Forget the free weights and bulky gym machines. Resistance bands and your own body weight are more than enough to help you get fit!
When it comes to choosing the best resistance bands, you certainly have options, so below we’ll help you wade your way through them all on our list below.
Whether you want to pack on the muscle or lightly tone your arms and legs, you’ll find what you need if you keep reading.
Here we go!
The Benefits
We’ll start off by highlighting a few benefits of resistance bands for those of you who are newer to them:
- Great for Multiple Fitness Levels. Beginner or expert, everyone can benefit from resistance bands.
Start out with less resistant bands if you’re a beginner and work your way up as you get stronger.
The best part is that you can increase the resistance just by adjusting the amount of slack. More slack = less resistance. Less slack = more resistance.
- Cost-Effective and More Efficient. Forget the expensive, heavy free weights. Resistance bands are lighter, easier to pack and cost much less while being just as effective as free weights in many cases.
- Versatile. You’re not limited to just the legs and arms. You can get a total body workout if you know how to use the bands and they help you boost stamina, flexibility and range of motion.
Types and Uses
There are two main reasons to use resistance bands: for rehabilitation purposes or for exercise and strength training.
Since bands used for rehabilitation shouldn’t be used for exercise and vice versa, we’ll include both on our list of the best resistance bands below and tell you what the band can be used for.
- Loops. Loop bands don’t have handles. They’re basically like big, flat rubber bands that you can use either for rehabilitation exercises or, based on the type of band, for performing lower body exercises.
- Tubes. Tube bands with handles are perfect for most exercise needs. There are plenty of styles and ways to use them, which you’ll notice as you compare and contrast the different options below.
Top 10 Best Resistance Bands Chart
Thickness and Color
The bands are designed to provide certain range of resistance, which could be anywhere from 5-15 pounds or 80-200 pounds of resistance (depending on how you use them).
In order to help you understand the difference, each set of bands will be color-coded and the widths listed so you can tell which level of resistance each one provides.
Get Multiple Resistance Bands
For most of you, it’s best to purchase a set of resistance bands so you can pick and choose the resistance level that’s right for you on any given day.
If you buy one single resistance band, it may eventually limit your progress as you strengthen your muscles. As we mentioned, you can always have less slack in order to increase the amount of resistance you experience, but this can limit you.
Things to Look For
As you compare and contrast bands and band sets, you’ll notice that some come with certain accessories.
- Ankle Strap. In addition to the handles, some band sets have ankle straps that allow you to perform a variety of leg and upper body exercises.
- Door Anchor. This will allow you to close the strap in a door so that you can work out without wrapping the band around your feet or standing on it when performing certain exercises.
There are so many ways you can use resistance bands and benefit from them, which is why they are so popular!
Top 5 Best Exercise Bands Reviews
1. Master of Muscle Resistance Bands
If you’re a beginner or even if you’re experienced, this complete set of resistance bands has everything you need to keep your workouts challenging.
They’re made of natural latex and double layered in order to provide you with the maximum amount of resistance, starting from the yellow band (5 pounds of resistance), and working up to the red band that provides you with 25 pounds of resistance.
The handles are cushioned and comfortable to hold, plus, you get the door anchor and ankle straps in order to use them where and however you like.
These are ideal for anyone who wants to build or tone muscles.
2. TNT Pro Series TNT-003
If you’re in need of some flat loop bands, then TNT has this set of three that also includes a door anchor.
There are so many ways to use these, from Yoga to Pilates and even light rehabilitation. One cool thing about these highly durable and versatile bands is that they have exercises printed right on the band so you have an idea what to do with them!
Very handy for those who have busy schedules and need something lightweight and easy to carry so they can work out anytime, any place.
Great customer service is always a plus.
3. Black Mountain 0B-0H2M-3FIB
Multiple resistance bands, door anchor, ankle strap. Check!
This is another great set of tube bands that you can use for working out. They step it up a notch by providing you with an exercise chart as well as a starter guide, and unlike many other sets of resistance bands, these are stackable.
Just clip any combination of bands to the handles or ankle straps in order to create a custom resistance range (20-pound resistance cable plus 4-pound resistance cable give you 24 pounds of resistance).
The materials used to make them are durable and the joints are strong.
Another great set for those of you who want to work out at home!
4. Flex Active Sports Quality Resistance Bands
This set like the previous one since you can combine the straps together in order to achieve custom workout resistance levels, but the design is slightly different.
You’ll notice that the handle has three slots on the handle. You can choose to use just one band, two bands or all three at the same time in order to adjust the amount of resistance you experience as you work out.
It comes with the door anchor (no ankle strap) and three different bands. Blue provides you with 10-15 pounds of resistance, yellow with 20-25 pounds of resistance and red with 30-35 pounds of resistance. Mix the bands in order to achieve pretty much any weight resistance in between!
They do cost a bit more than some of the others, but they’re a quality investment!
5. Phantom Fit Resistance Loop Bands
For a more targeted workout of the arms, back, shoulders, legs or buttocks, you might like these bands from Phantom Fit.
They’re made of a durable latex and you can use them for things like squats, side-to-side exercises, stretching, triceps or biceps exercises etc. The resistance levels range from light to extra-heavy, and they come in handy for both exercising and physical therapy exercises.
Remember, the length of the bands (10 inches) limits the amount of ways you can use them, so be sure you know how you can use them before you decide!
