Home Training with Bands and Sliders

Amid the recent COVID-19 outbreak, I’ve shared some home exercise videos to social media over the past few days. As long time readers will attest, I’ve been an advocate of home-based/low-tech workouts for the past 20+ years. With that in mind, I’m happy to share what’s worked well for me. Two examples include resistance bands and furniture sliders. Both are relatively inexpensive and quite useful for home training and/or when traveling.

Resistance Band Training

First, you’ll find a video demonstration of several resistance band exercises. Throughout the video, I am using 41-inch bands from Iron Woody Fitness. I’ve had the same set of bands for many years and haven’t had any problems. There are other reputable suppliers though so be sure to shop around. For example, a quick search of Amazon will provide additional options (ex. Serious Steel). I wouldn’t expect to find too much of a difference between the more popular brands.

As for the handle used within the video, it’s a homemade tool that I first discussed in 2011 (see here). I also use 2-inch PVC pipe for seated rows and tricep pushdowns.

Furniture Slider Training

Furniture sliders are yet another inexpensive option for home training. I’ve used the same pair for over 10 years. The sliders are intended to be used on carpet and are 9-1/2 by 5-3/4 inches. They can be purchased at most hardware stores or via Amazon (see here).

To increase the speed of the sliders, add a few drops of a water glass repellent such as Rain-X. Working from a thin carpet is also preferable. Thicker carpets will reduce the speed of the sliders. Personally, I keep a thin strip of carpet in my garage solely for the sliders. I keep it rolled up when not in use, and lay it down whenever performing a slider exercise.

Final Thoughts

In summary, this is just a brief entry to answer some of the questions that I’ve seen on social media over the past few days. If you have any additional questions about bands, sliders, or any other home-based exercise or routine, feel free to shoot me an email or comment below. I am happy to assist, particularly during these uncertain times.

Stay strong and stay safe.

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