Exercises using an expander. A set of exercises with expanders for all muscle groups. Exercises with an expander for the arms

The expander develops the arm muscles well, especially the shoulder joint, as well as the torso. Exercises can be done to warm up or exercise in the morning. Expanders that are manufactured at the factory consist of many parts. Namely, from springs, but rubber bands attached to two handles can be used. You can also increase the load each time; the kit includes additional springs.

When you exercise with an expander, you should not forget what you need gradually increase the load. To begin with, you need to leave one spring and do 1-2 approaches to the exercises. Only after you can easily perform the number of repetitions in an exercise can you increase the number of springs or sets.

When you perform the exercise, you need to make sure that you constantly return to the starting position smoothly, with little resistance, and do not relax your muscles. Each exercise should be performed 7 – 12 times.

1.You need to place your feet shoulder-width apart, and raise your arms with the expander in front of you so that your palms are turned inward. Then spread your arms straight to the sides and inhale, then return to the original position and exhale. When you do this exercise, try not to lean back too much and try to look in front of you all the time.

Torso bends

2.Now you need to put your left or right leg into the handle of the expander, and you need to clasp the other with your hands, and tilt your torso a little forward, pressing one handle of the expander to your chest. Then, without taking your hands off your chest, straighten your torso and bend over and take a breath. And when you return to the original position, exhale. And this exercise should be performed with several additional springs.

Raising your arms above your head

3. Now you will need to place your feet shoulder-width apart, raise your arms with the expander up, palms out. Move them to the side, without bending your arms, so that the springs are behind your back, and inhale. Raising your arms up, you need to return to the original position and exhale.

Biceps curl

4. In this exercise, you will need to place your feet shoulder-width apart, grab the handle with your right hand with an underhand grip, and place your right foot at the other end. There is no need to tilt your torso; you need to bend your right arm at the elbow until the expander touches your shoulder and inhale. And then, straightening your arm at the elbow joint, return to the original position and exhale.

Raising your arms behind your back

5. We get back to the original position again. But now we must move the expander behind our back so that our arms are bent and our palms face outward. Then straighten your arms to the side and inhale. Then, bend your arms and return to the original position and exhale. Do this exercise with several additional springs.

Shoulder abduction to train triceps

6. Now you should take the expander in your hands and move it behind your back so that the right arm is bent at the shoulder and the left arm is pressed straight to the thigh. Then extend your right arm upward until straight and inhale. Returning to the original position, you need to exhale. Repeat this exercise with both hands.

Arm extension

7. In this exercise, you should take the expander with your palms facing inward. Raise your left hand to the side, and press your right hand, bent, to your chest. Then you don’t need to bend your left arm, straighten your right arm to the side until it is fully straightened and inhale. In the next step, bend your right arm and return to the original position and exhale. The exercise should be done with each hand.

Squats

8. And the last exercise should be done with several expanders, adding several springs to each. We place our feet shoulder width apart. Place both feet through the handles of the expanders and sit on the floor. Take the other handles with your hands, using an underhand grip, and pull them towards your shoulders. This exercise should be performed without bending your torso. When you stand up, inhale, and when you bend your legs, exhale.

Exercises with an expander for all muscle groups - Video

The first thing that Internet search engines still return for the request “expander” is an old-fashioned spring piece of iron from the arsenal of the leading members of the USSR GTO, which was gathering dust on the same balcony as the cast-iron weights. Progress has stepped far forward; nowadays there are a great many varieties of this “for all time” simulator. Today we will focus on rubber shock absorber with handles.

“Actually, that old-school progenitor of resistance bands worked great,” says Ekaterina Soboleva, fitness director of the Zupre sports club. “It’s just that most often they used it incorrectly, they tried to build muscles with it. It is a mistake to expect pure muscle growth from a modern shock absorber. It will help draw out the muscles and make them more resilient. Pulling the band after strength exercises is a good end to the workout, but you will never be able to grow your biceps by 45 cm with just an expander.”

The advantage of a modern expander is its compactness. “You can put the shock absorber in your pocket and go on vacation with it, without dragging a row of dumbbells from 1 to 10 kg to do lunges, squats, exercises for the arms, wrists, etc.,” comments Ekaterina Soboleva. — Mobility and versatility are its main advantages. With just one rubber band you can work your entire body, varying the load to suit any fitness level. The expander is great for both isolating (single-joint) exercises and functional ones. In today’s workout we will mix both.”

