| How to Select Resistance Bands Posted: 04 Jul 2021 01:00 AM PDT Resistance bands are one of the most popular options out there when it comes to workout equipment. These flexible latex bands look like small loops made out rubber or latex, and they typically come in color-coded sets of 4, 5, 6, or 8 depending on how many options you'd like. Not only are they incredibly versatile in terms of the exercises you can do with them, but they're super easy to store, they're cheap, and you can take them with you basically anywhere. But with so many products out there, you may be wondering which set is right for you. The good news is that most resistance band sets are more or less interchangeable, and it's way more important to understand how to select the proper level of resistance than it is to choose the fanciest brand. [Edit]Are resistance bands color coded? - Yes, and the colors are basically universal among the major brands. There may be some very minor variation in strength and resistance from one brand of bands to another, but basically every band uses the same color-coding system.[1] The most popular sets out there are usually have 4, 5, 6, or 8 bands in them. There's usually a reference card that comes with every set as well. Regardless, this is typically what the colors mean:[2]
- Tan—XX-light
- Yellow—X-light
- Red—Light
- Green—Medium
- Blue—Heavy
- Black—X-heavy
- Silver—XX-heavy
- Gold—XXX-heavy
- If you're ever unsure, assume the lighter colors have less resistance. There are a handful of niche brands that like to play around with the colors for branding reasons, and who can blame you if you lose that tiny reference card that comes with these sets? If you're ever unsure, just assume that the lighter colors have less resistance and the darker colors have more resistance. On top of that, the thicker the band is, the more resistance there will be. All things considered, it shouldn't be too hard to figure out which bands have more resistance.[3]
- If you're worried about losing track of which band is which, label each band by writing the resistance level on them with a permanent marker as soon as you buy them.
[Edit]What set of resistance bands should I buy? - Get standard large loop bands if you want versatility. The vast majority of resistance bands are large loop bands. They're closed loops with no handles, and they give you the highest number of options when it comes to available workouts. They come in a variety of different lengths, but you can always wrap them around your anchor or feet more than once to artificially make them shorter if necessary.[4]
- If you know you won't need a ton of resistance or you're buying the bands to do physical therapy exercises at home, buy therapy bands. They're the same thing as loop bands, but these sets usually have a lighter resistance.[5]
- Buy mini-bands if you're a little short on space. Mini-bands are the same thing as large loop bands, except they're a lot smaller and the resistances are condensed. In other words, a light large loop band and a light mini-band will provide the same level of resistance, but you won't need to pull the light band out super far. This makes them ideal if you're doing home workouts in a small space.[6]
- With mini-bands, you may not be able to do a lot of standing exercise where the bands wrap around your feet, but you can actually use them for a variety of exercises where they wrap around your ankles, thighs, and wrists, which can be difficult with bigger bands.
- There are also figure-8 bands out there. They usually have handles, and they're designed for upper body exercises. They aren't super popular, but they're a good choice if you only want the bands for a handful of chest and arm exercise.[7]
- Get bands with handles if you want a better grip. If you only want the resistance bands for upper body exercises and you want maximum wrist comfort, buy a set with handles. These bands are typically a little more expensive, but they're worth it if you want to keep your hands comfortable while you're working out![8]
- Since you can only hold the handles with your hands, you can't do any lower body exercise where the bands need to be wrapped around your legs.
[Edit]How do I choose a resistance band? - Start with the lowest resistance band and do 15 reps to see how you feel. If you're new to working out with resistance bands, grab the band with the lowest level of resistance. Do 15 reps of whatever exercise you plan on doing. If it's too easy for you that you aren't feeling any meaningful tension, move up a resistance level and repeat the process. Once you feel a burn after 15 reps, that's your band.[9]
- If you're using resistance bands for rehab, follow your doctor's instructions regarding the resistance level.
- If you've been lifting weights and working out regularly for a while now and you're just adding resistance bands to your repertoire, use whatever tension you'd like. You should be able to tell which band suits you best for a given exercise.
