Keeping your muscles strong is important and using resistance bands is a wonderful way to maintain strength. We lose up to 30% of our muscles as we age, yet strength training is a proven way to stop and reverse muscle loss. What if I told you by including ArcaRays on your exercise band you would help you strength train more efficiently, more effectively, and improve your posture as well! Everyone who strength-trains with exercise bands (loop band, Therabands, or resistance bands) will benefit from adding ArcaRays onto these bands. In this post, we will show you eight specific ways strength training with ArcaRays and an exercise band is better than an exercise band alone.

What is an ArcaRay?

An ArcaRay is a balance foot platform designed to “snap-on” any exercise band, resistance band, or even a loop band. Using an ArcaRay snapped onto these bands will improve your balance, confidence, and posture. This patented device is similar in shape and size to a foot pedal on a bike. Unlike a bike pedal which is flat, an ArcaRay foot pedal is slightly raised in the middle to support the arch of your foot. This arch in the middle not only supports your foot, but is also creating a safe and ingenious balance challenge. As you stand on the pedal, your toe and heel are raised ever so slightly and safely off the ground (raised ½”)

As you keep your toe and heel up off the ground, your ankle, hip, and core engage to keep you balanced. At any time, you can safely and easily just touch your heel or toe onto the ground stopping the balance challenge. Since your foot is raised ½” off the ground, you can easily just step off.

Why is an ArcaRay on an exercise band important?

According to the CDC, 95% of hip fractures are caused by falling and these are usually lateral or sideways. Why is this? Because we almost never exercise sideways, so the muscles responsible for this (glute medius) forget how to do their job properly. Think about it, most exercises and equipment are designed for the forward and backward movement:  walking, treadmill, biking, rowing, elliptical, Stairmaster… it all works forwards and backward. Our sideways or lateral movement needs practice, (see video here lateral stepping) so I knew I needed to address this sideways movement. The side ledges on the ArcaRays allow you to target this important glute medius muscle group, working laterally without being strapped in.

Further, each time you balance on top of the ArcaRays your abdominal (ab) muscles constantly engage giving you a great ab workout. How? When we balance on a new object, our core muscles must engage to keep us upright. So, when you add the ArcaRays onto any band, it creates a core ab workout and unlocks +100s exercises that are unavailable when working with a band alone. This core engagement improves balance. Safety:  It is also a safety and balance solution for you. When you stand directly on an exercise band or put it under your foot (which is not recommended) the band can roll out from under your foot and can “snap back” at you causing injury. Using ArcaRays on your band reduces this “snap back” danger.

	ArcaRays & Exercise Band	Exercise Band Only
Improved Balance	Yes	No
Constant Ab Engagement	Yes	No
Improved Hip Strength & Mobility (no straps)	Yes	No
Excellent Foot Arch Support	Yes	No
Improved lateral or sideways hip strength training (no straps)	Yes	No
Improved Ankle Strength & Mobility (no straps)	Yes	No
Improved Posture	Yes	No
Standing Ab Workout	Yes	No
Safety:  Reduces Risk of Band Snapback	Yes	No
Kneeling or lying:  ArcaRays stay on the bottom of the foot (no straps)	Yes	No

Here is how you can get started with an ArcaRay and an exercise band: (vid snap on and get started balance mom)

Why did I create the ArcaRays?

The ArcaRays was created and designed as a solution for balance improvement. As a Certified Personal Trainer, when I would talk with new clients about their fitness and health goals, they always mention they want to improve their balance. I take their goals seriously. I knew of the exercises and tools on the market to improve balance, but I found the tools either too advanced and cumbersome to use with the client or the client needed their feet or ankles to be strapped into a device. I always thought it odd to “strap” someone into a device, band or otherwise to practice balance as this strapping in was a tripping hazard itself! FACT: 

So, the exercise tool I wanted for my clients needed to provide the following: 

1.  Improve balance
2. Improve lateral strength to prevent the “sideways” falls
3. Safe, friendly, and easy to use (no straps around ankles or feet)
4. Must be able to use seated and standing
5. Standing Ab workout! Great and Unique

Where can I use the ArcaRays.

You can use them anywhere. The ArcaRay Fit Kit weighs about one pound. It is completely portable and comes in a great sling bag so you can take it anywhere. Perfect for travel. Take the ArcaRays off the band, and stand on them while you work at your standup desk. Your core abs will be totally engaged.

 When:  You can strength train with the ArcaRays anytime. Science suggests you should exercise about 15 minutes a day, three times a week with your ArcaRays to get the best results. You can use them seated or standing. It is also a great tool for prehab and rehab. Check out our videos here. (Always check with your doctor before doing any of these exercises.)

How do I do it:  Here is a video showing you how to snap an ArcaRay onto a band and a video here for the Absolute Beginner Balance. Follow-along videos from seated to standing are included on the ArcaRays Youtube channel here.

Start strength training with the ArcaRays to improve your balance today.

If you do not love everything about your ArcaRays they are 100% money-back guaranteed. Return them at any time for your money back.