Kinetic bands - are they a good workout for legs?

[Ang123]

I never feel like I get a good leg workout even though my lower legs are rock hard and upper legs are slowly looking better. I just don't feel like the leg machines at my new gym really do much for upper legs. I do some squats though can't go very heavy due to having scoliosis. Technically I'm not suppose to put weight above my shoulders at all. I can't run on treadmill or do elliptical or stairclimbers because of my knee injury. I've been watching kinetic band You Tube videos by myosource and wondering if those might give me a better leg work out and might even be easier on my knee since I would not be getting a weight load on my joints like when using machines.

What do you gals think? Would this be a good leg workout for someone who has been weightlifting for a few years now or is this not strenuous enough? It looks like it might be fun. Some of their videos even show how the bands can help with martial arts kicking and I have been wanting to rehabilitate enough to get back in taekwondo.

http://youtu.be/ip3foj3oYBw

[Ang123]

Lots of views, but no comments. So apparently no one has any experience using kinetic bands??

[oregonchick76]

Seriously? You think rubber bands are going to work your quads/hams better than a 200lb barbell?

[Ang123]

Seriously? You think rubber bands are going to work your quads/hams better than a 200lb barbell?

Well I can't lift a 200 lb barbell. But like I said I have been using leg machines for years now lifting as heavy as I can and its not developing my legs much though it is causing severe knee joint pain. Squats and deadlifts haven't done much for me either.

[oregonchick76]

Well I can't lift a 200 lb barbell. But like I said I have been using leg machines for years now lifting as heavy as I can and its not developing my legs much though it is causing severe knee joint pain. Squats and deadlifts haven't done much for me either.

Then you are doing it wrong.

[Ang123]

Then you are doing it wrong.

What is "it"? And what is "wrong"? I use proper form. I lift heavier on the quad and hamstring machine than any woman in the gym including a friend who is a pro fitness model. I lift twice as much weight as her, yet still I do not think I am getting much development. I have severe arthritis and I have an autoimmune illness that attacks the collagen and joints so there is a point at which I should not go any higher in weight load because it stresses the knee joint too much. At the weights I am lifting on quad right now it is excruciating on my knees as I am in severe pain when I lift even though my muscles can lift that weight.

I've done some reading on resistance bands vs free weights and from what I've read you are wrong about resistance bands. Resistance bands force you to use correct form, you don't end up letting gravity do half the work as you start tiring and it allows you to work at angles and different planes than free weights ever allow. Ironically one of the most incredible muscles I have ever seen on a woman was a pro bodybuilder at one of my old gyms and over half her routine was using the standard resistance bands. She always won gold every time she competed. I never once saw her touch a barbell and she never touched dumbbells over about 35 lbs. Yet she had an incredible body more muscular than most men, in fact most men would love to have her shoulders and back and most of what she did was pushups and resistance bands not 200 lb loaded barbells.

Here's one resistance band video I found and while no its not leg bands, still the woman's biceps seems to be strained a lot by using bands just observing the movement especially on her left arm. Granted she does have a few dumbbell videos, but most are using resistance bands. I can't help but think that she wouldn't have bothered to make so many resistance band videos if she didn't use them often and think they contributed positively to her development.
http://youtu.be/GfdbRlZfOr0

[ilovethe80s]

I agree with oregonchick on the bands. In the beginning phase, or if rehabbing, you might be at a spot where bands would be of use. They are not as effective for building muscle.

Bands have a smaller range of motion where the resistance is applied. You'll miss out on the resistance in a good portion in the ROM so the majority of the lift is going to feel to easy, or if you go with very strong bands, can still be too light in spots and then too difficult to contract the muscle in others, can almost be like performing isometrics in that way.

It is also much more difficult to control the level of resistance with bands and keep it consistent (if you are looking for strength, progressive resistance is necessary).

