Resistance bands - upper body
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So, resistance bands. When it comes to exercise and resistance bands, all you've got to remember is that the general movement, okay, that you do with all the other equipment, can be done with a resistance band, as long as the resistance band has an anchor point, so that when you pull it, it will stay at one point and you can put it under resistance. So when it comes to stuff like an overhead press, a looped band would go underneath your feet. You would have the top end of the band underneath the chin, with your nice lateral spread, nice tucked in nice and tight. Push your chest out, okay and then pushing the band up and overhead to engage your shoulder. Now remember, when you push that band, it will increase the intensity as it gets further and further away from the body, because the resistance is increasing because the band is extending. Step inside the anchor point and then just think of the movement you're going to do.
Now, the movement we're going to do now is the bicep curl. So it's a very simple movement. You anchor underneath the feet. Get a nice shoulder width, so you've got a good foundation underneath. Back straight, chest up, nice tight grip, tuck your elbows in, and then basically pull from the bottom all the way up to that upright position. And you get a nice flexion through the bicep all way to the top and then a nice resistance on the extension down through the tricep, okay. So the bicep's doing the positive and the tricep is doing the negative. A good way of advancing a press-up is to put the resistance band through a thumb, round the back, and through a thumb, and be in a laid-down position. Then from there, you can push the floor away from you. You have the body weight to fight against, okay, using your pectoral and tricep muscles. And secondly, you'll now have the resistance band to push against. So as you extend away from the floor, you'll be now pushing against the resistance of the band.