Why I hate resistance bands

You don't have to be too familiar with scrolling down instagram to have seen numerous posts endorsing resistance bands, or follow too many 'fitness influencers' to be aware of one or two creating their own brand of resistance bands.

If so many people are using them, endorsing them and spending their hard earned money on purchasing them why do I internally roll my eyes every time I see them?

The first reason is that resistance bands are completely unnecessary. For years, people (including the influencers who capitalise on their physiques in order to sell resistance bands), have been squatting, lunging, deadlifting without the need for an elastic band to grow their glutes. The function of the gluteus Maximus, minimus and medius is essentially to help the leg move away from the body. Any exercise where there is flexion at the hip, making the angle between the body and the leg change, recruits bum muscle! Add weight progressively overtime and the muscle will get stronger and bigger.

By 'unnecessary', I do not mean useless. The gluteus medius is the muscle on the outside of the butt. The gluteus Maximus takes the majority of the tension in exercises and and minimus, positioned under the Maximus is in the prime position to be targeted by squats and lunges. The medius is the hardest to target and it's prime function is leg rotation. Adding a resistance band to certain exercises can put added tension on the gluteus medius, therefor helping work the muscle further.

This would be all fine and good but my issue with resitance bands is that they do not come disclosing the truth to the end consumer about their actual purpose. In my opinion, girls should be mastering heavy barbell squats, weighted lunges, deadlifts in order to grow strength in their gluten before the start adding resistance bands which honestly only have a single function. With weights, you can add on weight week on week on week but with resistance bands there is no scope for progressive overload - the only scientifically assured way to consistently build strength and muscle mass.

Resistance bands are being sold by people who DID NOT BUILD THEIR BODIES USING RESISTANCE BANDS, as a seemingly 'quick fix' to people who want that body with the truth being hidden. It is easy to sell a resistance band for £20 with promises of a perfect peach attached to it. It is difficult (trust me) to sell a workout plan of long, heavy sessions in the gym. I regularly see predominantly very young girls in the gym with resistance bands doing useless donkey kicks for hours and body weight squats, walking out the gym without a bead of sweat. A few times girls like this have approached me asking questions about leg and glute growth. If this was working for them, they wouldn't be asking for alternative advice. My answer would always be to chuck the resistance band, pick up some weight and move!

I'm not against people capitalising off their bodies; I think any way of making money for yourself is great, but I wish these 'influencers' would tell the truth! I also wish it was easier to get people working without spending money and effort on shortcuts. On a positive note, this has reminded me that if I ever get to the point where I am really selling training plans, I want to be able to deliver a solution so that my costumers never have to invest in another fitness 'solution' because they will be equip with all of the knowledge themselves. Trust me, there are no shortcuts to improving yourself. And if it was as easy as a £20 elastic band and a few donkey kicks, everyone would be top of the range.