Bands are excellent for rehab though, good for beginners, and good for adding onto your barbell or free weights to change the velocity and increase difficulty at different points in the lift, and convenient. But if you are looking for building muscle, free weights win If you have a disorder that makes it too uncomfortable to lift weights, then you might find band work to be more comfortable. Most of the information that will tell you that bands are just as good as weights, are selling bands.

As far as the people you see training with bands at your gym, yes, the bands allow you to contract the muscles at the top of the movement. I am no expert on figure competitors but I do believe that they drop for higher reps before a competition to plump out the muscle that they already have, but I would doubt that they built up all of their muscle by not touching the iron.

If band work is appealing to you and you think it will be a good fit with your current conditions, go ahead with them, they are great for rehab. Just not a substitute for iron IMO.

Also, be careful at the gym of things like 'the quad machine' if your knees are bothering you.

[Ang123]

As far as the people you see training with bands at your gym, yes, the bands allow you to contract the muscles at the top of the movement. I am no expert on figure competitors but I do believe that they drop for higher reps before a competition to plump out the muscle that they already have, but I would doubt that they built up all of their muscle by not touching the iron.

Also, be careful at the gym of things like 'the quad machine' if your knees are bothering you.

I should have noted though I work out with a figure competitor the woman I used to know who used resistance bands competes in bodybuilding not figure because her muscles are huge and bulky outside what is allowed in figure. After thinking about it I remember about 8 yrs ago I had this goofy machine called the Cyberflex that used a corded pulley system which basically works by resistance training. I remember my leg muscles would get more sore using that than they do since I have been lifting weights past 3 years.

I don't like being told that I'm just not doing it right. Or not working out hard enough. When I work out 1.5 hours a day 5 days a week minimum and most weekends whenever its not cold I am active outdoors. I am one of only 3 people at my current gym that even bothers to dead lift. Only 1 is a guy btw. lol Now that I think about it there are a couple guys with great legs at the gym and I'm wondering how they do it because I only ever see them working upper body. Must do something outside the gym.

[oregonchick76]

I should have noted though I work out with a figure competitor the woman I used to know who used resistance bands competes in bodybuilding not figure because her muscles are huge and bulky outside what is allowed in figure. After thinking about it I remember about 8 yrs ago I had this goofy machine called the Cyberflex that used a corded pulley system which basically works by resistance training. I remember my leg muscles would get more sore using that than they do since I have been lifting weights past 3 years.

I don't like being told that I'm just not doing it right. Or not working out hard enough. When I work out 1.5 hours a day 5 days a week minimum and most weekends whenever its not cold I am active outdoors. I am one of only 3 people at my current gym that even bothers to dead lift. Only 1 is a guy btw. lol Now that I think about it there are a couple guys with great legs at the gym and I'm wondering how they do it because I only ever see them working upper body. Must do something outside the gym.

Uh huh. Working out 1.5 hrs per day 5 days a week? Tells me you are working harder, not smarter. But it sounds like between your professional bodybuilding/powerlifting friend, you have it all figured out. So no need to ask us. What do we know?

[Ang123]

Uh huh. Working out 1.5 hrs per day 5 days a week? Tells me you are working harder, not smarter. But it sounds like between your professional bodybuilding/powerlifting friend, you have it all figured out. So no need to ask us. What do we know?

I worked shorter workouts 40 minutes and improved even less. I didn't say I know it all. I'm just saying I am trying. You are insinuating that YOU know it all just because you are diehard free weights fan. But your pic does not show that you are that muscular at all whereas my friend who uses resistance bands is ripped like a pro male BBer. You are most definitely fit & slim, but very tiny and not that muscular considering what you suggest you are lifting. 118 lbs is not that muscular actually 118 is teeny. I am doing the same lifts as many here and not getting the results I want so I was just interested in the kinetic bands because they force constant resistance plus they work fast twitch muscle fibers. I want to rehab enough to get back into taekwondo which uses fast twitch movements. Slow, concentrated free weight lifting like I have been taught by trainers and by many online does not work fast twitch. And yes I do trust my friends workouts who are pro because they have better looking bodies than any of the women on here and better than some of the men on here.

