You’ve heard your Peloton instructors say it a million times: Time under tension gets you stronger. Step into the world of resistance band training, where this philosophy takes center stage from start to finish. Peloton’s new resistance band workouts, led by instructors Hannah Corbin and Andy Speer, are designed to make your muscles stronger in multiple planes of motion to complement the hard work you put in on the Bike or Tread. You’ll feel the burn and build muscular endurance by spending lots of time under tension in any given class, but will come out on the other side feeling unstoppable (just like any other Peloton workout!).
Whether you’re sweating with the Peloton App, Bike or Tread, these classes are ready and waiting for you to jump right in.
So…what is it?
A resistance band is a simple apparatus: A rubber tube with looped handles attached to either end, available in varying degrees of tension. “Resistance bands use oppositional force to train your muscles instead of weight, and you can alter how intense of a workout you get by either choosing a band with more resistance or moving where you hold on the band to create more resistance yourself,” says Hannah. Familiar with the resistance knob on the Peloton Bike? The same concept applies here! Like when climbing a gritty hill, the higher the resistance goes, the more effort you’ll need to put in.
But unlike on the Bike where you’re fixed in one plane of motion, “bands allow pull or resistance from any angle...so one can create horizontal and diagonal lines of resistance,” says Andy. Building strength in this way is important for both injury prevention and maintaining multi-directional stability and mobility. Resistance bands are also a compelling complement to traditional dumbbell strength training, and can sometimes serve as a straight-up alternative to dumbbell lifting. Why? “Convenience!” says Andy. “You can take bands outside, on the road and store them anywhere. Perfect for use with the Peloton App when you're outside or traveling,” he continues.
Benefits Abound
We believe that strength training should be an integral part of your fitness routine. Like every workout you tap into from your Peloton App or touchscreen, resistance band classes are designed to make you a stronger athlete in your discipline of choice. As Andy well knows, “athletes rely on a variety of training techniques to reach optimal performance,” and resistance bands offer one such hyper-effective technique known as “accommodating resistance.” You could hit the books to understand the physics behind this concept, or you can pick up a resistance band and find for yourself that it becomes heavier as you pull it taut, challenging you to maintain the speed and power with which you execute a movement through its complete range of motion.
For our Bike Members, you’ll be happy to know that this principle makes you a stronger cyclist. “This trains muscular endurance, a quality challenged in classes like Jess King's Sweat Steady rides, where it feels like you never get a break until it's over!” says Andy. And for our Tread Members, Andy notes that “another huge benefit of resistance band training is the ability to focus on upper back and postural muscles...endurance runners especially need to maintain strong posture during long runs.”
Getting Started with Resistance Band Training
Whether you’re used to lifting with dumbbells or are new to strength training altogether, there are a couple specific things Andy and Hannah want you to keep in mind before hitting the bands. For one, Hannah suggests you take Andy's Intro to Resistance Bands class! To get an effective workout, learning proper form is key. “Just like you wouldn't jump on the Bike without knowing how to clip in, knowing how to properly hold and use your resistance bands will go a long way to giving you the chance to get the most out of your workout,” says Hannah.
Because the tension never fully lets up, resistance bands give your muscles constant feedback to help you adjust your form accordingly; you’ll be able to feel the work through your entire range-of-motion. As you take these classes over and over again, you’ll become an expert at reading your body’s cues and recognizing the true extent of your strength. “As always when learning a new training modality, don't rush, and focus on controlled movement in both the concentric and eccentric phase of the exercise,” says Andy. These classes will challenge you to get moving in a way you may not have experienced before, and we know you’ll become stronger for it.
Take resistance band workouts on demand under “Strength” from the Peloton App (for TV and mobile) or your touchscreen.