Exercises with an expander: general rules

1. Perform all exercises 15 repetitions, swings - 20-25 (they are simple and not energy-intensive). If you are a complete beginner, start with one set. Monitor the degree of fatigue: if you feel good at the next workout, increase the number of approaches to two; if your muscles hurt, repeat the session unchanged.

2. Be sure to warm up before training, never exercise “cold”. At the end - basic stretching as a cool-down, so that the pulse calmly drops and the muscles stretch. “A transition from active exercise to a resting phase is definitely needed,” comments Ekaterina Soboleva. “The body can react ambiguously to sudden changes in physical activity, so you need to enter and exit training smoothly.”

3. Make sure that the rubber is always in tension; if it sag, you are not working. “If possible, perform leg exercises with an expander harder - it will be more effective,” says Ekaterina Soboleva.

Exercises with an expander: a complex for beginners

Leg exercises

Squats

Legs in a different stance - one foot one step behind the other. Secure the expander under your front leg, holding the handles in your hands at shoulder level. Slowly bend both knees, keeping your hands on your shoulders. The knee of the supporting leg does not go beyond the line of the foot, the thigh is parallel to the floor, and the lower back is slightly bent. Control the position of your hands, the leg standing behind you bends at the knee, try to keep your body straight, do not lean forward. Return to the starting position. Perform 15 lunges and repeat on the other leg.

Mahi

Sit on the floor, shock absorber in your hands. Wrap it around your feet and grab a handle in each hand, elbows slightly bent, palms facing each other. The knees are also slightly bent, resting on the heels. The back is straight, maintain a natural curve in the lower back. Bend your elbows so that they slide along your body and pull the shock absorber handles to your lower ribs. Return to starting position and repeat. Do not straighten your knees completely: this makes it easier to keep your body in the correct position. Screw the shock absorber around your feet, and don’t just throw it over them: this way it won’t jump off, it will be securely fixed and won’t fall off.

Deadlift standing, elbows to the side

For this exercise, the shock absorber must be secured to the external unit. We used a wall bars. At home, it can be replaced, for example, with a massive table or cabinet. You can perform the exercise on your knees from the same point for your arms, the main thing is to maintain alignment.

Fix the shock absorber on the wall at the level of the elbow joint. Step back with your arms straight ahead to a distance of light tension on the rubber. One foot one step in front of the other, lean your shoulders and body forward slightly, straighten your chest. As you exhale, pull the handles of the expander towards your chest, spreading your elbows to the sides and bringing your shoulder blades together. As you inhale, smoothly return to the starting position. The upper shoulder girdle and the “top” of the back work.

Chest exercises

One arm forward press

Grasp the middle of the expander and bend your arm behind your back. Both of his handles are in the second working hand. The elbow is parallel to the floor and at the level of the shoulder joint. Task: straighten your arm and bring it straight to your sternum. The final point is at the level of the middle of the chest. Return to starting position and repeat. An added bonus of this exercise is that the shock absorber helps test the mobility of your shoulder joint: how easily can you clasp your hands behind your back? In this case, the rubber will stretch your arm, thereby increasing your flexibility.

Overhead triceps curl

Take a shock absorber handle in each hand and stand with your right foot touching the center of the shock absorber to the floor. Take your left one back and place it on your toes. Press your elbows close to your body and point your palms forward. Bend your elbows and pull your hands toward your shoulders. Return to starting position and repeat. If the load is insufficient, stand on the shock absorber with both feet. Still not enough? Place your feet wider.

One arm press up

Center the band by wrapping it in a ring around your right foot, both handles in your right hand, and your left hand on your waist. Feet shoulder width apart. From the starting position - leaning down and lowering your arm along your body for additional dynamics of the exercise - pull the band, leaning to the left to maximum stretch. In this exercise, the muscle is worked at the moment when it is most stretched and tense. Perform 15 bends in one direction. Change the tires. Repeat on the other side.

“Many people are afraid of bending over because they increase the volume of the oblique muscles, due to which the waist does not become aspen, but only grows,” says Ekaterina Soboleva. - If you do this exercise with dumbbells, then it will be so. The shock absorber works differently: the force vector is directed in a completely different direction, to the top point. Therefore, you can use a rubber band on your waist; you don’t need to do this with a heavy dumbbell.”