[Miranda]

I don't like being told that I'm just not doing it right.

maybe, but what has it got to do with anything?

[ilovethe80s]

Soreness does not indicate a good workout. Bands absolutely will cause more soreness then straight bar weight. I am a powerlifter and often use bands in conjunction with bar weight, and after band work, am always very sore. Bands are notorious for that. They stress the muscle in a different way, and that does result in more soreness.

It does not feel good to be told that you are doing things wrong, nobody enjoys that. But if you are spending over an hour in the gym, and squats and deadlifts 'aren't working', and you are saying you are not seeing results, something isn't lining up the way it could. It does sound like you are very excited about this band idea, have made up your mind on them and looking for others to be in agreement. And we are not in agreement, lol, so there is no point in arguing if you are convinced that this will work for you. If you want to do them and your bodybuilding friends endorse them and you are 100% sure that is what you want, there is no need to ask us anything. Especially if the people on here do not embody the way you'd like to look.

I don't train for aesthetics so please no need to dig through my profile pics and count the ways in which my body does not measure up to what you want (oregonchick looks amazing btw) but if you want help, post what you've been doing, your diet, post some vids of your squats and deads and you will get all the help you need.

[womanoid]

I worked shorter workouts 40 minutes and improved even less. I didn't say I know it all. I'm just saying I am trying. You are insinuating that YOU know it all just because you are diehard free weights fan. But your pic does not show that you are that muscular at all whereas my friend who uses resistance bands is ripped like a pro male BBer. You are most definitely fit & slim, but very tiny and not that muscular considering what you suggest you are lifting. 118 lbs is not that muscular actually 118 is teeny. I am doing the same lifts as many here and not getting the results I want so I was just interested in the kinetic bands because they force constant resistance plus they work fast twitch muscle fibers. I want to rehab enough to get back into taekwondo which uses fast twitch movements. Slow, concentrated free weight lifting like I have been taught by trainers and by many online does not work fast twitch. And yes I do trust my friends workouts who are pro because they have better looking bodies than any of the women on here and better than some of the men on here.

Oh dear. No one is going to help you if you resort to judging their knowledge by their appearance. That's a horrible measure, and you seem to do it all the time, good luck with that. book =/ cover.

[grace_ou]

What is "it"? And what is "wrong"? I use proper form. I lift heavier on the quad and hamstring machine than any woman in the gym including a friend who is a pro fitness model. I lift twice as much weight as her, yet still I do not think I am getting much development. I have severe arthritis and I have an autoimmune illness that attacks the collagen and joints so there is a point at which I should not go any higher in weight load because it stresses the knee joint too much. At the weights I am lifting on quad right now it is excruciating on my knees as I am in severe pain when I lift even though my muscles can lift that weight.

I've done some reading on resistance bands vs free weights and from what I've read you are wrong about resistance bands. Resistance bands force you to use correct form, you don't end up letting gravity do half the work as you start tiring and it allows you to work at angles and different planes than free weights ever allow. Ironically one of the most incredible muscles I have ever seen on a woman was a pro bodybuilder at one of my old gyms and over half her routine was using the standard resistance bands. She always won gold every time she competed. I never once saw her touch a barbell and she never touched dumbbells over about 35 lbs. Yet she had an incredible body more muscular than most men, in fact most men would love to have her shoulders and back and most of what she did was pushups and resistance bands not 200 lb loaded barbells.

Here's one resistance band video I found and while no its not leg bands, still the woman's biceps seems to be strained a lot by using bands just observing the movement especially on her left arm. Granted she does have a few dumbbell videos, but most are using resistance bands. I can't help but think that she wouldn't have bothered to make so many resistance band videos if she didn't use them often and think they contributed positively to her development.
http://youtu.be/GfdbRlZfOr0

I think your trolling...

[Ang123]

Oh dear. No one is going to help you if you resort to judging their knowledge by their appearance. That's a horrible measure, and you seem to do it all the time, good luck with that. book =/ cover.

