A resistance exercise band is one of the easiest pieces of exercise equipment you can buy.  It’s cheap, rolls up nicely, and is even light enough to throw in a suitcase.  Plus with a resistance band you improve your strength and balance, and it is easier to pinpoint muscles you can miss with free dumbbells. If you do these exercises at least 3 times a week- you won’t be afraid to reach for that piece of Halloween candy laying about your house two weeks from now!

 Here are two of the most basic exercises you can do with a free resistance band:

The Lunge with a Bicep Curl

No one enjoys doing lunges. But if you must—and most of us must—you might as well get the most bang for your buck, and with an exercise band, you get that extra boost.  Place the center of the band under the instep of your right foot and position your left about two feet behind you.  With an underhand grip on the band’s handles perform a traditional bicep as you bend into a lunge.  Repeat 20 repetitions on each side.

The Squat with an Overhead Press

Squats are a little like lunges—we can all let out a collective moan when it’s that time at the gym.  So make the most of those groans and whip out the band.  Stand in the middle of the band with your feet parallel and hip distance apart.  Hold the bands with your hands facing away from you at shoulder level.  Your elbows should be bent.  Squat deeply while pressing your arms up and over your head.  Hold the bands steady, resisting their weight, and keep the weight in the back of your heels as you return to the standing position.  Repeat this 20 times.

-Arianna Schioldager