Exercises with an expander: safety precautions

1. Before starting each workout, carefully check the rubber, stretching it slightly, for snags, cuts, microcracks and tears. If you find at least one sign of damage to the integrity of the shock absorber, throw it away to avoid injury. “One unobvious hole - and at the most inopportune moment the exercise machine can fly off, burst and injure,” warns Ekaterina Soboleva. - To avoid this, you need to carefully check the tires before classes. Our club uses about 20-30 expanders per month, and this does not depend on the quality of the simulator itself.”

This is what working and damaged shock absorbers look like when tensioned. If yours looks like the one above, throw it away immediately

2. Make sure that the expander is securely fastened and will not fall off when tensioned. “A more reliable way to fix the trainer is the so-called exotic, ring twisting so that the tails hang less,” says Ekaterina Soboleva. — When winding, it is very important to center the rubber, especially if you perform symmetrical exercises, so that the same tension is felt in the starting position. When making a ring around the foot, it is important that the length of the shock absorber arms match, and the load on the right and left sides is uniform.”

3. When you press the rubber with your foot, make sure that the shock absorber is in its center. “This is the safest position, because sometimes the weight is involuntarily transferred to the heel or toes,” says Ekaterina Soboleva. “Attaching an expander under your toes or heel may not be so convenient and even painful; raising the foot in the center dampens the thickness of the shock absorber and fixes the rubber more reliably.”

4. Don't exercise barefoot. “It is imperative to perform exercises with a shock absorber in shoes,” explains Ekaterina Soboleva. — By screwing the rubber directly onto the foot, even if it is in a sock, you will create unnecessary stress on it - this is almost a guarantee that the foot will cramp. In addition, in sneakers you can be sure that the expander will not come off.”

5. It’s better to have several expanders. At least for the legs and arms. They are divided according to the degree of resistance: weak, medium, strong and ultra-strong. Weak resistance is suitable for children, teenagers, pregnant women, and older people; medium resistance is the best option for an aerobic training regimen; strong resistance will help perform leg exercises for women and basic exercises for men.

In a week we will show exercises with an expander for advanced ones. Stay tuned!

And keep your body in good shape. Thanks to its compact size, you can practice with it even at home.

What it is

An expander is a simple object, the principle of which is based on elastic deformation. Depending on its structure, it can be twisted, squeezed, compressed and stretched. Thanks to durable materials, it always returns to its original position. When performing exercises with an expander, you use many muscle groups, from your arms to your buttocks. When we exercise with an expander, we have a completely different load on the body than with other sports equipment. The whole secret lies in the power of resistance. Our muscles react to this, responding with effective results.

Types of expanders

There are a huge number of expanders for women and men, each of which can be purchased at any sports store at an inexpensive price. You can perform exercises with any proposed expander at home.

Carpal expander

The hand expander resembles a donut or is made in the form of pliers. It strengthens the hands well and is intended for people with poor circulation, joint diseases and is suitable for hypertensive patients. An excellent exercise machine for schoolchildren or people who have to write a lot. A small expander can be easily stored in a pocket, does not take up much space and weighs very little. You can take it with you and stretch your arms during breaks. 50-100 compressions on each hand are enough for training.

Chest expander (shoulder)

Sports equipment keeps the body muscles in good shape and is very useful for the back and shoulder girdle. The projectile is a simple design made of metal springs or rubber bands with comfortable handles. The chest expander loads the muscles at angles that cannot be covered when working with a barbell or dumbbells. As the expander stretches, the load on the arms and back increases, and the strength potential of the muscles increases as they contract.

Band expander

This latex elastic band (rubber band) has a certain tensile force. It differs not only in color, but also in width. It helps to stretch well, strengthens muscles and improves the mobility of our joints. Exercises with a tape expander for women help get rid of problem areas. This easy-to-use band improves flexibility and endurance. The only disadvantage of a durable tape expander is that it is impossible to change the load force during training.

Expander "Eight"

The figure eight expander consists of rubber tubes that are connected by a small part. There are handles on the sides of the expander for convenient use. Compact and very easy to use, the expander will become an indispensable tool for those who want to pump up their legs and make them slim. It trains the muscles of the limbs (inner thigh, hamstring) and lower back well.

