8 best Resistance bands reviewed- Which one should you get?
When it comes to strength training and weight loss programs, resistance bands top the list of sought after equipment for home exercises, weights replacement and whenever you have limited space. They can be stored in a drawer, they can be used when traveling, they’re inexpensive and most importantly they are the most versatile exercising equipment in the fitness world..
You can use resistance bands for many different purposes, including weight loss, strength training and rehabilitation. The number one reason why resistance bands are very popular for professionals and beginners alike is that resistance bands can work for any type of exercise like:
1. Warm up exercises
2. Muscle resistance exercises
3. Plyometrics exercises
4. Cardio exercises
5- Yoga
6- Physical therapy
And much more...
Resistance bands versatility also means creativity. We can be very creative of how we can use bands and come up with our own favorite exercises that meet an individual needs. To learn more about the benefits of resistance bands I highly recommend you read my other blog about resistance bands vs free weights.
When you start using resistance bands for your workouts you will notice immediately that they come in various lengths and resistance levels. To save you the hassle of having to decide on which strength levels to buy, purchasing a complete set will be the most cost effective. In this resistance bands review post, I will be reviewing the best and top rated bands to help you pick the best exercise bands to achieve your fitness goals.
Resistance bands reviews product summary
Here's a quick look at the top rated band sets that we are going to cover today.
Top rated bands | Description |
|---|---|
ANTI-SNAP, stackable resistance, metal clipping, | |
stackable resistance, metal clipping | |
set of 5 heavy duty loop bands | |
set of 5 heavy duty loop bands | |
each role sold separately | |
set of 3 bands | |
heavy duty bands, each band sold separately or in a set | |
heavy duty bands, each band sold separately or set |
Generally speaking, there are 4 different types of bands to choose from;
1-Tube resistance bands
As suggested by their name, they are tube like. They come in various lengths and mainly target the upper body. Tube bands are good for targeting your biceps, triceps, shoulders, chest, back and core. They can make a huge difference in your everyday workouts to give you that muscle tone you’ve always wanted and as I said before, they are the best replacement for weights.
There are two types of tube bands;
Fit-bands and clip bands. Fit bands, have handles attached to either end, and clip bands as suggested by their name have clips to help you attach them to handles, doors, walls or beams.
And the other thing to consider when it comes to tube bands is the handle. Some have hard plastic handles and some come with a handles that covered with foam and the rest of the handle is made from durable fabric that's attached to the band.
Pro Tip: I have used all types of handles and I would definitely recommend that you buy bands that come with a durable fabric that's attached to the band instead of the one-piece plastic handle. The reason I'm saying that is because hard plastic handles will hurt your wrists and arms and that's especially true when you are doing repetitive and fast paced workout moves.
The other thing to watch out for when buying bands that come with hard plastic handles is that after a while the plastic part (where the bands is attached to) will start to eat into the bands and will eventually rip them apart. Usually, that happens to the lighter (thinner) bands as they are not as durable and thick as the heavier bands.
TOP RATED RESISTANCE BANDS REVIEWS- PROS & CONS
1-Bodylastics resistance bands review
I own set of these bands and I have say that I really like them, but at the end the day to give this resistance bands review post more credibility, I will list all the pros and cons so you know exactly what you are getting.
What's included?
The Bodylastics bands that I own come with 6 Anti-Snap bands (3 lbs-23 lbs);2 Handles; 2 Ankle Straps; 1 Door Anchor; 1 small anywhere anchor and 1 Carrying bag.
Bodylastics comes in 12pc,14pc, 19pc and 28pc packages.
Bodylastics PROS
1- These bands have an anti-snap safety design which gives them an edge over the other resistance brands. The Anti-snap technology makes them super durable and strong. It will prevent damage to the bands from over stretching, and protects your face and body in the rare case that a band does snap.
2- They have 142LBS of stackable resistance. Bodylastics clip bands enable you to add or subtract resistance to create the desirable tension for every muscle group. You can combine multiple bands to create just the right resistance for your workout. These bands are unique as they can work as a stackable plate loaded machines.
3- You are getting professional grade quality at a non-professional price. When it comes to the price of tube bands in general, I think most of resistance bands are competitively priced. That's why I always recommend that you get yourself the best bands out there because there's not much of a difference in price.
4-You won't get soar hands after a workout since the handles are not made of plastic. Bodylastics handles are made from plastic grip and durable fabric for comfort and safety.
5- Metal clipping bands are much more durable and last longer than fit bands (one-piece plastic handles).
6- You get a 3 x4 feet wall chart with a visual illustration for each exercise. There is a code attached to each exercise which allows you to go onto their website and look for a video number corresponding to each exercise. Blake Kassel, the CEO and founder of bodylastics will show you how to do the exercises correctly.
Bodylastics CONS
1-You are only provided with two handles, which makes you pause your workout to change between the various resistance levels. Some people might find that a bit annoying.
2- The other thing that you might find a bit annoying as well is the clip-on part of the bands. As you know that they are made from metal which they can be noisy when you are doing your workouts that involve a fast paced moves.
Everyone is different and I have to say that I found that a tiny bit annoying at the beginning but after a while I got used to them pretty quickly.
Black mountain is another top rated resistance bands that gets really good reviews and rightly so.
What's included?
The resistance of their bands range from 2lb-30lbs. They include door anchor, ankle strap, carrying bag and starter guide.
Same as bodylastics, they come in different packages.
Black mountain PROS
They are pretty similar to Bodylastics except that they don't have the Anti-snap technology.
1- They are stackable set and you can stack up to 75lb. I really love stackable bands for one very good reason and it's that you don't have to worry about buying more bands every time you need more resistance. Let's face it, every exercise and every muscle tolerates certain amount of resistance and it's inevitable that at some point you will need more resistance to get the best out of your workout. Stackable bands are the way to go.
2- Black mountain bands have the durable Metal clipping system which makes them heavy duty and professional bands for all fitness levels.
3- Made from heavy duty synthetic and natural rubber. Bear in mind that not all resistance bands are made from the same material. