Those with one or two bands lying around will be happy to know that the benefits go beyond strength training and makeshift trebuchets. 

Not only does it give you a great option for training muscle without having to pay through the nose for a few rusty 5 kg dumbbells, it can also be repurposed to stretch out stubborn limbs.

In this case, you’ll probably want the green band, as the lighter ones won’t pack as much resistance to hold you in place. Either way, this is a big upgrade over simply holding a static stretch, which is fast becoming obsolete in the mobility world anyway.

Static Stretching

Involves 15-30 seconds of holding a lengthened position and hoping it works

Quickly evolves into the most boring part of your routine

Doesn’t necessarily work

The band on the other hand is elastic and stable, allowing natural motion during stretches. This enables you to go through phases of stretching and relaxing, which cues the nervous system to relax tight areas. In other words, there’s an actual mechanism here, as opposed to holding and hoping.

How you breathe is going to play a huge role in getting the nervous system to drop back. Here’s a simple guide that can get nailing any stretch with the PNF method.

Guide To Stretching With A Band

1. Find a good stretch

2. Breathe in fully and hold your breath as you tense the tight area (5-10 seconds)

3. Relax and fully breathe out while going further into the stretch

4. Once you’ve found your new comfortable limit, maintain slow, deep nasal breaths until ready to tense again (5-10 seconds)

5. Repeat until you stop seeing changes

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Hope this helps. Let me know what your favourite stretches are! And head to my blog to see more than a hundred articles dedicated to perfecting the fitness lifestyle.