Alternative Options to Dumbbells: Exploration of Elastic Resistance for Your Patients (Page 2)

Bicep Curl

• Begin by standing on the band with both feet shoulder-width apart
• Hold the band with both hands, palms facing up toward the ceiling
• Curl your hands upward towards your shoulders, while keeping your elbows at your sides
• Slowly return to your starting position and repeat

Muscle Engagement:

Biceps, gluteal muscles, and core

Front Squat

• Begin by standing on the band with both feet shoulder-width apart
• Hold the band above your shoulders with your palms up and elbows bent
• Push your hips back and lower your body into a squat, as if you’re sitting in a chair
  • Keep your knees over your ankles
• Push up from the squat returning to your starting position and repeat

Muscle Engagement:

Quadriceps and core

Overhead Press

• Begin by standing on the band with both feet shoulder-width apart
• Hold the band in both hands, just outside your shoulders with your palms facing forward
• Press the band upward, directly over your shoulders, until your arms are straight
• Return to your starting position and repeat

Muscle Engagement:

Deltoids, trapezius, triceps, upper pectorals, and abs

Lunge

• Place the band over your shoulder
• Stand with one foot in front of you and one foot behind you
• Stand on the band with your forward foot
• Go into a lunge
  • Bend your back leg into a kneeling position
  • Keep your knee over your ankle as your front leg moves into position
• Push back up to your starting position and repeat
• Switch to the opposite leg and repeat

Muscle Engagement:

Quads, gluteal muscles, and hamstrings

Deadlift 

• Stand on top of the band with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart
• Grab the band with both hands, creating two separate loops around your feet
• Point your toes forward and slightly bend your knees
• Tighten your core and keep your chest up and your head facing forward
• Drive your hips back, but not lower than your knees - this is your starting position
• Contract your glutes and drive them forward, while standing up
• Pause, then return to your starting position, then repeat

Muscle Engagement:

Gluteal muscles, hip flexors, and hamstrings

DB x CLX Squat

• Place each foot into one of the center CLX loops and hold one end loop in each hand
• Place dumbbells in each hand, and raise your arms out straight at shoulder height.
  • Option: Straighten arms so that they are at your side. This will be easier due to the amount of resistance on the band
• Lower into a squatting position. Keep your knees parallel to the floor and sit back like you're sitting into a chair

Muscles Engagement:

Gluteal muscles, quads and core

DB x CLX Sit to Stand

• Sit on a chair without resting your back on the backrest. Place each foot into one of the center CLX loops, with the loops closer to your toes
• While holding each end loop, grab both dumbbells and rest them at shoulder height. Press equally through both feet and stand up
• Sit back down slowly, just touching the edge of the chair before standing back up. Repeat, keeping your core tight throughout the exercise

Muscles Engagement:

Gluteal muscles, quads, and core

DB x CLX Front Raise

• Place each foot into one of the center CLX loops and hold one end loop in each hand
• Use one dumbbell for this exercise and hold one end of the dumbbell in each hand
• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. While holding the dumbbell, lift your arms up in front of your body to shoulder height
• Keep your core tight during this exercise. Slowly lower your arms down to their starting position and repeat

Muscles Engagement:

Anterior Deltoids, trapezius, erector spinae, biceps, pectorals, rotator cuff, serratus anterior, and abs

DB x High Resistance Bicep Curl

• Begin by standing on the band with both feet shoulder-width apart
• Hold the band and dumbbells with both hands, palms facing up toward the ceiling
• Keep your core and glutes engaged through this whole exercise – like a standing plank
• Curl your hands upward towards your shoulders, while keeping your elbows at your sides
• Slowly return to your starting position and repeat

Muscles Engagement:

Biceps, gluteal muscles, and core

DB x High Resistance Lunge

• Place the band over your shoulder
• Stand with one foot in front of you and one foot behind you
• Stand on the band with your forward foot
• Grab both dumbbells in each hand
• Go into a lunge
  • Bend your back leg into a kneeling position
  • Keep your knee over your ankle as your front leg moves into position
• Push back up to your starting position and repeat
• Switch to the opposite leg and repeat

Muscles Engagement:

Quads, gluteal muscles, and hamstrings

DB x High Resistance Tricep Extension

• Place the band over your shoulder
• Stand with one foot in front of you and one foot behind you
• Stand on the band with your back foot
• Grab 1 dumbbell
• While holding 1 dumbbell press band overhead while holding the dumbbell in a goblet position
• Slowly, lower dumbbell behind head
• Push arms back up to overhead extension and repeat

Muscles Engagement:

Quads, gluteal muscles, and hamstrings