What are the advantages of training with bands compared to training with weights and on machines?

You can use resistance bands not only instead of weights, but also with weights. This adds additional challenges in terms of balance and coordination for a truly varied and sometimes strenuous workout.

A big advantage of training with athletic bands is that you can actually train every basic motor skill (strength, endurance, speed, coordination) as well as the accompanying skills such as flexibility, stabilisation, balance.

In addition, resistance bands can be used not only to increase performance or strength, but also for warming up, for activation and injury prevention (prehab) before training, for performing corrective exercises in rehabilitation and especially in functional training.

All things that are far from possible with weights and machines.

Finally, and this is also not insignificant because it increases the appeal to more target groups, is the ability of athletic bands to not only make the exercises harder (band resisted) but also easier (band assisted). This is often necessary to be able to perform exercises in the first place (e.g. push-ups, pull-ups, a proper squat) or to achieve the number of repetitions necessary for a planned strength development.

FLEXVIT fitness bands are space-saving and lightweight

Resistance bands are small and handy and with little own weight. So you can actually carry it everywhere; home, office, park, travel, but also to the gym.

This has the advantage that you can train anytime and anywhere. One could also argue that but now it has the disadvantage that you no longer have excuses to interrupt your training because of changes in time or location.

Nevertheless, you can develop the same resistance that you “expect” from weights and machines (apart from powerlifters and weightlifters).

Resistance bands are inexpensive

Resistance bands are one of the most cost-effective ways to get a complete workout. Also, for the sum of a monthly fee for a mid-priced gym, you could buy a set of bands with which you can train variably and extensively for years (and, as I said, always and everywhere without having to go to the gym).

Also, for the sum of a monthly fee for a mid-priced gym, you could buy a set of bands with which you can train variably and extensively for years (and, as I said, always and everywhere without having to go to the gym). Like most things in life, cheap doesn’t get you far and quality pays off in the end. It is better to look at the price-performance ratio.

In addition, one should also consider the group framework, there it becomes even more impressive. Taking a whole group to a gym on a regular basis or buying equipment for it is infinitely more expensive than having the group train with bands. Apart from the fun factor.

Speaking of fun factor – fitness bands bring variety

Anyone who is a confirmed “iron fan” cannot be helped (perhaps only later, when the joints start to hurt). For all others, we can only recommend the variety of possible exercise variations that result from the use of 1-3 different bands.

One of the training principles is variability, doing different things often and targeting different muscles and muscle groups. Of course, you can use a different piece of equipment at the gym every day, but the choice is finite. Habituation is dangerous, whereas everyday demands and most sports work differently than machines. The variety of exercises with bands is incomparably greater.

In addition, important things like coordination, stabilisation, flexibility and the like can hardly be trained with weights and machines.

They can therefore be easily combined with other equipment such as balls, jumpers, steppers and of course weights.

Not to mention how varied band training can be in a group or team setting, where you train in pairs or in a circuit.

Resistance bands are excellent for other target groups

Groups of people who have little use for weights or machines, or who are denied access to them for whatever reason, can benefit from band training. Children and young people, (mobility-impaired) seniors, recently operated patients, to name but a few, find quick and useful access to bands.

Sports bands offer more specificity

On the one hand, with band training it is possible to target and train muscles in isolation, especially the smaller muscles that contribute to important joint stabilisation.

On the other hand, the training can be done in any direction, so to speak, because the band training is independent of gravity (earth’s gravity = everything falls down). This is also called vector training (see below for more).

But our everyday life does not only take place from top to bottom, but sideways, backwards, to the right. left, up, down and in all combinations thereof (e.g. driving around with the shopping trolley in the supermarket). With vectoral band training, you can therefore recreate and train all everyday movements. This is called specific.

The same applies to sport-specific movements (e.g. a handball throw).