Digital Gee

I've finally found a method of strength/fitness training that works for me and that I enjoy. About six weeks ago, I purchased a set of Bodylastics resistance bands for less than $50.

What hasn't worked for me in the past:

1. Going to the gym
2. Dumbbells and bench at home
3. Total gyms (bought two different machines at two different times)

I hate going to the gym. I keep my membership ($99/year) because I keep thinking I will change my mind. But it ain't happening so far.

I got dumbbells and a bench once. After the initial few workouts, I just lost interest.

Total gyms? As I said, I've purchased two (used) machines from Craigslist but just never got comfortable with them. AND they take up a lot of room. Forget what they say about folding them up and sliding them under a bed or something. It just isn't that easy.

So, after doing a lot of internet research and comparing two ideas -- kettlebells vs. resistance bands, I chose the latter. And I couldn't be happier!

In my first month of working with the bands, I have lost 4.25 inches around my waist, and gained 1.25 inches in my arms, and legs. Even though I've been watching what I eat, adding LOTS of veggies and some fruit, and cutting far less meat and very little junk food, my weight that month remained the same: 246 pounds. (Is that because muscle weighs more than fat, and I've gained muscle?)

Anyway, I highly recommend the Bodylastics resistance bands. I do 4-5 workouts a week, and they take about 20 minutes at this point. I installed some eyebolts in a wall (instead of using a door) and I can work out in my living room. The whole set comes in a little bag which I've taken on business trips so I can work out in the hotel.

Just thought I'd post in case anyone out there is considering resistance band training. It DOES work!

Phil85207

I don't think I ever met anyone from Pitcairn Island. I did google it and am intrigued. What can you tell us about this place? It said the only way to get there is by boat and it's a 30 hour trip from the nearest port. That sounds pretty remote to me.

Digital Gee

Pitcairn Island is where the mutineers of the HMS Bounty ended their journey and settled. We are the smallest island nation in the world. Come visit! Great mountain biking here.

JanMM

Is PI close to San Diego?

Allegheny Jet

It couldn't be, or else the OP would be out riding his bike instead of playing with rubber bands.

Digital Gee

This thread must set the record for the fasting "going off topic" ever. Geesh.

stapfam

Have a mate that was grossly overweight and he started exercising- He did a lot of Rowing but his weight did not change in about 2 months. What did change though was his shape. Lost a lot round the middle and his upper body became more solid.

Ask around the neighbourhood and some may remember him- He was in the Royal navy for a while and his name was Bligh.

JanMM

"This thread must set the record for the fasting "going off topic" ever. Geesh."
Second post, to be specific.
I'd have to get permission to put eyebolts on our living room wall and am not sure that I would get it.

I'd be buying lots of new pants if I lost 4+" around my waist. Way to go!

Hermes

When I met with my new coach this year, he gave me two black rubber bands. One for my wrist that had HTFU embossed on it and the other one which he called the black band of death to put around my legs. I put the large black rubber band around both ankles and walk sideways. I put it around my legs just above the knee and lying on my side spread my knees apart. I do multiple sets of these are part of a trainer workout and / or along with power lifting and plyometrics for my legs. The black band of death has the correct name.

I highly recommend you acquire the one for your wrist.

bobthib

A friend of mine who is an exclusive personal trainer (he was Mr. Universe in the late '80s) highly recommends resistance bands, for all the same reasons you cite. I suggest you link up with a PT and get some advice. It will help a lot.

mattyps

Hey is it best to get small resistance bands or heavy duty 90lb ones? I was gonna buy some today and just quickly wondered what would be the best. I was reading up on resistance bands and it is apparently really good to keep flexible and your joints in good shape.... something I really need, that being said do you need a lot of resistance or just a bit if you not wanting them for getting huge muscles or not?

What i was about to buy was some nuova health bands.....anyone had any luck with them?


https://nuovahealth.co.uk/product-cat...sistance-bands

Velo Dog

How come we're all talking about weight loss and nobody says, "Eat less?"

steve0257

Because that's no fun.

JanMM

Acually, we were talking about this four years ago.
Zombie Thread Alert!

Wogster

Because remember the first component of dieting is die.... It's not eating less, it's eating better. It's eating food that has a lower caloric payload while having a higher nutritional value. Unfortunately that goes against our programming.....

You need to look at history, for the 5,000 years preceding the year 1940, things operated on a cyclical basis, you would have several years of feasting, then several years of famine. During the feasting cycle, people ate well, everyone gained some weight. Then came along several years of crop failures, and nobody ate well, from the King on down. We evolved to fit this cycle, during feast cycles we would store extra-energy at fat, we developed a taste for sugar and fat, because you could make the most of them. During the famine cycle, you would burn this extra store off.

Unfortunately in North America and Western Europe, this all ended in the 1930's, when it became possible to ship food from place to place, before it could go bad. This brought an interesting thing about, rich countries could then buy food from poor countries. The result is that in North America we have a permanent feast cycle in place, in parts of Africa we have a permanent famine cycle in place.

At the same time, we developed a process, in North America where we stopped doing heavy labour, using machines to do it for us, wherever possible. Instead of walking, even short distances, we took the car. This is starting to change though, as younger people decide that spending $1200/month on rent downtown and not having a car, is better then spending $800 on rent, and $800 on driving from outer suburbia. They will be healthier for it, because they will do a lot more walking and cycling then our generation, who bought McMansions in outer-suburbia where even the corner store is a 10 minute drive away.