[Edit]When should I change the band I'm using? - Move up a level whenever an exercise gets too easy for you. As a rule of thumb, you want to feel the burn after 15 reps of a given exercise. If you aren't feeling sweat beads forming on your forehead after a given set, move up to the next band to keep challenging yourself. Keep doing this until you reach a level where the exercise is challenging and you're feeling the burn, but you can still get through the set.[10]
- The exception here is if you're using the resistance bands for physical therapy after an injury. In that case, just listen to your doctor or physical trainer.
[Edit]How do I know if I'm using the wrong resistance band? - So long as you control the band and feel the burn, it's fine for you. Lighter bands are likely better if you want to tone muscle and build endurance, while heavier bands are probably going to be better for building strength. With that said, so long as you're exhausting your muscles by the end of your workout you're going to benefit from the exercise.[11] The only way a band can be wrong for you is if it's so easy to use that you don't feel anything, or the band is so strong that you can't physically control the movements.[12]
- If you're rehabbing an injury, use a lighter resistance if you feel pain. If a certain resistance band is causing your injury to flare back up or you feel pain while you're using it, stop. Switch to a lighter band that's easier for you to use. If you're in physical therapy, let your trainer know that it's causing you issues so they can pick something more appropriate for you. Resistance bands are popular in treatment settings because they're so flexible and easy to use, but these exercises shouldn't hurt.[13]
- You don't want the band to be so easy to move that you have to stretch it out super far to accomplish an exercise. It's rare, but the bands can snap if you pull them out too far.
[Edit]What can beginners do with resistance bands? - Anything you can do with dumbbells, you can do with resistance bands. There's really no shortage of workout options with these bands, which is partly why they're so popular.[14] For example, if you want to do a bicep curl, just wrap the band around your foot to anchor it and lift the top of the band up by hand. If you want to do a squat, pin the band down with both feet and hold the other end of the band behind your shoulders with both hands while you do your squats.[15]
- You can do abductions, chest presses, lateral raises, triceps extensions, crunches, and lat pulldowns as well. In fact, that circuit adds up to a total body workout![16] This is part of why resistance bands are so popular—they're easy to use in a multitude of ways to get a full workout at home.
- Be sure to anchor the resistance bands properly—you could be injured if you fall while you're using them.[17]
[Edit]Do resistance bands build muscle? - Absolutely; in fact, they might be better than free weights! Free weights are fixed while you're using them in the sense that a dumbbell stays the same weight while you're using it, regardless of where you are in a movement. Resistance bands get harder to use the more you stretch them. As a result, your muscle experiences more strain as you extend your range of motion. Not only is this gradual increase in resistance safer for your joints, but this may increase your overall gains.[18]
- Don't use a really high level of resistance if you aren't ready for it just because you want to bulk up. You can achieve a nearly-identical level of muscle gain by doing a large number of reps so long as your muscles are exhausted by the end of the workout![19]
- Eventually, you might need to switch to weights as you get stronger, but weights can be a great way to get started training.[20]
[Edit]References __QAM__ |
| How to Do Fourth of July Nails Posted: 03 Jul 2021 05:00 PM PDT On the Fourth of July, you want your patriotism to shine all the way down to the tips of your fingers! For the best Independence Day nail look, you can choose between stars and stripes, polka dots, and glitter to reflect your natural style and spirit. Experiment and let your creativity run wild for a unique look that's all-American and all you! [Edit]Painting Basic Stars and Stripes - Apply a clear base and let it dry. A base coat of clear polish will protect your nails and help the colored polish stick. Apply it to all of your nails and let it dry before moving on.
- Paint your nails white, then let them dry. For a faster drying time, paint one thin layer of white polish, let it dry, then apply the second. Allow both coats to dry fully before moving on.[1]
- Paint 4-5 thin red lines on each nail with a striper. Place a strip of clear tape right under your cuticle. Then, using a nail striper and red polish, paint from just past the edge of your cuticle all the way up to the tip of your nail to create a thin, smooth line. Make 4-5 lines across the nail, spacing them equally as best you can.[2]
- Repeat on the nails you're painting, then let the stripes dry for about 15 minutes before moving on.
