Bodytalk
Question: Is using rubber tubing a good alternative to lifting weights? Rubber tubing
can be useful
in trainingAnswer: Rubber tubing and elastic bands are not the equipment of choice among serious weight lifters, but they can be useful for some other groups of exercisers.
They are a helpful aid for individuals rehabilitating from an injury. Rubber tubing also serves the needs of older adults and senior exercisers, and people who are reluctant to use free weights can benefit from their use as well.
Their advantages include low cost, safety and especially versatility - the number of exercises using elastic tubing is limited only by your imagination. And if storage space is at a premium, elastic tubing is just the ticket.
For people who travel a lot and are unwilling to completely give up their resistance workouts while on the road, tubing is sufficient, not to mention very convenient. All one need do is roll them up. They take up very little suitcase space and weigh next to nothing.
The main disadvantage to exercising with tubing is the lack of uniform resistance throughout the range of motion of an exercise. There is less resistance at the beginning and increased resistance at the end of the movement. That's just the opposite of real life movement patterns. The resistance of any movement in real life is greater at the beginning, and it becomes easier as the movement continues. Consequently, training in this manner isn't consistent with sport-specific resistance training such as you can achieve with free weights.
Another disadvantage is it is hard to gauge or measure a person's progress when their resistance program consists of tubing exclusively. Of course, any form of exercise is better than no exercise at all. And it's my experience that individuals who start out using elastic or rubber tubing eventually graduate to exercising with free weights.
Most sporting goods stores sell a variety of elastic bands and rubber tubing. I recommend rolls; that way you can cut the length you want.
Also, purchasing an instruction booklet can save you time.
Q: If I eat before a 10K race I get stomach cramps, but if I don't, I get so tired before the end of the race that I might as well have never even started. What do you recommend?
A: The trick to completing a 10K race, all the while feeling your best, is to plan ahead.
Eat a carbo-rich meal two nights before the race. That's about how long it takes for the muscles to load up on glycogen.
Eat around 8 grams of carbohydrate for every kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body weight. A hefty portion of pasta, a couple of slices of Italian bread, and a big green salad should do it for you.
Then on race day, three hours before the starting shot, top off your fuel tank with a small meal containing carbs, protein and a little fat, something like a small portion of oatmeal, a quarter of a banana, three ounces of 1 percent milk, and a slice of whole wheat toast with a small pat of butter.
Make sure you test any new eating regimen in training; race day is no time to experiment.
Health Events
Stephenie Karony is a certified health
and fitness instructor, a personal trainer and the author of
"Body Shaping with Free Weights." Send questions to her at
P.O. Box 262, Wailuku Hi. Her column appears on Wednesdays.