Expander "Butterfly"

The outline of the expander resembles the wings of a butterfly, which is where it got its name. This is a good helper for working out the inner thighs, abs and gluteal muscles. It strengthens the leg muscles, trains the back, makes the arms beautiful and tightens the chest. With a comfortable and versatile exercise machine you can exercise at home.

Skier's expander

Resistance bands for a skier, wrestler or swimmer will appeal to lovers of strength training. The simulator consists of several rubber bands at once that use a large number of muscles at once. Most often they are attached to a wall or to a crossbar. The projectile is often used in sports clubs. Designed for people who need to recover from injuries.

Multifunctional expander

The expander is made of rubber or has metal springs. It trains all muscle groups in our body. Suitable for abdominal, back and chest exercises. Strengthens the muscles of the arms and legs. Along with the simulator there are special clamps for the limbs. They allow you to perform more complex exercises and increase the load.

Advantages and disadvantages

A simple expander has some advantages; this exercise machine has practically no disadvantages. It is contraindicated for people with individual intolerance to the material from which it is made. It is worth noting a huge number of its positive aspects:

• safe;
• initially it has zero load, our body itself suggests the optimal amplitude for training;
• does not require a lot of space for classes;
• you can choose the optimal length for a person’s height;
• compact and does not take up much space;
• convenient to carry;
• develops grip and impact strength;
• stimulates blood circulation and puts the central nervous system in order;
• increases endurance;
• exercises with an expander help to quickly recover from injuries;
• strengthens the muscles of the spine and chest;
• protects the spine from excess load;
• easily replaces dumbbells;
• increases muscle mass;
• acts as an anti-stress;
• There are no age or weight restrictions.

When performing exercises with an expander at home, you need to remember several rules:

• It is recommended to exercise with an expander for 20-25 minutes every day regularly, without skipping workouts;
• exercises with an expander for women should be more aimed at the lower part of the body (hips, buttocks), for men at the upper part (back, arms);
• you should not overload yourself, the load should be increased gradually;
• the number of approaches is selected individually;
• at the end of the exercises you should feel a strong strain on the muscles and a burning sensation;
• do not forget to do a short warm-up before training;
• eat right and drink plenty of water.

How to choose the right expander

What is the best expander to train muscles to achieve the desired effect? There is a myth among trainers that you cannot pump up with an expander at home. This is due to the fact that only one tool with a fixed load is used at all times. Initially, the exercises are difficult, but then the person gets used to the load, and the effectiveness tends to zero.

First you need to decide which muscle group you need to pump. It is best to use several simulators at once. The most optimal is a rubber expander in the form of tapes or tubes. Nowadays you can buy a set of expanders of varying degrees of complexity on the Internet. With their help you can adjust the load, increase it and ultimately get the desired result.

Tip: To shorten the expander, just tie a knot in a rubber tube or tape.

hand expander	strengthens arms and hands; anti-stress; Suitable for people who write a lot.
chest expander (shoulder)	maintains tone in the muscles of the back and shoulder girdle; tightens the breasts and makes them beautiful.
tape expander	stretches and strengthens the muscles of the whole body; Exercises with a band promote weight loss; improves joint mobility.
expander "Eight"	strengthens the muscles of the pleural girdle, back and chest; trains biceps and triceps.
expander "Butterfly"	strengthens the muscles of the inner thighs; removes excess fat from the back of the thigh and “ears”; trains your back and arms; makes breasts beautiful.
expanders for skiers, wrestlers, swimmers	helps to recover from injury; suitable for power loads; develops arm and back strength; is a good alternative to dumbbells.
multifunctional expander	helps train legs, back and chest muscles; convenient and multifunctional.

Exercises with an expander for women: basic rules

A set of exercises with an expander for women allows you to pump up all muscle groups. Thanks to intense physical activity, your body will always be in good shape, and you will feel great. In each workout, several conditions must be met:

1. First, do an easy set. These are simple warm-up exercises (15 reps each).
2. Then come working sets (combined exercises that are repeated one after another in a circle). Each is performed 15 times until fatigue appears.
3. The break between sets should be 1 to 2 minutes.

Exercises with a leg expander

Excellent sports exercises with an expander for women are suitable for any age. They will help pump up your hamstrings, pump up your legs and get rid of “ears”.

