If you haven’t been getting the desired results with traditional weight training, you might achieve your dream body with variable resistance training (VR). We’ll give you five great reasons to try variable resistance training equipment and recommend one of the best VR brands on the market in order to get you started.
Shopping for the right gym equipment can be costly, especially if you’re unsure what to get. Treadmills and exercise bicycles are popular choices for home fitness, but if you’re looking to build muscle mass, decrease your percentage of body fat and achieve your dream body, you might ordinarily need to invest in a set of weights or a gym membership.
Even then, you might not get the results you want. Instead of spending all that money and effort on equipment that may not work, try variable resistance training (VR). Read on to learn five reasons why you might want to try variable resistance training equipment, as well as a recommendation for one of the best VR brands on the market.
5 Great Reasons to Try Variable Resistance Training Equipment is an original (AthleticInsightNews) article.
Variable resistance training equipment benefit:
1. Targeted workouts
Variable resistance training (VR) is strength training that applies a dynamic degree of force to the target muscles. Studies have shown that variable resistance training is more effective than traditional weight training at building strength and muscle. The reason for this is how it targets your muscles when they are at their strongest.
In most traditional weight training workouts, there are two crucial points: when your muscles are relaxed and at their weakest and when they are strongest while exerting the greatest force. It’s at their strongest point where muscles build and gain strength. Variable resistance training equipment, such as weightlifting chains, resistance bands, and cable machines compel your muscles to work hardest when they are fully contracted.
These machines accomplish this by applying the least amount of resistance at the weakest point and increasing the resistance as you reach the strongest point of the motion, where muscle strength and muscularity are actually built.
Variable resistance training equipment benefit:
2. Reduced risk of injury
Another benefit of variable resistance training is the reduced risk of injury compared to traditional weight training. Your joints are at a disadvantage using traditional weight training because of the pressure that static resistance places on them, especially when you don’t execute proper form. Static resistance means the amount of pressure is the same throughout the motion. For example, if you lift 45 lb. weights, you will have 45 lbs. of pressure throughout the motion of the exercise.
This adds stress to your joints during the weakest point of the motion because when your muscles are weakest, your joints (including your ligaments and tendons) must work harder to handle the weight and support the movement. This all too often produces the sprains and strains which put you out of commission and may cause you to lose workout momentum and enthusiasm.
Variable resistance training allows the joints and muscles to relax at the weakest point and variably increases the resistance throughout the motion, culminating with the maximum resistance at its strongest point, thus reducing the stress your joints incur during the motion and maximizing the use of your muscles.
Variable resistance training equipment benefit:
3. Can be used anywhere
Exercise bands are among the most popular pieces of variable resistance training equipment, and they are conveniently portable, unlike a stack of weights or training circuit machinery. They come in various materials and thicknesses to provide the optimal variable resistance training workout. Exercise bands are a convenient way to keep up with your strength training while traveling or when you cannot get to the gym. If your weight training workout depends on varying weights for different exercises, you’re limited in terms of where and when you can exercise. With the right variable resistance training equipment, you can keep up with your workout routine anywhere.
Variable resistance training equipment benefit:
4. Exercises for rehabilitation
If you’ve ever injured a muscle or a joint and had to undergo physical therapy, you may have already encountered variable resistance training equipment. This equipment allows injured muscles to gradually build strength while maintaining control around injured joints. In addition, the versatility of variable resistance training equipment allows injured muscles and joints to exercise through various motions and techniques, making rehabilitation more effective.
Variable resistance training equipment benefit:
5. Costs less
As you progress in your strength training, you should observe the results. Eventually, heavier weights and additional resistance will be required to keep progressing. Unfortunately, this means purchasing more equipment if you rely on traditional weight training utilizing static resistance. This can be extremely expensive when you consider that the heavier the weight, the more costly.
Furthermore, if you want to perform various exercises, you must purchase additional equipment to complement the weights. To continue to get stronger using traditional weight training, you would need to buy thousands of dollars of equipment or pay for a long-term gym membership. Variable resistance training equipment typically costs less, and one purchase provides a variety of exercises to meet your growing needs as you progress in your regimen.
The X3 Bar was designed by Jaquish Biomedical Founder and CEO Dr. John Jaquish after years of research in the world of resistance training. The X3 is made from layered latex and can handle up to 600 lbs. of force at the strongest point of the exercise motion, near full extension, allowing you to train safely and triggering greater muscle growth.
It has a similar feel to a bench press bar providing greater stabilization for your variable resistance exercises. As was discussed previously, the X3 bar requires lighter forces in the weak range and much higher forces in the strong range, making it ideal for injury prevention and improved strength, as well as the associated muscular development.
Dr. Jaquish reports: “With variable resistance, you only need to do one set, and your muscle grows. With the X3, in just 10 minutes a day, people are seeing results that are better than anything they could get with weights.”
Some important comparisons between traditional resistance training (with weights) and variable resistance training, and some studies of interest
Here are 10 different studies that show how variable resistance (VR) is superior to weight training with regular weight, with pro athletes or regular people. The factor that makes the difference is VARIANCE. X3 provides the strongest level of variance ever seen in a fitness product hence more growth over other programs: (Ghigiarelli, et al, 2009): 7-week heavy elastic band upper-body power in a sample of D1 football players. (Joy, et al, 2016): Performance is increased when variable resistance is added to a standard strength program with University basketball players. (Rivière, et al, 2017): VR training promotes greater strength and power adaptations than traditional resistance training with elite youth rugby players.
(Anderson, et al, 2008): Nearly three times greater for average power in some movements was observed comparing control group to test group for VR versus standard weight training, RTC with University athletes. (McCurdy, et al, 2009): VR banded bench press produce similar short-term strength improvement conventional free weight bench press while minimizing shoulder stress with D2 baseball players.
(Goodwin, et al, 2018): Pushing power increased over standard weight protocols using VR exercise with pro rugby players. (Cronin, et al, 2003): 10 weeks analysis showed VR resulted in a 21.5% performance increase compared with control group, both groups trained athletes. (Anderson, et al, 2016) & (Anderson, et al, 2019): Groups of elite athletes using differing degrees of VR showed that the higher the VR level, the greater muscular engagement. (Komiyama, et al, 2016): VR shows better strength over standard training with older adults.
Variable resistance training equipment:
Your dream body awaits
The benefits of variable resistance training range from better, more efficient and less potentially injurious workouts, to practical applications like lower cost and portability. Variable resistance training equipment can help you accomplish your fitness goals and achieve better workouts, allowing you to attain the stronger, more sculpted body you have always wanted.
Further reading:
National Center for Biotechnology Information: “Variable Resistance Training Using Elastic Bands To Enhance Lower Extremity Strengthening”
The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research: “The Effects of Combining Elastic and Free Weight Resistance on Strength and Power in Athletes”
Men’s Journal: “Get Big Fast With Variable Resistance Training”
The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research: “Forms of Variable Resistance Training”
Important Note: The information contained in this article is for general informational purposes only, and should not be construed as health or medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, prevent, treat, or cure any disease or health condition. Before embarking on any diet, fitness regimen, or program of nutritional supplementation, it is advisable to consult your healthcare professional in order to determine its safety and probable efficacy in terms of your individual state of health.
Regarding Nutritional Supplements Or Other Non-Prescription Health Products: If any nutritional supplements or other non-prescription health products are mentioned in the foregoing article, any claims or statements made about them have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and such nutritional supplements or other health products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
