Will those bands be heavy?

[propelera]

Hello, I have been working out a year ago in a gym, but because of studying I don't have enough time to go to gym anymore. So I decided doing home workouts. I am doing push-ups and pull-ups and other bodyweight exercises on the floor, but I want to use some equipment too. Dumbbells costs too much in my city. 20 kg (44 lb) adjustable dumbbells cost not less than 120$ (that I can't afford) so I decided to buy resistance bands that are a lot cheaper. I need your help in choosing suitable resistance for those bands in my case.

Quads - 80 kg ( 176 lbs)
Bench press -85 kg (187 lbs)
Shoulders - 50 kg (110 lbs) - military press
Biceps- 18 kg (40 lbs) - each dumbbell
Triceps - 15 kg (33 lbs) - each dumbbell

I want to buy package that contains: handles that can adjust 3 bands + 3x90 lbs bends + 3x60 lbs bands.

As I know resistance on bands are in lbs, but they are some sort of different than free weights. So do you think those bands will be ideal for me?

[Synthetickiller]

Bands don't work the same way as weights. You won't get the same workout & if you start using tremendous amounts of tension to actually have decent resistance, say goodbye to your joints.

There's no used market where you live?

[propelera]

Bands don't work the same way as weights. You won't get the same workout & if you start using tremendous amounts of tension to actually have decent resistance, say goodbye to your joints.

There's no used market where you live?

Not for barbells, it is hard to find used barbells in my country. Home workouts with dumbbells is not popular in my country. BTW I can vary the tension from 60 lbs to 270 lbs, will not be that enough? Also, I don't want to be a huge, I just want to have lite athletic body, similar to old roman statues, with lean muscles.

[Ej63090]

Try getting a dip belt and do weighted pull ups and dips before you resort to resistance bands.

[daniel327]

I don't want to be a huge ........................

Phew! That's lucky. I was a bit concerned that you might just wake up one day all swole.

[Ej63090]

If you want to look like the Roman statues, you will probably need concrete.

[Muscle Mania Matt]

Phew! That's lucky. I was a bit concerned that you might just wake up one day all swole.

I hate it when that happens. You just wake up after doing a workout one day and BOOM you're huge and shredded.

[jdforsy]

I hate it when that happens. You just wake up after doing a workout one day and BOOM you're huge and shredded.

I woke up shredded this morning FML

[KBKB]

Dumbbells costs too much in my city. 20 kg (44 lb) adjustable dumbbells cost not less than 120$ (that I can't afford) so I decided to buy resistance bands that are a lot cheaper.

Where do you live?

[propelera]

Where do you live?

I live in Tbilisi, Georgia (between Black sea and Caspian sea, eastern Europe)

[KBKB]

I live in Tbilisi, Georgia (between Black sea and Caspian sea, eastern Europe)

Are kettlebells expensive in Tbilisi? Seems like that would be a good option if you can pick up some cheaply enough. Don't forget to look for used equipment (dumbbells, kettlebells, etc.) too.

[ironwill2008]

I just want to have lite athletic body, similar to old roman statues, with lean muscles.

You underestimate the level of work and commitment involved in meeting even just ^^^^ this level of muscularity.

[propelera]

You underestimate the level of work and commitment involved in meeting even just ^^^^ this level of muscularity.

I don't underestimate the level of work and commitment, because I am not newbie, I have worked hard and lost 25 kg weight (55 lbs) in 4 month, built some muscle, and changed my body shape. Since then I have worked hard and got the best body shape I have ever had. I wrote "I don't want to be a huge" because some newbies want to get big only with resistance bends. I know it will not happen, I wrote it because I just wanted some resistance, and cheap equipment to stay on the same shape. If it will help me to build little more lean muscle it will be nice.

That's why I asked your help, I just want to know, will 100 lbs tension rope be "heavy/perfect/lite" for my case? For a guy who's stats are written above?

[ironwill2008]

I don't underestimate the level of work and commitment, because I am not newbie, I have worked hard and lost 25 kg weight (55 lbs) in 4 month, built some muscle, and changed my body shape. Since then I have worked hard and got the best body shape I have ever had. I wrote "I don't want to be a huge" because some newbies want to get big only with resistance bends. I know it will not happen, I wrote it because I just wanted some resistance, and cheap equipment to stay on the same shape. If it will help me to build little more lean muscle it will be nice.

That's why I asked your help, I just want to know, will 100 lbs tension rope be "heavy/perfect/lite" for my case? For a guy who's stats are written above?

IMO, the only worthwhile use of bands is to alter the resistance curve of barbell exercises such as Deadlifts, Squats, and Bench presses. As stand-alone equipment, I don't recommend them.

Based on your budget restrictions, I don't know what else to advise, other than to renew your gym membership..

[Cleveland33]

IMO, the only worthwhile use of bands is to alter the resistance curve of barbell exercises such as Deadlifts, Squats, and Bench presses. As stand-alone equipment, I don't recommend them.

did the ancient Romans have bands?

[ironwill2008]

did the ancient Romans have bands?

I think they only had Atlas stones.

















And maybe some of Arthur Jones' first-gen Nautilus stuff.

[propelera]

did the ancient Romans have bands?

No, but they had whey protein

[KBKB]

I think that bands do have their place, e.g. for shoulder rehab work:



But, as I said in this thread last week:

There are limits to how heavy you can go with resistance bands & cables. Consider the row, for example. In order to perform a row, you anchor the midpoint of the resistance cable to the wall. You then grasp a handle in each hand and back up from the wall at which point you commence doing the rows. As you go heavier and heavier with the bands, you'll find it increasingly difficult to back up from the wall. You'll find that your own body weight and the friction between your feet and the floor will limit you in how far you're able to back up. Therefore, if you want to go heavy, you'll need some other kind of implement, such as actual weight. Resistance bands and cables are great for lighter weight (resistance) movements though.

[Ej63090]

[PaulRivers]

Not for barbells, it is hard to find used barbells in my country. Home workouts with dumbbells is not popular in my country. BTW I can vary the tension from 60 lbs to 270 lbs, will not be that enough? Also, I don't want to be a huge, I just want to have lite athletic body, similar to old roman statues, with lean muscles.

I own resistance bands, and those "270lb" numbers are completely made up by the band company. I own a set that goes up to "202lbs of tension", and it's...a little disappointing.

If you can deal with flaking, I was going to suggest something like this -
http://www.amazon.com/One-Pair-Adjus..._bs_3408401_21

But then I saw you're not in the US.

I don't think any of these choices will be "ideal" for you, but bands might burn more calories than not using anything.

I mean the most cost effective training equipment is a barbell. You buy a barbell, then buy weight plates to add on it as you need them. Spinlock dumbbell handles are similar, though barbells are a little more cost effective because you never run into their weight limit (eventually you run out of room on the spinlock dumbbell handle).

Sorry can't be more help.

[59phinz]

Not for barbells, it is hard to find used barbells in my country. Home workouts with dumbbells is not popular in my country. BTW I can vary the tension from 60 lbs to 270 lbs, will not be that enough? Also, I don't want to be a huge, I just want to have lite athletic body, similar to old roman statues, with lean muscles.

Roman's did not have access to bands, but I can recommend the exact roman workout you need to get into the shape of those roman statues. Milo of Croton (olympic multi-winner) documented his method in 6th century BC Rome:
Diet: 20lbs of meat and 20lbs of bread daily.
Workout: buy a bull calf, pick it up and carry it on your shoulders, repeat daily until the bull reaches maturity, consume the bull in a single sitting.

Result (butt-eating lion optional):