The Best Resistance Bands

Resistance bands are great for intense, muscle-building workouts and gentle or deep stretches for those easing back into exercise. Some bands can be stacked for extra resistance once you get stronger, and most band sets are compact, so they’re easy to travel with.

What to Look for When Choosing Resistance Bands

Whether you’re a beginner or an expert in the exercise world, resistance bands can be a great addition to your daily regimen. Resistance band workouts can be as gentle or intense as you need them to be.

When choosing the best resistance band set for you, think about how you want to incorporate bands into your workouts. Mini bands are a great option for smaller, gentler movements, while superbands are excellent for assisted pull-ups or adding resistance to barbell workouts.

The best choice for most people is a set of stackable resistance tube bands so you can start out with low resistance, build up to high resistance, and experience more workout versatility than mini bands or superbands alone can offer. No matter which set you go with, most resistance band sets come with a bag that makes them easy to store away or travel with, though some sets are more lightweight than others and better for travel.

If you go with a set of stackable resistance tube bands, consider how much resistance you’d like to work out with.

For those intending to use bands for physical therapy or to stretch deeply, a small set of three to four bands is perfect. However, if you intend to use resistance bands to build strength, you might consider investing in a larger set with more bands and higher overall resistance. For example, the Bodylastics Resistance Bands offer a max resistance of 542 pounds with 16 bands.

Finally, those with latex allergies likely know to be careful when choosing workout equipment, but it’s worth noting here. Most resistance bands are either made with a natural latex or rubber material. If you’re irritated by or allergic to latex, steer clear of the band sets by Bodylastics and Fit Simplify on this list, and double-check the manufacturer’s product listing when looking on your own.

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This set of six resistance bands from Bodylastics is perfect for most people because it offers stackable resistance up to 142 pounds and multiple accessories to vary your workout experience. The 3-pound, 5-pound, and 8-pound bands are great for light exercises that encourage mobility, while the 13-pound, 19-pound, and 23-pound bands are great for building muscle as you get stronger.

Along with the six bands, you’ll also receive two handles to connect to one or multiple bands. These handles are sweat-resistant, offer a wider grip than other handles, and feel sturdier than foam alternatives.

There’s also a door anchor, a small anywhere anchor, and two ankle straps to expand your workout options if you don’t have a sturdy piece of workout equipment to connect your straps to. You can pack up your Bodylastics Resistance Bands in its carry bag and use the door anchor with your hotel door or the ankle straps to work out with no extra equipment besides the bands.

Bands from Bodylastics come with a patented Snap Reduction design with a reinforced safety cord inside. This internal cord boosts each band’s durability and prevents overstretching and snapping, whereas other band sets are often hollow inside. All Bodylastics bands are made with natural Malaysian Latex, so if you’re allergic to or irritated by latex, these bands aren’t the best pick for you.

If you’d like to try out resistance bands as a new form of exercise without dropping lots of cash, check out this five-band set from Black Mountain. You can stack all five tube bands together for up to 75 pounds of resistance, attaching the bands with a carabiner to the included door anchor or some other fastening system.

Or, you can utilize bands individually to build strength or increase mobility slowly. The yellow band offers two to four pounds of resistance, while the blue band offers four to six pounds. Resistance starts ramping up with the green band at 10 to 12 pounds, the black band at 15 to 20 pounds, and the red band at 25 to 30 pounds.

Pulling on the bands with the two included handles is easy once you have them attached to a solid anchor. Your purchase also includes a nifty carrying bag, so you can quickly pack up the resistance bands when you’d like to store them away or travel with them.

Whereas many sets come with two ankle straps for even body resistance, this set only comes with one. So, if you plan on taking your resistance bands to the park to work out with only ankle straps and resistance bands, you should choose another set or plan to order an extra ankle strap from Black Mountain.

If you’re after a set of resistance superbands that can be used for assisted pull-ups or incorporated into barbell workouts, look no further than this band set from Serious Steel. This four-band set provides a wide range of resistance, and you can combine bands to customize the resistance level.

The purple band offers a tension range of 5 to 35 pounds, while the red band offers 10 to 50 pounds of resistance. The purple and red bands are perfect for training pull-ups, banded barbell workouts, or working on speed and agility.

The blue band is also great for pull-up assistance, but with its resistance range of 25 to 80 pounds, it’s a fantastic option for calisthenics training. Finally, the green band is your best option for pole, aerial, or mobility training with 50 to 120 pounds of available resistance.

Serious Steel offers sturdier bands with even more resistance and sets that include multiple smaller bands, so it’s easy to choose the right combination of bands for your needs. The bands are made with rubber, so they’re a great option for people with latex allergies, and they come coated with a powder to make them easier to grip. Some users have noted that the bands come with too much powder, but you can rinse them or dust them off if it’s too much.

These mini-bands from Fit Simplify are incredibly affordable and a great introduction to resistance bands. With five unique tension bands and up to 74 pounds max resistance, you can use Fit Simplify’s mini bands to challenge your go-to exercise moves or slowly increase mobility with small exercises.

Because each band is 12 inches long and 2 inches wide, these bands aren’t able to assist with larger movements or exercises, like pull-ups or extension exercises. However, you can still get a great full-body workout using just these bands and your body.

You can stretch a band around your legs before doing squats or around your arms before doing push-ups to help the exercise build more muscle without the bands. With your purchase, you’ll get a handy instruction booklet showing multiple illustrated exercises that work your legs, arms, shoulders, stomach, hips, back, etc.

In addition to the five color-coded resistance bands and the instruction manual, you’ll get a small carry bag for easy storage or travel. Fit Simplify’s bands are made with high-quality latex, not rubber, so they’re sturdier but unsuitable for those with latex allergies or irritations.

Plain old resistance bands can give you a fantastic workout, but if you want some smart insights, try out the Rally X3 Pro bands from WeGym. These are smart resistance bands, so you can pair the bands via Bluetooth to a mobile app (Android/iOS) and get detailed feedback on how steady your movements were, how well you maintained rhythm, and how many reps you did per band.

One of the bands features a smart display so you can see vital info while working out. Then, some in-app workouts offer real-time feedback on your form so you can improve instantly and get the most out of your workout. In our WeGym’s Rally X3 Pro bands review, we noted that the tutorial workouts weren’t optimal, but many of the trainer-led workouts were paced well and delivered great results.

With WeGym’s Rally X3 Pro Bands, I can target specific muscle groups and get in both push and pull workouts. Plus, these bands connect to a mobile app via Bluetooth and provide useful statistics that help you constantly improve.

In addition to receiving the two resistance bands, you’ll also receive two handles, two ankle straps, and two arm straps, letting you exercise with just the bands and your body weight. Your purchase also includes a door anchor, an anchor strap you can attach anywhere, and a carry bag for convenient storage or travel.

There’s an adjustable piece on each band so you can adjust resistance between 10 and 110 pounds. Seasoned athletes who prefer resistance training might find these bands from WeGym to not offer enough resistance. However, if you’re a beginner or you’re super interested to track detailed metrics of your workouts, definitely give the Rally X3 Pro bands a try!

FAQ

How should I use resistance bands?

You can use resistance bands for gentle stretches, mobility exercises, strength training both push and pull muscle groups, or a full-body workout.

How effective are resistance band workouts?

Resistance band workouts can be just as effective as workouts with free weights, if not more so. You can build strength, improve flexibility and mobility, and decrease the chances of hurting yourself by pushing yourself too hard before you’re ready.

Do resistance band workouts build muscle?

Absolutely! Resistance band workouts can train every muscle in your body, and with variable resistance, it’s easy to gradually add more resistance and build muscle.