- If you don't have a striper, you can make your own or use a toothpick. You can also buy a striper online or in beauty stores.
- Create a thicker horizontal blue line across the top of the nail. Use a regular nail polish brush to dab a blue line across the top half of your nail. Start from about the middle of your nail and use short strokes towards the tip to make a straight blue line.[3]
- If you want your line to be perfectly straight, place a piece of scotch tape over the lower half of your nail and paint from the edge up to the nail's tip.
- Repeat on all your stars and stripes nails and let them dry for 15 minutes.
- Place 5-8 white dots across the blue with a dotting tool. Dip a small dotting tool into your white nail polish and use it to carefully dot the blue of your flag. You can add as many dots as you want, but 5-8 placed in a scattered, random formation tends to look best.[4]
- Let the dots dry for 10 minutes on each nail.
- If you don't have a dotting tool, you can use a toothpick or the tip of a Q-tip. To buy a dotting tool, look in beauty stores and online.
- Paint a flag on all your nails or just 2 for an accent. You can paint this busier pattern onto your thumb and ring finger, then fill out the rest of your nails with a solid blue or cherry red for a trendy, eye-catching look. You can also apply the flag design to all your fingers for a more uniform style.
- Apply a top coat to finish. After your flag nails have dried, paint on a clear topcoat to seal the design and prevent it from chipping. Remember to wait until your nails are completely dry to avoid messing up your design.[5]
- Buy a nail sticker kit for an easier application. Most Fourth of July nails require some time and effort, including applying different coats and using a few different tools, like a striper and dotting tool. If you don't have the time or the tools, use a Fourth of July nail sticker kit for a cute but lower-effort look.
- With a nail kit, you'll paint one solid color and stick patriotic stickers on top. Many kits come with simple stars and stripes as well as "USA" stickers and other patriotic designs.
- You can buy a kit online or at craft and beauty stores.
- Follow the instructions in the kit to apply and remove your nail stickers.
[Edit]Making Red, White, and Blue Polka Dots - Apply a clear base and let it dry. A base coat of clear polish will protect your nails and help the colored polish stick. Apply it to all of your nails and let it dry before moving on.
- Apply a white polish to start your design. Paint the white in 2 thin coats to help it dry more quickly. Then, let the polish harden and dry for 15 minutes or so before going on to your polka dots.[6]
- Add different-sized red dots to your nail with a dotting tool. Starting with a large-sized dotting tool, place 2-3 red dots in the lower, cuticle portion of your nail. Switch to a medium size to add 3-4 dots towards the middle of your nail, then use a small dotting tool and put 4-5 dots in the top portion. Leave a strip of white at the top to create a tapering effect.[7]
- Continue adding red dots on each of your nails and allow them to dry for about 10 minutes. You can add dots to all your nails, or just to your ring finger and thumb for a bubbly accent.
- You'll be using your dotting tools with different colors, so clean them as per their package instructions before moving on.
- If you don't have a dotting tool, you can use a toothpick or the tip of a Q-tip. To buy a dotting tool, look in beauty stores and online.
- Use blue and silver polishes to add more polka dots. Use the same dotting process with a royal blue color on each nail, then switch to silver. Allow some of your dots to overlap to create depth, going for a natural, scattered look.[8]
- Let the dots dry for about 10 minutes in between colors.
- Apply a top coat to finish. After your dots have dried, paint on a clear topcoat to seal the design and prevent it from chipping. If you're applying the polka dots as an accent, wait for the topcoat to dry before painting the rest of your nails bright red or royal blue.[9]
[Edit]Creating Patriotic Glitter Nails - Apply a clear base and let it dry. A base coat of clear polish will protect your nails and help the colored polish stick. Apply it to all of your nails and let it dry before moving on.
