Workout Wednesday - Resistance Bands

Not all working out happens at the gym!

I'll admit it. I've really slacked off when it comes to workout out! In Mexico I was always WALKING somewhere, but now, I seem to be driving everywhere. That, and the stress of starting a new school year were not good for my body.

So, this year I have my school year resolution! I have to do SOMETHING active every day. In can be ANYTHING. Shopping, walking an extra lap around the school,  pedaling a bit, doing crunches... anything, but I have to do it with the intent of being active. No thinking, "Well I played with my niece earlier so that counts." This has to be something I am really thinking about. If I purposefully jump in the pool to be active with my niece, it counts.

I haven't been the best at it, but part of what has helped me is I am starting to do a lot in my classroom.

My students went one-to-one this year which means that they have their own laptops in class. This means I am getting a bit creative. We're doing a lot of videos (animated and live). This is great, but it means I have to spend a lot of time sitting down and watching them.

Ugh, more sitting time right? Kinda. First off I don't need to be sitting to watch videos. I can stand and watch them while actually moving! Reference ID: pmdd6e83b6da55d90f5740e0dd3f3e5a13

Click this image to go straight to Amazon

See I recently got these resistance bands from Egnergy fitness for free to try out and let them know what I thought. They are pretty cool! Super easy for me to pack in my purse (or even pocket) and take wherever I am going. While I have done a bit with the home-school and back, now these pretty much stay in "my" class drawer (the one with my coffee, Chapstick etc.). When I am about to start grading videos, I just pop out my resistance bands and watch while doing something.

What do you do with resistance loops? Tons! I found some YouTube videos I like, and there are some tips on random websites as well.

An easy way to use the bands is "lateral walking" Slip one side around one ankle and the other side around the other loose but secure. Now move your right leg to the right tightening the band, then move your left leg close to your right leg (basically walk sideways). The resistance makes the walking take a bit more effort! However, the action is easy enough it doesn't require a lot of my focus. There are also workouts that focus on my weak upper arm strength, (a big one for me). I've only been using these about a month, but in a few cases I've found that I need to start selecting higher resistance bands (as the lower ones just don't push me hard enough). I am IMPROVING!

Now if you already have resistance bands, or can snag some from a friend, I am sure they're awesome and will work great. I've never used any other brand, so my statements are only valid for these.

Here's what I like:

• They come with a great warranty (no being afraid it'll snap and I am done)
• They have five different strengths (I an adjust resistance as needed)
• They are ridiculously easy to transport
• The different colors make it easy for me to grab one and not have to look and read carefully
• They let me do lots of different activities (it isn't just arms or just legs)
• They are thick so they don't cut off circulation or pinch when I am working out

Normally priced at $50, these resistance bands are only $16.75 now, and (here's the good part), I am hosting a giveaway! That's right, you can get these for free! All you have to do for a chance to win is comment below with how you fit your workouts in. It's OK if you haven't been fitting your workouts in this year, just share what has helped you in the past, or your plans to change your habits. Anything that may help another teacher improve.

There are other opportunities to increase your chances to win: answer a quick survey about when you workout, follow me on Twitter, or like Egnergy Fitness on Facebook.