I was being judged because I do not necessarily accept someone else's opinion of resistance bands who has not tried them. It would be different if they weren't portraying themselves as some muscle goddess. But 5'3" 118 lbs is underweight for a woman of that height who ISN'T bodybuilding. At 5'0" I should be 115 if you go by weight charts. So for someone 5'3" if they are highly muscular they should weigh more than 118. Thus sorry I don't consider that a bodybuilding expert, but rather just like one of the many others on here who are all striving to either lose weight or gain weight.

Like I said I have an autoimmune illness that causes pain in my joints and connective tissue. I also have scoliosis so am not even suppose to do certain lifts. A little over 3 years ago I could barely limp around for 5-10 minutes and struggled just shopping for groceries. I was dismissed from physical therapy saying there was nothing more they could do for me and advised I should think about getting a wheelchair. I refused to give up so I started slowly exercising at home till I relearned how to walk without falling over and without using my cane. They told me after the autoimmune diagnosis that most with my illness die within 10 years of diagnosis. I have passed the 10 year mark now. I was also recovering from Lyme disease at that same time which destroyed my joints. The medication was almost as bad as the disease as it harmed my immune system, digestive system, ruptured a tendon in my left leg and caused my whole body to weaken. After I could walk around a bit I joined a gym and started lifting weights and doing what cardio I could manage which was a big transition from the aerobics type videos I was struggling to do at home. Not only can I now walk for approx 3 hours straight I have gone down 4 shirt sizes and 2 pant sizes. Yes for some reason the weight is still not budging much from my lower body but at least I am trying and at least I am walking and lifting weights.

I lift as heavy as I can manage and more than I see other women doing around me, but I cannot lift 200 lb barbells yet. So no I'm not the perfect muscle goddess that everyone seems to think OregonChick is, but then she is about 10 years younger and doubtfully has the challenges that I do. I'm sorry if I offended anyone but I do not think anyone on here is an absolute expert of muscle building because I do not see anyone with pro quality muscle in the female section. So I don't think anyone on here can claim to be an expert on the "right way" to build muscle as a female. I want to be strong and look very muscular, not anorexic and get back to my passion in life which was martial arts. I was only posting because I wanted to hear from anyone else who has tried the kinetic leg bands.

[oregonchick76]

I was being judged because I do not necessarily accept someone else's opinion of resistance bands who has not tried them. It would be different if they weren't portraying themselves as some muscle goddess. But 5'3" 118 lbs is underweight for a woman of that height who ISN'T bodybuilding. At 5'0" I should be 115 if you go by weight charts. So for someone 5'3" if they are highly muscular they should weigh more than 118. Thus sorry I don't consider that a bodybuilding expert, but rather just like one of the many others on here who are all striving to either lose weight or gain weight.

Like I said I have an autoimmune illness that causes pain in my joints and connective tissue. I also have scoliosis so am not even suppose to do certain lifts. A little over 3 years ago I could barely limp around for 5-10 minutes and struggled just shopping for groceries. I was dismissed from physical therapy saying there was nothing more they could do for me and advised I should think about getting a wheelchair. I refused to give up so I started slowly exercising at home till I relearned how to walk without falling over and without using my cane. They told me after the autoimmune diagnosis that most with my illness die within 10 years of diagnosis. I have passed the 10 year mark now. I was also recovering from Lyme disease at that same time which destroyed my joints. The medication was almost as bad as the disease as it harmed my immune system, digestive system, ruptured a tendon in my left leg and caused my whole body to weaken. After I could walk around a bit I joined a gym and started lifting weights and doing what cardio I could manage which was a big transition from the aerobics type videos I was struggling to do at home. Not only can I now walk for approx 3 hours straight I have gone down 4 shirt sizes and 2 pant sizes. Yes for some reason the weight is still not budging much from my lower body but at least I am trying and at least I am walking and lifting weights.