Lying leg curl

1. Tie the expander to a barbell or to the crossbar of a machine.
2. Lie on your stomach.
3. Secure your legs with holders that connect to the expander.
4. Lower and raise your legs. The stomach should be in close contact with the ground.

Squats

1. Fold the tape or rubber band in half.
2. Fix the elastic bands with your feet, and take the handles of the expander into your hands.
3. Gradually do squats. The back and elastic band of the tape should be straight, and the elbows should go up.

1. Tie the expander tube or band to a barbell or exercise machine.
2. Secure the leg with a holder and attach it to the expander.
3. Move a short distance so that the tape stretches well.
4. Gradually pull your leg towards you, away from you and in different directions.

Bound feet

1. Fold the expander in two or more times.
2. Attach one edge of the projectile to the left leg, the other to the right. The elastic band between them should be well stretched.
3. Lie on your back.
4. Raise your legs up.
5. Gradually spread and move your legs. When performing this technique, tension should be felt in the muscles of the limbs.

Exercises with an expander for the buttocks

A rubber band expander can replace a huge number of exercise equipment. In order to achieve beautiful curves and chic athletic forms, it is not necessary to pay a lot of money for going to the gym. Exercises with an expander for women will help tighten their curves and make them perfect at home.

Sumo squats

1. Stand on the expander tube (band) and place your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Take the handles of the expander in your hands and place them to the sides.
3. Start doing squats. It is important to ensure that your back is straight.
4. To load the gluteal muscles, you need to move your pelvis back more, spread your legs wider and lean forward, as sumo wrestlers do.
5. To complicate the task, you can bring your arms above your head.

For pumping the gluteal muscles

1. Tie the expander to a machine or barbell.
2. Lie on your back on the floor.
3. Grab the handle of the projectile with your feet or tie it to your feet.
4. Gradually raise and lower your legs, straining your buttocks.

Stork

1. With one foot, fix the position of the expander on the floor.
2. Take the handle in both hands.
3. Place your hands in different directions, pulling the elastic band well.
4. Place one leg back.
5. Hold the position for a few seconds.

Exercises with an expander for men can increase strength and slightly increase muscle mass. For girls, this is a good way to do home fitness, allowing you to tone your figure.

Types of expanders

Before analyzing the exercises, you should pay attention to the types of expanders. Today in sports stores you can find expanders for every taste and color, steel, rubber, plastic. The simplest expander is a silicone band, you can do anything with it, it is a universal equipment. Spring and others are more profiled projectiles.

Manual expander

To strengthen the muscles of the hand and forearm, there is such a thing as a wrist expander. It can be presented in the form of a donut ring, a spring, or two handles with a spring ring between them. Some of them are equipped with a repetition counter. This is very convenient when you do not 10 or 20 repetitions.

A dynamometer is an expander with a strength indicator that allows you to measure your wrist forces. This is convenient for those who are going to monitor their results. And it’s just interesting to know how many kilograms the compression force of your hand corresponds to.

These resistance bands can only strengthen the hand and forearm, so they are not considered universal.

Butterfly

A butterfly expander is a projectile shaped like the insect of the same name, consisting of ring handles and a central spring, hidden from our eyes by a plastic coating.

That is, the essence of its work is the same as that of the hand version - you squeeze the handles, overcoming the resistance of the spring. Only the size is larger, which allows you to train larger muscle groups. This apparatus is useful for training the inner thighs or pectoral muscles.

In general, all exercises that are aimed at bringing arms or legs together can be done with this expander.

Elastic bands and sticks

Exercises with an elastic band can be done on almost all muscles of the body. It can be used as a ski machine, for rowing, squats, and push-ups. In general, you can do whatever you have enough imagination for. With a tape expander you can practice striking and throwing techniques, which will be useful for MMA fighters, boxers, and combat sambo wrestlers.

Resistance bands in the form of elastic sticks are suitable for training the pectoral and back muscles.

Chest expanders

These are expanders, which are 2 handles fastened with 4-8 silicone or steel springs. They are perfect not only for the chest, but also for the back, abs, biceps, buttocks, and can partially replace the gym.

Which expander to choose

In order to decide on the choice of expander, you need to decide on the purpose of your training. What do you want to get in the end? Most men want to shake hands firmly and firmly so that the person you greet with will recognize your strength from the first handshake. For some, grip is important for other reasons.

