weights?

The pink resistance band from Mom in Balance has been the tool of choice for strength, coordination, balance and stability training for over 15 years. Whether you are working on a stronger muscle corset, mobility or flexibility, the now renamed Pink Band training tool offers endless possibilities. 

In addition, using the Pink Band makes every exercise a core exercise, which not only strengthens your muscles but also improves your coordination. This makes your body stronger, more stable and more resistant to injury.

The resistance band is a practical and versatile tool suitable for any level of fitness. It not only offers convenience (you easily take it to the park) - it also offers important physiological benefits:

Functional training

With a resistance band, you can train functionally, meaning you train your body as you use it in everyday life. By performing movements with resistance in a free space, muscles are stimulated to work together. This promotes coordination, balance and core stability.

Tailored to your level

The resistance band is easy to adjust to your training level. By gripping the band differently, you can increase or decrease the resistance. Combine this with adjustments in the number of repetitions to work on different goals, such as strength endurance or muscle building and you can train each time entirely at your own level and according to your personal sports goals. 

Endless possibilities

With the resistance band you can endlessly vary your exercises. Exactly this variation is essential to keep progressing.  This provides new training stimuli, which keeps your body challenged. After all, your muscles have a super good memory. Depending on your goal, you can train elements such as flexibility, mobility, explosiveness or speed in addition to strength and muscle size. This versatility makes the band ideal for every phase of your training and your life.

Body and mind aligned

One particular benefit of working out with a resistance band is the enhanced mind-muscle connection. The resistance increases as they are stretched further: meaning your muscles are constantly working at a high percentage of their capacity. This allows for a full muscle workout and less stress on joints, which means you recover faster and work out more often.

Strength training offers numerous benefits for your entire well-being.  When muscles are properly challenged, they grow in strength and size. Stronger muscles contribute to better balance and coordination in daily activities and reduce the risk of injury. A summary of benefits:

• Maintaining muscle strength and muscle mass

• Improvement in overall health

• Stronger bones due to higher bone density

• Improved posture

• Reduction of stress

• Better sleep

• Increased metabolism, which can contribute to (desired) weight loss

• A tighter and more toned body

• Increased self-confidence 

The different forms of strength training differ in the size of resistance, intensity and speed of movement execution during the workout. Most forms of strength training are fantastic with the resistance band. The Mom in Balance resistance band is a fairly rigid band, which allows you to optimally vary the resistance by gripping the band differently. So depending on the goal of your workout, you can adjust the resistance and number of repetitions.

Submaximal strength

In submaximal strength training, you use 60-80% of your maximum strength. This is ideal for building muscle, toning your body, improving muscle strength and increasing your metabolism. This super functional form of strength training contributes greatly to a fit and injury-free daily life and is ideally suited for the Mpower and MpowerNext target group.

During your menstrual cycle, your load capacity may vary. With a resistance band, you can respond to this by adjusting the resistance. Train with 8-12 repetitions to achieve optimal results.

Strength endurance

This form of training focuses on sustaining strength over a longer period of time. This is a perfect form of strength training for during pregnancy and the recovery period afterwards (Back in Shape workouts). By doing 15-20 repetitions with light resistance, you work on a solid muscle corset and prevent symptoms significantly during and after pregnancy.

Explosive strength

Explosive strength training with a resistance band strengthens traction on bones, improves coordination and contributes to injury prevention. This comes in handy during daily activities, such as running or playing with children. This type of strength is well trained during Mpower workouts.

Effective training is important to keep moving forward and requires applying certain principles:

Progressive overload: Keep challenging yourself by gradually increasing resistance.

Specificity: Tailor your training to your goals. For pregnant and recently delivered women, the focus is on strength endurance, while Mpower and MpowerNext focus on submaximal strength and mobility.

Individualization: Train at your own level. The resistance band makes it easy to adjust the load to your body and what you need during the different phases of your cycle.

Variation: Change exercises regularly to provide new training stimuli and maintain progression.

Recovery: Ensure adequate rest within and between workouts. The resistance band allows you to train muscles effectively without overloading them, allowing you to recover faster.