The FitKit Resistance Band System was developed by SportCord in the early 1980’s by physical therapist Topper Hagerman and athletic trainer John Atkins as a means to keep the US Olympic Ski Team in shape while traveling. It proved to be an effective tool for maintaining strength and rehabilitating athletic injuries and is now used by athletes and physical trainers worldwide. FitLot Circuit Training classes integrate usage of the FitKit Resistance Band System. The bands can be easily attached to the park’s many attachment sites to add stations. This provides more variability to classes and increased scalability of exercises and movements, which allows the inclusion of many different fitness levels and helps participants meet their individual fitness goals.
The FitKit Resistance Band System is very portable, lending to easy set up and removal. Black bands are heavy resistance, good for lower body movements like squats and lunges. Red or Blue resistance bands are medium resistance.
The FitLot Outdoor Fitness Park has 30 different attachment sites for resistance bands located on the upright beams of the shade structure at ankle, waist and shoulder height.
What does science say about training with resistance bands and tubing?
- – Training with resistance bands, incorporating elastic tension, is an effective way to increase strength (Bellar et al. 2011).
- – Elastic tubing can serve as a practical and effective means of eliciting strength gains in adults over the age of 65 in home-based resistance training programs (Mikesky et al. 1994).
- – Combining elastic resistance bands and traditional weight training is linked to increased peak power and peak force, thus increased athletic performance (Wallace et al. 2006).