RUBBERBANDITZ EXERCISE
IN KIBERA, KENYA
Rubberbanditz is an America inspired fitness programme that blends the known GYM regime of keeping fit. Like most great inventions, the concept begun when Ari Zedman Zandman an active Basketball sports man went out to volunteer in a East Caribbean community where he had no access to GYM equipment to train, unlike his usual GYM attendance back in states. During his volunteer ship he had the rubber bands which he begun using and later realized change in his body grew fit by day.
Thereafter he begun to playing around with the rubber band resistance and slowly developed quite a number of high, middle and low resistance rubber bands. Furthermore developed other vestigial equipment that would comfort usage of the bands including handles, leg holders etc. all this came to be practical from the year 2005-2008, hence the name Rubberbanditz kit.
Since his innovation, Ari Zedman an entrepreneur developed and published both print and electronic training manuals, contracted companies for rubber bands production, worked on a training course for trainees and trainers and finally created a market for the sale of the Rubberbanditz kits Online. Despite the rubber bands giving people opportunity to exercise freely, and convenient it’s awareness and availability is yet to be realized in several countries
Training with the rubber bands
Most people in fitness centers have adapted or tailored their exercise to “one-way” kind of exercise for instance weight lifting, Aerobics, dance classes as single exercises. The rubber bands can be incorporated to other forms of exercises to suite the trainees needs and training objective. A training session would begin by warm up session then followed by freestyle movements targeting the primary muscles to be conducted using the rubber bands exercise during the day’s timetable.
According to Ben Haggai-body builder, individual health is not something to neglected simply because the world today had reached it health hazard heights which can be prevented by simple self-prescription of exercise at least thrice a week. An America reality TV 2011 “Shedding for the wedding” not only does it bring reality but also leave most of us wondering what happened to my health? When did this weight come in? And how can I lose it now? A good number of Kenya’s citizen wait until things have gone out of hand to keep fit.
Importance of rubber bands
The rubber bands tones the body to its best physical fitness this is through the intensity of the exercises; Ben has over seven years of body building and says he used to have stomach aches due to anxiety of the kind of heavy metals to be piled on the barbell and dumbbell. With rubber bands it has nice psychological sooth towards exercise for instance the have maximum safety on its usage in comparison with the weight in the GYMs.
On the other hand; rubber bands are an easy use and give a slow learn on posture without strain for both an intermediate and pro in the exercising fraternity. Unlike other physical weight exercises where nice posture and flexibility may not be easily compromised example a rubber band can be used in a traffic jam in Nairobi, a barbell or dumbbell may not be the case.
Economically, the Rubberbanditz kits gives someone freedom to exercise at any given time (at the same time) and it is fairly cheap in the long run for instance paying for a GYM on a weekly, monthly or even annual registration still proves to be expensive-one Rubberbanditz kit full body exercises.
Reliability, the rubber bands plays an important role in demystifying the concept of a “must workout space” it can be carried anywhere and used at any convenient place unlike the ordinary GYM weights which are stationary and one has to be at the GYM to exercise; rubber bands can be used in designated time and place which are not locked out by GYM opening and closing times, rubber bands are usually available to user at his convenience.
Training as a certified trainer
One has to undergo safety training and learn the different rubber bands involvement in exercise, health and target muscles. Carolina for Kibera (CFK) will be privileged to have the first TOTs in Rubberbanditz kit usage. The organization received Rubberbanditz kits as a social responsibility to Rubberbanditz to a Community Organization; CFK has trained six individuals in basic rubber band use and established three areas of what they call “mobile GYMs” with over 30 participants and hope to grow further with the demands.
Accessibility
The Rubberbanditz kits are available online at www.rubberbanditz.com or www.cfk.unc.edu /new initiatives Rubberbanditz.
Article by: CFK’s Ben Haggai Rubberbanditz facilitator.