Someone wants to strengthen their muscles at home. And some people have a very limited budget.

If money is not a problem, you can diversify your home gym a little by purchasing a number of wrist expanders (we will explain later why one will not be enough) and some kind of universal one, consisting of a rubber spring and several handles.

Several wrist expanders are needed to ensure progression of the load. You need to start with a weak compression, gradually increasing the load. Be prepared for the fact that over time you will need to purchase more rigid expanders. As a result, you can switch to all-steel shells with a thick spring and a force of up to 100 kg (if you wish, you can develop a stronger grip).

If there is no sports store near you, or the assortment in it does not suit you, type a request on the Internet and choose the one you like with home delivery. This is more convenient than going to stores and looking for inventory in person.

Exercises

Let's look at exercise options with different types of expanders.

Hand Strength Exercises

It doesn't matter which wrist projectile you use, the system will be similar.

1. Do 15-20 compressions with an expander of weak strength (warm-up).
2. Take your work resistance band and do 15-20 compressions with it. On compression 20, hold your hand in the clenched position for 30–60 seconds. Rest for a minute.
3. Perform 3-4 approaches.

On some days you can try your strength at the maximum number of compressions. Each compression should be given with a little difficulty, otherwise there is no point in the exercise.

If you feel that everything is coming too easy for you, it’s time to buy something more serious.

Chest exercises

You can exercise with a universal expander, or you can buy a profiled chest apparatus.

1. Pull the expander behind your back and grab its handles in front of you with your hands. Stretch your arms.
2. You can do an imitation of a dumbbell or barbell bench press. Since the expander rests on your back, when you press the handles away from you, the springs will create resistance for you, loading your chest.
3. You can imitate dumbbell curls from the same position.
4. You need to do 4 sets of 15 times. This exercise is unlikely to greatly increase the mass of the pectoral muscles, but it will polish the shape of the chest.

You can vary the angle of the plane in which the movement occurs relative to the floor. That is, change the direction in which you will do presses and raises. The higher you raise your arms relative to the horizontal, the more your shoulders and upper chest will be involved in the process. The lower you lower, the more the lower and inner parts of the pectoral muscles will be loaded. Do 2 exercises at different angles.

Triceps exercises

A resistance band can be very handy. Press one end of it with your foot, take the other end with your hand and imitate a dumbbell press from behind your head.

You can also attach an expander to the ceiling or any high point and do an imitation. If you attach an expander to the floor, you can try.

And the simplest option, which also pumps up your shoulders, is to imitate a barbell bench press while standing or sitting. If you have a rubber band, stand in the middle of it, and bend your arms with the ends at your elbows and bring them closer to your shoulders. Now straighten them up. Do you feel resistance? The more you pull the band, the more resistance there will be. Take advantage of this. Perform 3 sets of 15 times.

Biceps exercises

Many exercises performed with a band can also be done with a spring expander. We fix one handle on the leg, put this leg forward a little, transfer the center of gravity to it. We bend at the lower back, do not hunch.

We press our elbows to the body and do arm curls. The springs should resist you.

We repeat this exercise 15 times in 3 approaches. You can do it with both hands, but if it is too easy, do it with each hand in turn.

If you are not comfortable with exercises with a spring resistance band, you can use the above-mentioned silicone fitness band.

Exercises with a rubber expander are done in the same way - stand on the band with your feet, wrap the ends around your hands and hold them tightly. You can alternately bend your elbows, or you can bend them at the same time.

Leg exercises

Stand in the middle of the resistance band. Stretch it until you feel good resistance. Bend your arms, press your elbows to your belt, press your fists with the ends of the expander to your shoulders. Keep a natural arch in your back. This is the starting position for squats.

If you attach a band under your socks, you can perform calf raises on your calf muscles. We do this exercise for maximum repetitions.

This exercise works the calves, leg extensors, and a little of the inner thighs.

Abs and back

Stand in the middle of the band with your feet, bend over with your back straight until it is parallel to the floor. Bend your arms at the elbows and press them to your body. In this position, the tape should be tensioned.

Now, while overcoming the load, straighten your body. The back remains straight throughout the entire exercise. This movement will be similar to barbell curls.

We do 3 sets of 20 times, do not forget to bend at the waist and look only forward.

