Move It Mountain View-The Spri Band Edition

The Spri Band is one of my favorite pieces of portable fitness equipment.

It's inexpensive, lightweight, fits into a suitcase easily and offers versatility in small spaces. Spri Bands come in a variety of styles and resistances, so experiment to find one that fits with your fitness level. Better yet, get two bands that offer a different level of resistance, so you can vary your workout and increase or decrease the intensity of an exercise as needed.

The following three exercises are some of my tried and true Spri Band winners. Each one of them is low-impact, beginner friendly, and works more than one muscle group at a time, giving you the most bang for your fitness buck.

Walking Tick Tocks: Stand on the middle of the Spri Band, holding the handles in both hands. You can bring your hands up to shoulder height, palms facing away from you, or bring them to waist height to decrease the intensity. Squat down slightly and take baby steps to the right. After about eight to twelve steps, stand up and, keeping the abs tight and the knees soft, lift the right leg directly out to the side and then return it to the floor. Then lift the left leg directly to the side and return it to the floor. Continue alternating legs for eight to twelve repetitions before returning to your half squat position and walking eight to twelve steps back to the left. Continue back and forth in the is pattern for two minutes, or as long as you can.

Walking Tick tocks strengthens the outer thighs and glutes. If you move quickly through the walking segment and tighten up the abdominals during the Tick Tocks, you will notice an increased heart rate as well as core strengthening as well.

Around the Worlds: Remain standing on the middle of the Spri Band, holding the handles, but this time lower your arms straight down in front of you and turn the palms toward your body. Lift the band straight out in front of you and up to shoulder height. Then open the arms wide, so that the arms make the top part of the letter T. Then lower the hands down by your side to complete one repetition. Repeat eight to twelve times.

Around the Worlds work the front and back of the shoulders, the back, the biceps, the chest and the triceps.

Hamstring Curls: Place the Spri Band handle through the other handle to create a loop. Place one foot in that loop and tighten up on the band so that your foot is secure. With your other foot, step about halfway up the band, so that you have a bout a foot of band between your feet. Extend the looped foot behind you, lean slightly forward, flex the foot, and bend at the knee so that your heel comes to your seat. Repeat these curls eight to twelve times on each side.

These curls will not just work your hamstrings, but will engage the muscles in your glutes, calves, and abdominals as well.

Circuit through these moves for a minimum of three times each and you will feel a serious burn!

You can find Spri Bands here in Mountain View at or . Try one out and let us know what you think!

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