- Paint on a metallic silver polish. After your clear base coat dries, apply 2 thin layers of metallic silver, giving them time to dry in between. Let the polish harden for about 15 minutes before moving on.[10]
- This Fourth of July nail art looks best with all fingers, rather than mixing with solids as an accent.
- Apply a red glitter polish from your cuticle to halfway up the nail. Using a regular nail polish brush, paint a coat of dark red glitter onto the lower half of your nail. Start with short, careful upwards strokes from the cuticle to midway up the nail, then neaten the edge of the layer by painting horizontally.[11]
- Repeat on all your nails and let them dry for 10-15 minutes.
- Use a blue glitter polish on the top half of your nail. Using a regular nail polish brush, apply a dark or royal blue glitter polish from the tip of your nail to the middle, leaving a strip of silver just above the red. Repeat on the rest of your nails and let them dry for about 15 minutes.[12]
- Paint silver over the middle, overlapping with the red and blue. Reinforce the middle strip by covering it with silver glitter polish, using a nail striper for the best application. Paint horizontally right over the strip, then spread small, thin vertical strokes over the red and blue sections.[13]
- Continue adding vertical silver stripes, stretching them almost to the tip and cuticle of the nail, until the transitions between colors start to look more seamless. Repeat on the rest of your nails.
- If you don't have a nail striper, use a toothpick to apply the silver.
- Blend the silver with small strokes of blue and red. Repeat this blending, striping process with the same red and blue glitter colors as before. Extend short strokes of red up into the silver, and paint stripes of blue downwards to subtly blend the colors.[14]
- You don't have to wait for the silver polish dry before adding the red and blue stripes. Applying them while the silver is wet will allow the colors to mix and create a smooth gradient.
- Repeat on all of your nails. The finished look should have a natural fade from red to silver to blue.
- Remember to clean your brush in between coats so you don't mix colors.
- Let your nails dry and apply a clear topcoat. Let the glitter polish set and dry for 15-20 minutes. Then, apply a clear topcoat to seal and smooth out the design.[15]
- For a simpler, more subtle look, go with a solid coat of red or blue, or alternate red, white, and blue between fingers.
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Basic Stars and Stripes - Nail sticker kit (optional)
- Clear nail polish for base coat
- White nail polish
- Red nail polish
- Blue nail polish
- Nail striper or toothpick
- Dotting tool or Q-tip
- Scotch tape (optional)
[Edit]Red, White, and Blue Polka Dots - Clear nail polish for the base and topcoat
- White nail polish
- Red nail polish
- Blue nail polish
- Silver nail polish
- Dotting tool or Q-tip
[Edit]Patriotic Glitter Nails - Clear nail polish for the base and topcoat
- Metallic, glittery silver nail polish
- Glittery red nail polish
- Glittery blue nail polish
- Silver glitter nail polish
- Striping tool or toothpick
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Make Pinwheel Sandwiches Posted: 03 Jul 2021 09:00 AM PDT Pinwheel sandwiches are small sandwiches that are curled up into a roll. Depending on the topping used, pinwheel sandwiches are very versatile; they're great for afternoon tea and elegant enough for cocktail parties. As an added bonus, these sandwiches are a perfect size for little fingers and are wonderful at kids' parties. Even if you're not used to preparing your own appetizers, pinwheel sandwiches are fairly simple to make. Once you've got the basics down, you can customize them to suit the tastes of you and your guests. [Edit]Customizing Your Pinwheel Sandwich - Choose a different type of bread. While dense white bread is the standard bread for pinwheel sandwiches, you can easily swap it out for a lighter or more interesting option. Tortillas (whole-wheat or flour) are a good choice for beginners since they're easy to roll and don't have crusts to trim.[1]
- You could also try Hawaiian bread, pita bread, brioche or naan. Just be sure to roll the breads so they're flat before you make your sandwich.