I lift as heavy as I can manage and more than I see other women doing around me, but I cannot lift 200 lb barbells yet. So no I'm not the perfect muscle goddess that everyone seems to think OregonChick is, but then she is about 10 years younger and doubtfully has the challenges that I do. I'm sorry if I offended anyone but I do not think anyone on here is an absolute expert of muscle building because I do not see anyone with pro quality muscle in the female section. So I don't think anyone on here can claim to be an expert on the "right way" to build muscle as a female. I want to be strong and look very muscular, not anorexic and get back to my passion in life which was martial arts. I was only posting because I wanted to hear from anyone else who has tried the kinetic leg bands.

LOL. Would you like a shovel? Keep digging.

[Snarkoleptic]

The bands might help you achieve the "pancake booty" you said you wanted in another thread.

Good luck on your big, muscle-building journey.

[Miranda]

I was being judged because I do not necessarily accept someone else's opinion of resistance bands who has not tried them. It would be different if they weren't portraying themselves as some muscle goddess.

I do not think anyone on here is an absolute expert of muscle building because I do not see anyone with pro quality muscle in the female section. So I don't think anyone on here can claim to be an expert on the "right way" to build muscle as a female.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anecdotal_evidence

The expression anecdotal evidence refers to evidence from anecdotes. Because of the small sample, there is a larger chance that it may be unreliable due to cherry-picked or otherwise non-representative samples of typical cases.[1][2] Anecdotal evidence is considered dubious support of a claim; it is accepted only in lieu of more solid evidence. This is true regardless of the veracity of individual claims.[3][4][5]

The term is often used in contrast to scientific evidence, such as evidence-based medicine, which are types of formal accounts. Some anecdotal evidence does not qualify as scientific evidence because its nature prevents it from being investigated using the scientific method. Misuse of anecdotal evidence is an informal fallacy and is sometimes referred to as the "person who" fallacy ("I know a person who..."; "I know of a case where..." etc. Compare with hasty generalization). Anecdotal evidence is not necessarily representative of a "typical" experience; in fact, human cognitive biases such as confirmation bias mean that exceptional or confirmatory anecdotes are much more likely to be remembered. Accurate determination of whether an anecdote is "typical" requires statistical evidence.[6][7]

why don't you go ask jay cutler what he thinks of kinetic bands?

or are you going to say that jay is male so he doesn't know how womens should gain pro quality muscle? so perhaps go ask iris kyle instead if kinetic bands are the way to go?

while you're at it, why not go ask a 105-year-old who smokes a pack of cigarettes a day if they think smoking is a great way to extend life expectancy?

...

it is unfortunate your joints can't bear the stress that is comes with progressive tension overload. that doesn't mean your muscles respond differently.

and how you train has little to do with losing fat from your lower body.

[ktb007]

Awful judgmental for someone without stats or pics....

[Miranda]

Awful judgmental for someone without stats or pics....

perhaps she could post them so the jury can assess her statements re kinetic bands.

OP looks hawt: she's right
OP looks not-hawt: she's wrong

[ktb007]

perhaps she could post them so the jury can assess her statements re kinetic bands.

OP looks hawt: she's right
OP looks not-hawt: she's wrong

Best idea yet!! Come on OP, lets see sum PICS!

[Mayanfox]

Uh huh. Working out 1.5 hrs per day 5 days a week? Tells me you are working harder, not smarter. But it sounds like between your professional bodybuilding/powerlifting friend, you have it all figured out. So no need to ask us. What do we know?

I know this thread is old so hopefully you've changed but if not, stop acting like a jerk (please note that I didn't call you a jerk, I just said you were acting like one)! Seriously. The asker of this question was genuinely reaching out and you're acting all high and mighty and rubbishing her every comment.

You say 'We' like you represent everyone. The truth is, you don't.

One Love - Uncle Bob

[Mayanfox]

Sheesh! All you did was ask a genuine question and the claws come out to attack you! I saw a couple of good answers on here so hopefully you found some resolve Ang. Good luck with your training and try to avoid biting back at the silly little girls.

And yes, I know this thread is really old! haha