The Gymstick is a very portable, easy-to-use fitness tool that enables you to do all the resistance exercises you can do in a gym and so much more. Costing less than a gym membership and taking up no space, it comes as a two-piece fibreglass stick with an easy quick-lock mechanism with the fully assembled length of 130cm.

Why is Gymstick so popular?

Gymstick was invented in Finland by a team of fitness and health professionals from the Finnish Institute of Sport. Their aim was to develop a tool and a program that could provide a comprehensive strength and conditioning tool for the whole body; they succeeded in doing this. The Gymstick’s versatility, effectiveness, and ability to meet the exercise needs of everybody has seen it grow to now being used in over 50 countries around the world.

Gymstick is a functional resistance training tool that does more than replicate free-weight exercises. It provides resistance in virtually any direction and in any position, even sitting in a chair or lying on the floor. It is ideal for any age, from rehabilitation patients to world-class athletes, from beginners to professionals.

The bands attached on the end of the Gymstick are on either side of the body’s centre of gravity, which means the more the bands are stretched, the greater the challenge on the body’s musculature to maintain a stable trunk position. This ensures the body’s core is effectively ‘switched on’ during even the most basic exercises. The instability created by this lever arch also helps to improve joint strength and stability.

In order to complete a movement effectively with the Gymstick, more eccentric control is required (than with free weights), which increases the preloading necessary for effective concentric muscle action. This assists in maintaining tendon integrity and reduces the risk of injury.

Improve muscular strength and endurance

Due to its versatility, the Gymstick can be used to improve muscular strength and endurance, fat loss and toning, cardiovascular fitness, core strength and joint stability, posture mobility balance and flexibility.

Gymstick can be used to focus on specific areas of the body or to train the whole body. Below are exercises that focus on core training. In the next article, check out how the Gymstick can be used to train the whole body for functional movements.

4 Gymstick Exercises

#1 SEATED ROTATION

MUSCLES WORKED:

• Abdominal muscles
• Core
• Back muscles
• Quadriceps
• Shoulders

WORKOUT INSTRUCTIONS:

• Place one band on each foot and position the stick on the thighs
• Lean back slightly and keep your knees bent
• Roll the exercise bands around the stick so that they are not too loose at the start of the movement
• Rotate the torso to one side, extending the stick to the floor.

#2 Glute lift

MAIN MUSCLES WORKED:

• Glutes
• Hamstrings
• Quadriceps
• Back muscles
• Chest
• Core
• Shoulders

WORKOUT INSTRUCTIONS:

• Hold the stick in your hands and place one band on each foot
• Place knees, elbows and forearms on the floor
• Roll the exercise bands around the stick so that they are not too loose at the start of the movement
• Keeping knee flexed, lift foot to ceiling, extending the hip joint.

#3 LEG PRESS

MAIN MUSCLES WORKED:

• Quadriceps
• Glutes
• Core
• Inner thighs

WORKOUT INSTRUCTIONS:

• Hold the stick against the body and place one band on each foot
• Roll the exercise bands around the stick so that they are not too loose at the start of the movement
• Starting with both knees bent at 90 degrees above hips, extend one knee forward

#4 CRUNCH WITH UPRIGHT ROW OR DELTOID RAISE

MAIN MUSCLES WORKED:

• Core muscles
• Abdominals
• Shoulder muscles

WORKOUT INSTRUCTIONS FOR CRUNCH WITH UPRIGHT ROW:

• Position hands shoulder-width apart on the Gymstick
• Keeping knees flexed and lifting the upper body off the floor whilst performing an upright row
• Initiate the movement by flexing the elbows and continue pulling the stick until the stick is at chest level

VARIATIONS:

• Lift the stick up with the abdominal curl to perform deltoid raise