Training on vacation

I'm going away on vacation soon and I'd like to take my resistance bands with me so that I can keep with my training routine. But having never used the bands before can anyone suggest some exercises I can do with them for upper body work?

Thanks in advance!

Jabs/punches: Tie them around something at shoulder level, or wrap them around your arms so that there's a lot of tension for when you do this: do 50 jabs/punches on each side.

Normal rep stuff you can do:

Step into the center of the band and put one end in each hand. Treat them as you would hand weights and pull up and down, keeping resistence. You do a lot of things with them, overhead stretches too. You might consider getting a book or video for demonstrations.

Hope that helps stir some ideas up.

I travel alot so purchased a set of bands they came with a little pamphlet with exercise suggestions.i could only find medium resistance so tied a knot in it which gives you a little bit more resistance

Here are some exercise descriptions right from the pamphlet:

chest press: stand with legs slightly bent and shoulder width apart. place tube around upper back and under arms. hold handles at chest level and press arms forward so arms straighten and hands come together. return slowly and repeat.

diagonal chest cross: sit tall and anchor the tube under your buttocks. working one arm at a time, grip handle and start with the arm down by side. slowly exten the arm up and across the chest. return to starting position and repeat. keep opposite arm resting on your thigh.

overhead press: stand on the middle of the tube and hold handles at shoulder height with the tube behind your arms. start with elbows level to the chest and press the arms up overhead, palms facing forward. lower back to beginning position and repeat.

stand on the tube for lateral raises

seated rows: sit on the floor with legs out in front of you, loop the band around your feet for rows

bicep curls, standing on tube

overhead extensions for triceps, sitting or standing on tube (depending on resistance)

My favorite upper-body exercise to do though while traveling is the pushup. You can do them with the wide-hand position, close-hand position, feet on floor, feet up on a chair, etc.

Hope this helps, and have a great vacation!

Seated row (back): Sit on the floor and grasp one handle. Wrap the tubing around a bedpost or some type of anchor close to the ground and grab the other handle. Sit back so that there is tension on the elastic when your arms are extended forward. Extend your legs in front of you with your knees slightly bent. Pull the handles so that your elbows form right angles as you squeeze your shoulder blades together.

Bring your elbows back as far as you can, keeping your spine neutral. Slowly let your arms extend back to the starting position and begin your second repetition. Be sure not to slouch.

Bench press (chest): Secure the center of the tubing at chest level and face away from the anchor, grabbing the handles in each hand. Begin with your thumbs at your armpits and step far enough away from the anchor that at this starting position the tube is not gapping. Fully extend your arms in front of your body. Slowly release to the starting position and repeat.

Military press (shoulders): Stand on the center of the band with feet shoulder-width apart. With your palms facing forward and hands by your shoulders, extend your arms straight up while keeping your back straight (do not arch your back) and abdominal muscles tight. Slowly lower and repeat.
Tubing Safety Tips


Triceps extension (triceps): Step on the tubing and pull one handle up behind your head. Bring your elbow up close to your ear and, beginning with your arm bent behind you, extend straight up until your arm is straight. You may use your other arm to hold your elbow in close to your head. Slowly lower back to the starting position and switch arms.

Biceps curl (biceps): Step on one end of the exercise band and grab the handle with the same hand. Be sure that when your arm is extended down by your side, there is some tension on the tubing. With your palm facing forward, bend your elbow, bringing your hand up toward your shoulder. Keep your wrist straight and bend only at the elbow. Slowly release and repeat. If you are using light resistance you may be able to stand on the center of the tube and work both arms simultaneously.

Squats (quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes): Stand on the tubing so that you are centered. Grab the handles with both hands and stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Hold the handles up by your shoulders and bend as if you are going to sit in a chair. Return to standing and repeat. Be sure to keep a flat back and contract your abdominal muscles.

Kneeling crunches (abdominals): Anchor the tubing above your head and let the handles drop down. Kneel on the floor with the anchor behind you. Hold the handles with your hands up by your ears and elbows in. Bending from the waist, curl down, bringing your head toward your knees and keeping the handles locked by your ears. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat.

are those bands any good ?

Suitcase Workout
(30 minutes total program time.)

1. 5-minute stretching routine-Use the towel to stretch the hamstrings.
2. 5-minute warm-up-Walk, jog, run in place, jump rope, jumping jacks or combination of all of these.
3. 3-minutes of abdominals exercise-Lie down on your back and do crunches, with legs up and crossed to protect the lower back. Then exercise your oblique muscles, crossing one leg over the other at the ankles and bringing your opposite elbow to knee. Do both sides. For your "lower" abdominals, bring your legs straight up and cross them. Feeling the work in the lower section of your abdominals, raise your pelvis off the ground approximately one inch and repeat.
4. 2 minutes of squats- Use the water bottles in your hands.
5. 2 minutes of lunges-Use the water bottles in your hands.
6. 2 minutes of side leg raises, lying on the floor
7. 2 minutes of glut kickbacks, ending with straight leg pulses
8. 1 minute of biceps curls, using the water bottles.
9. 1 minute of triceps work with water bottles extended over head, or using chair dips
10. 1 minute of seated shoulder press with water bottles
11. 1 minute of side lateral raises with water bottles
12. 1 minute of seated rear lateral raises with water bottles
13. 2 minutes of pushups-Do two sets to max.
14. 2 minutes of seated rows with towel-Wrap the towel around a bed frame leg or other stationary object and pull yourself in instead of pulling the weight out.