Abdominal exercise: sit on a fitness mat and attach the band behind you to something. Arms bent at the elbows, elbows at the lower back, fists at the shoulders or chin. For twisting or lifting the body, do 4 sets of 20 reps.

You can attach a band to the floor and do leg raises from a lying position. In general, there are a lot of variations.

Programming

Ideally, a set of exercises with an expander should be designed to work all muscle groups.

It makes sense to do 3-4 sets of 15-20 reps for each exercise. The expander is not a replacement for heavy basic exercises (after all, the load is much less), but it is ideal for home training. We won’t recommend gaining weight with the help of expanders, but keeping your body in good shape and working out the relief is another matter.

For girls, it is advisable to do exercises with a butterfly expander; men can ignore it.

Exercises with an expander should be done 3 times a week for the whole body, and for the hands you can exercise daily.

If you are doing maximum endurance work, you shouldn't exercise every day. Stick to a 1-to-1 schedule, that is, work out every other day.

Girls should focus on the lower body, waist, back, chest. Be sure to include squats for the buttocks and thighs in the complex. There is no emphasis on the flexors and extensors of the arms in women.

For men, it is important to strengthen their shoulders, torso, and arms on all sides. Since the expander will not give you a powerful load on your legs, you can do exercises for them simply to strengthen them.

For fighters - attach a universal expander to the wall (the expander needs to have comfortable handles), move a little away from the attachment point, taking the projectile in your hands. Stand with your back to the wall. Simulate blows; if the load is weak, move further away. This kind of shadow boxing will make your strike stronger.

I believed that exercises with an expander are especially useful when you go on a business trip without being able to take dumbbells with you, and visiting a sports club on a trip is not very convenient. Well, or if you just like bodybuilding at home. An expander can also be useful if you need to warm up and inflate your muscles before a competition, but there is no way to pull dumbbells and barbells behind the scenes of the competition. I have long known that I shouldn’t treat this simple equipment with disdain, that a good expander allows you to work out the muscles quite strongly, to feel a real burning sensation and pumping.

But I could not even imagine that the expander itself could become a full-fledged alternative to exercises with free weights or block weight machines!

In this case, you need to use a set of rubber ropes with a diameter of 0.5-1 cm as a projectile, which combine excellent elasticity and high strength (I assure you, the blow if the expander breaks is very painful).

These are the ropes that I introduced for training clients of my fitness club “Biceps”. At first, some clients were outraged and asked that all exercises be performed only on “normal” machines or with free weights. Then they were asked to perform just a couple of sets with the correct technique, after which the muscles were worked so strongly and deeply that their attitude towards this apparatus changed radically.

The principle of working with an expander is very interesting: at the point of peak muscle contraction, the load also becomes peak, so you work the muscles with high quality, with concentration at the point where you usually already rest.

In view of these features of the “rubber”, the technique of performing exercises must be strictly defined. When performing exercises with an expander, always pause for a second at the point of maximum stretching. This type of training promotes very high-quality, shocking muscle development. The day after your workout, your body hurts like you've never worked out. For my training, I use finger-thick rubber ropes about 2-2.5 meters long. The ends of the rope are tied in the form of loops, which act as handles.

Such a projectile creates a load equivalent to 30-40 kilograms of a block simulator.
You can increase the load by stacking 2, 3 or even 4 of these resistance bands together (this load may be needed when working on the latissimus dorsi). A drop set is very effective when the exercise is performed without rest with four expanders, then without rest or with a short rest (up to 30 seconds) with three, two and finally with one! After such a dropset, my lats and middle back simply exploded and hurt for several days, while rowing a 200 kg barbell to the waist for a long time did practically nothing to surprise my back.

I do not suggest completely abandoning exercises with barbells and dumbbells or using an expander instead of exercise machines and equipment. However, by supplementing your exercise routine with at least one exercise with an expander for each muscle group, you will give yourself a good shake-up and get a powerful boost to improving your muscles.

“Rubber” is a great tool for “finishing off” at the end of a workout, you get a stunning pump and burn! The effect is doubled if you work with a partner who will help with each repetition, but only in the most difficult phase of the movement.

This training method looks like this: you linger at that point of stretching the expander, beyond which you no longer have enough strength to stretch it, then you pause for one second trying to stretch the rubber at least another millimeter, then a partner joins in and slowly, smoothly helps you extend the movement even more literally by 5-7 centimeters.

