Full Body Strength Training Workout With Exercise Tubing

by Darren Round on Aug 12, 2014

Here’s the thing folks, exercise tubing provides you with a unique form of resistance which the more nerdy fitness people know as Linear Variable Resistance (LVR). Or basically, the further you stretch the band, the more stretch placed on the band, the harder it gets. Exercises involve progressive and fluid range of motion that recruits lots of muscle fibers which makes them effective.

In this workout we’re going to hit your entire body from head to toe in one continuous circuit that you’ll complete three times. Now, the most important thing about strength training with a resistance band is you’re shooting for powerful movements with at least moderate tension. Meaning that the “top” of each exercise should be difficult. Hard, fast and controlled bursts of strength shooting to engage those fast twitch muscle fibers. No really slow movements. Instead, we’re going for intense time under tension (TUT) here.

Estimated workout time: 20-25 mins
TUT for each exercise: 60 seconds
Rest Period Between exercises: 15 seconds
Rest period between sets: 1-2 minutes

First Set: Arms & Shoulders

Use a PowerBand with a gauge that will provide plenty of LVR at the height of each rep throughout these exercises. You can do this whole set by simply standing on the band with both feet at a wide enough stance to make it hard.

Exercise 1: Uppercuts

Bend your knees and get those hips in on the action. Really mimic an uppercut motion and follow through into the height of the tension which should reach maximum about face-level.

Exercise 2: Lateral Deltoid Shoulder Raises

Remember, wider stance so that when your hands reach shoulder level there’s ample tension to fight against.

Exercise 3: Alternating Regular & Reverse Curls

So it will look like this: right arm regular curl, left arm regular curl, right arm reverse curl, left arm reverse curl etc. Keep your elbows to your sides and focus the attention on your forearms/biceps. And don’t lean. Keep your spine straight and tall.

Exercise 4: Squats to Shoulder Press

Head up, spine straight, squat down and power up into a shoulder press.

Second Set: Chest & Back

Here we have 2 sets for your back and 2 for your chest in an alternating fashion. You should be able to harness one end of the band on something roughly waist height and do all these exercises in one small space.

Exercise 1: Chest Flys

We’re going to keep the heart rate up. Do 30 seconds on your right arm and 30 on your left. Again, it shouldn’t be easy. By the time you’re arm is 60% into the range of motion it should be slowing down substantially.

Exercise 2: Reverse Flys

Same as above but don’t make it easy. It should be hard enough to where your body almost wants to compensate by swinging your upper body. Don’t. Stand still and focus the tension on your upper back.

Exercise 3: Decline Cross-Body

If you have to get down on your knees that’s better than having to switch to another station or somewhere else in the gym. You start with your hand a little higher than head-level and bring it diagonally down towards your waist.

Exercise 4: Alternating Standing Rows

Stand up, put one foot forward to hold your body steady and then begin rowing with intensity. Stand far enough away so that by the time your wrist reaches your body there’s tons of LVR.

Third Set: Lower Body

We’re focusing on two leg exercises you can do without having to hook up to anything or perform any exercise tubing acrobatics: squats and lunges.

Exercise 1: Band Squats

Squat low, power up but don’t perform a shoulder press. Instead, keep your hands in close to your body by your shoulders and add speed to the squats.

Exercise 2: Left Leg Stationary Lunges

Right leg goes back and you do exactly what you did in the band squats with your hands in close to your shoulders. Always return to standing position each time though, you’ll find that a bit more intensive than just bouncing up and down within lunge position.