Gold's Gym installs first US Octagon LOAD variable resistance system

Resistance bands are versatile fitness tools that offer multiple benefits including building muscle, improving flexibility, and enhancing core stability, making them ideal for home workouts and travel due to their compact size. Their ability to provide tension throughout the entire range of motion and create instability engages muscles more effectively than traditional weights, benefiting users of all fitness levels. Complementing this, Escape Fitness' Octagon LOAD system integrates high-tensile bands with plate-loaded mechanisms in multi-station equipment, promoting functional fitness by engaging the full kinetic chain during standing exercises, which marks a significant innovation in strength training technology. For athletes such as cyclists, incorporating strength training three times a week can improve performance, prevent injuries, and combat age-related muscle loss, with an emphasis on planning, nutrition, and recovery. Additionally, accommodating resistance training, which uses bands or chains attached to barbells, increases resistance through the range of motion, enhancing explosive strength, barbell velocity, and muscle activation, making it a valuable tool for athletes and lifters aiming to overcome plateaus or peak for competitions.