Literally two or three approaches of fifteen such double repetitions and the deltoids are incredibly swollen and become unusually “striped”, which does not happen (to such a huge extent) after a drop set with a barbell or dumbbells!

Below you can familiarize yourself with the technique of some exercises with an expander.

1. Standing raises for the middle deltoids

2) Take a standing position, feet shoulder-width apart, holding the loops (handles) of the expander in your hands;

2. Bent-over raises for the rear deltoids

1) Step on the resistance band or securely fasten it at the bottom to pull in an up and down direction;
2) Take a standing position in an inclined position, feet shoulder-width apart, in your hands the loops (handles) of the expander;
3) Swap the handles of the expander (cross the expanders) to work in a trajectory that is optimal for the deltas;
4) Spread your slightly bent arms to the sides, at the top point (at shoulder height) take a short pause;
5) Make sure that your arms are perpendicular to your torso throughout the entire range of motion.

3. Standing arm raise to work the chest muscles

1) Attach an expander at chest height (for a general chest workout) to pull in a horizontal direction, or simply step on it to work in an inward-upward direction (in this option, you will work the top of the pectoral muscle);
2) Take a standing position, with your feet wider than your shoulders, holding the loops (handles) of the expander in your hands;
3) Holding one hand with an expander at your waist, perform an approach with the other hand;
4) Move your arm from outside to inside slowly and under control, contracting the pectoral muscle;
5) The arm should always be slightly bent and fixed at the elbow joint;
6) Having achieved maximum contraction of the pectoral muscle, pause for a second and smoothly return to the starting position.

4. Standing rows to work the back muscles

1) Attach the expander at waist height or slightly lower, you can just stand on it (in this option you will work in an incline);
2) Take a standing position, feet shoulder-width apart, arms straightened at waist level holding the loops (handles) of the expander, the expander is slightly stretched;
3) Having slightly bent your knees and squatting to increase your balance, perform two-handed rows to your waist, simultaneously squeezing your shoulder blades;
4) Pulling your hands to your belt as much as possible, feel how your back muscles contract;
5) Having achieved maximum muscle contraction, pause for a second and smoothly return to the starting position.

5. Standing arm curls to train biceps

1) Step on the resistance band or securely fasten it at the bottom to pull in an up and down direction;
2) Take a standing position, feet shoulder-width apart, arms straight down holding the loops (handles) of the expander, the expander is slightly stretched;
3) Having slightly bent your knees and squatting to increase balance, bend your elbows while supinating your hands;
4) Bend your elbows as much as possible, but keeping your elbows pressed to your body, feel how your biceps contract;
5) Having achieved maximum contraction of the biceps, pause for a second and smoothly return to the starting position.

6. Bent-over arm extensions to work the triceps

1) Attach the expander at waist height or slightly lower, you can simply stand on it (both options are performed in an incline, just in the second option the inclination is done until the body is parallel to the floor, and in the first option a half-inclination is enough);
2) Keeping your back straight and tense, bend forward slightly bending your knees, fix your arms bent at the elbows on the sides of the body;
3) Keeping your torso and elbows stationary, fully straighten both arms until you contract your triceps to maximum;
4) Having achieved muscle contraction, pause for a second and smoothly return to the starting position.

7. Bends to work the lower back and hamstrings

1) Step on the resistance band or securely fasten it at the bottom to pull in an up and down direction;
2) Take a standing position, feet shoulder-width apart, loops (handles) of the expander in your hands, back straight and tense, shoulder blades retracted;
3) In this starting position, the expander should be stretched to its maximum;
4) Keeping your legs and arms straight and without bending your back, bend forward, feeling how your hamstrings stretch (if you have weak lower back muscles, you should always keep your legs slightly bent at the knees);
5) Return to the starting position.

8. Squats to train quads and glutes

1) Step on the expander, while holding your hands with the loops of the expander on your shoulders;
2) Take a standing position, the expander should be stretched as much as possible;
3) Keeping your back straight, move your pelvis back and squat until your legs bend at an angle of 90 degrees;
4) Although your back is straight in the spine at all times, at the lowest point you lean forward 45 degrees to maintain balance;
5) When squatting, rest on the heels of your feet, make sure that your knees remain strictly above your heels and do not move forward (otherwise the load on your knees will increase sharply);
6) Return to the starting position.