- Use a creative spread. If you want to keep your pinwheel sandwich simple and classic, spread the bread with butter, mayonnaise or mustard. This can be a good idea if you're making a lot of sandwiches for a crowd. But if you're feeling more adventurous, consider using:
- Hummus
- Refried beans
- Salsa
- Pesto
- Pizza sauce
- Choose savory fillings. Create a variety of savory pinwheel sandwiches so people can choose what they like. Make a few simple options like a ham and cheese or shredded chicken pinwheel sandwich. You should also play around with other combinations of meats, eggs, tofu, and seasonings.[2][3]
- Think about some of your favorite meals and try to recreate those flavors in a sandwich. For example, you might make a pizza-style, southwestern, or Thai pinwheel sandwich.
- Try sweet fillings. Pinwheel sandwiches can also make great desserts if you use sweet fillings. Or, you could make a salty-sweet flavor combination by combining a savory meat (like turkey) with a sweet filling (like cranberry sauce). Examples of sweet fillings include:[4]
- Flavored yogurt
- Sweetened cream cheese
- Chocolate spread
- Peanut butter
- Honey
- Cranberry sauce
- Thin slices of apple, pear, banana or strawberry
- Make a vegetarian sandwich. There are a lot of options for a vegetarian sandwich (which also make great additions to meat sandwiches too). Select several vegetables, but keep in mind that they should be sliced thin so they roll easily and are easy to eat. If using a vegetable with high water content (like cucumber or tomato) make sure to apply a spread to prevent the bread from becoming soggy. Good vegetable options include:[5][6]
- Tomato
- Fresh spinach leaves
- Lettuce
- Shredded carrots
- Strips of bell pepper
[Edit]Preparing Classic Pinwheel Sandwiches - Make thin bread slices. Begin with a loaf of your favourite sandwich bread. Cut thin slices lengthwise across the loaf. The thinner you make the slices, the easier it will be to roll them into wheels. As you cut, make an effort to keep the slices at a consistent thickness.
- Cutting your loaf lengthwise will allow you to make longer pinwheel sandwiches.[7]
- Cut crusts off of bread slices.[8] Although some people already prefer sandwiches without the crust, removing them is a necessity when making pinwheel sandwiches. Take a knife and slice out whatever crust is around the slice. Try to cut as little of the soft bread away as you can.
- Unlike a regular sandwich, only one slice of bread will be used for each sandwich.
- Flatten the bread with a rolling pin.[9] Sandwich bread tends to be light and fluffy when cut off a loaf. Flatten it down with a rolling pin to spread out the bread and compress the slice. On top of increasing the surface you'll be able to layer, flattened bread is also easier for rolling.
- Moisten the bread with butter. Take a knife and spread butter on the side of the bread you'll be putting ingredients on. This will help keep the bread moist and enable easier rolling when it comes time to shape the sandwich.
- You may butter the bread on both sides if you're concerned the roll won't be moist enough.
- Layer your bread with a spread.[10] Cream cheese, mayonnaise, and jam are all great choices for a sandwich spread. Once you have a layer of butter, lay down a spread, covering the surface of the bread evenly. Once you have the bread covered to your satisfaction, you can use the knife to even out the spread a little more.
- Layering your sandwiches with multiple spreads can be a good idea, although certain spreads may not compliment each other.
- Add wafer-thin ingredients on top of the bread. Remember that you'll need to roll your sandwich so you need to avoid overfilling the bread. Ham and salami are great choices because they're usually cut very thin by default and roll up easily. Although ingredients like sliced ham won't add much height on their own, you should be wary of the fact you'll want to ultimately roll up the bread when you're done.[11]
- Roll up the bread like a burrito. When all of the ingredients are set on the bread, take one side and begin to roll the bread over itself, as you might when preparing a burrito. If you cut your slices to be long by default, roll it up from one short side to the other.[12]
- The rolling and subsequent cutting of pinwheel sandwiches bears a lot in common with sushi.[13]
- Roll into plastic wrap. After making the sandwiches, immediately roll each wrapped sandwich in plastic wrap. Flatten out a piece of plastic wrap and roll the plastic along the sides and edges so no air is getting to the sandwiches.
- If you'd like to cut the sandwiches before refrigerating them, just make sure to wrap the platter of cut-sandwiches very well or they may dry out quickly.
- Refrigerate for half an hour. Although pinwheel sandwiches are good for eating immediately after cutting, wrapping and refrigerating them for half an hour will help them to keep their distinctive shape.
- If you're serving sandwiches on a hot day or the fillings of the sandwich are cold (like cream cheese), you may want to refrigerate them a little longer. Sandwiches can be refrigerated from 30 minutes up to one day.
[Edit]Making Tortilla Pinwheel Sandwiches - Layer your tortilla with spread. Cream cheese, mayonnaise, or jelly are perfect for making a delicious pinwheel sandwich. Use a butter knife to spread a thin, even layer onto each tortilla as the base.[14]
- You could even try multiple spreads! Mayo and mustard are a great flavor combo.
- Add meat and cheese on top. Make sure your meat and cheese slices are super thin so you have an easy time rolling up your finished product. Layer these on top of the spread so they stick to the inside of the tortilla.[15]
- Deli meats are the perfect choice for a pinwheel tortilla sandwich.
- If you want extra flavor, add some chopped up olives or green onions on top of the meat and cheese layer.
- Roll the tortillas up jelly roll style. Grab one side of the tortilla and roll it up underneath itself to create a long, thin burrito shape. If the tortilla starts to unroll, gently press down on it to keep it in place.[16]
- Don't worry if your tortillas don't stay rolled up on their own—you'll be dealing with them in just a second!
- Add saran wrap and refrigerate the tortillas for 2 hours. Wrap each of your tortillas up in a sheet of saran wrap to keep them air tight. Put the tortilla sandwiches in your fridge for at least 2 hours (or overnight) to let the ingredients set in their rolled shape.[17]
- Cutting the tortillas before they're chilled could cause them to unroll.
[Edit]Serving Pinwheel Sandwiches - Cut each roll into bite-size pieces. When you have rolled your bread slices up, you should have one or more burrito shaped rolls. In order to make them into pinwheel sandwiches, take a knife and hew them into evenly-sized chunks. Cut them into bite-sized chunks that are similar in size to bites of sushi.
- If you want a proper measurement, cut the pieces in one inch segments.[18] An inch length is a good bite-size for this type of sandwich.
- Slice off excess pieces. If you've sufficiently loaded your sandwiches, there's a good chance there will be ingredients that are protruding from the bread once you've rolled it up. If there's anything sticking out from your roll, snip it off as close to the roll as you can.
- If you're short and time and aren't trying to make perfect pinwheels, you don't necessarily have to trim the excess pieces. But doing so will make your pinwheels look more professional.
- Secure your pinwheel pieces with a toothpick. Although pinwheel sandwiches do a reasonably good job of holding their shape, locking them down with a toothpick will make sure they don't unfurl before being eaten. Before you present them, impale them down the centre with one toothpick each.
- If you're packing the sandwiches for children, it may be best for safety's sake to go without the toothpicks. The same applies to serving the very elderly.
- Serve on a party platter. Pinwheel sandwiches are a perfect party food. Because they look great as a finger food, you should put some effort into the way you present them on a platter. The most common way to do this is to ring them around the perimeter of the platter, working your way in as you fill the tray.
- Including a dipping sauce in the center of the platter will be a hit if you're serving a group.
- Pack in school lunches. Pinwheel sandwiches are small enough to fit snugly into a kid's lunch box. Seal them in ziploc bags to preserve their freshness. Because of their small size, you should be able to pack three or four into one bag. If you're making them specifically for a child, you should fill them with his favourite ingredients.
[Edit]Warnings - Be careful with toothpicks if you are making the sandwiches for young children or the very elderly. They may not notice them and bite them. Try to use toppings that won't require the toothpick.
- You won't be able to make pinwheel sandwiches unless you are using soft bread.[19]
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
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