Resistance Bands

DamienH

I've just gone onto ironwoody to buy some bans to help me with pullups but they're coming in at like €60+, which I think might be a bit steep for three bits of rubber. Does anyone know a place where I could find good quality ones a bit cheaper? The ones on the site are 41'' long. Any help much appreciated.

BrianD3

I don't know if its suitable for pullups but Physio Needs in Irishtown sell rolls of Theraband rubber in various strengths both flat and tubes. The strongest flat rubber would be thinner than the Iron Woody rubber but it is quite wide and could also be doubled up for more resistance. IIRC it is 32 quid for 5.5 metres.

rubadub

I have just used mountain bike inner tubes. If you use these along with adjustable webbing straps it means you can vary resistance for a fixed length. e.g if you have a inner tube over the top of a bar and step on it then it is stretched a lot and so pulls you up a good bit. If you have the strap on the bar and then the tube on the strap you have shortened the length it is stretched, so it gives you less assistance.

I got my straps here http://stores.shop.ebay.co.uk/Handy-Straps_Med-Duty-tie-down-Straps_W0QQ_fsubZ13455392QQ_sidZ123266481QQ_trksidZp4634Q2ec0Q2em322
and they were those medium duty ones, I have had over 100kg on a single one with no problem.

Cheap tubes with free delivery here
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Categories.aspx?CategoryID=184&CurrentPageIndex=0&SortExpression=PRICE_ASC

I would highly recommend doing negatives to train your pullups & chinups. Just stand on a box in the highest position and lower yourself slowly, do this for reps.

EileenG

I got a resistance band for around €8 from Tesco recently. It's a good strong one, with handles on it. I'm using it for stretches, but it feels like something that won't break with resistance work.

Arctic89

I'm out of the country till September, cant really afford a gym and I pulled a muscle in my neck back in May which is still causing me some problems so I cant do much heavy lifting. Picked up some resistance bands in a sports shop a few weeks back.
Can anyone recommend some good exercises I can do with them? Maybe to increase flexibility and some resistance work? I plan on incorporating them into my workout when I'm allowed get back lifting properly and am back in Ireland.

Roper

I've most used most commercially available brands and the Iron Woody ones are the best by far and easily worth the money. Others will break, the Iron Woody ones don't. My set (think it's called the pro set on the site) cost €120 or so but in the time I've had them I probably would have gone through the equivalent in cheap bands. We like em so much we're getting another couple of sets for the new gym.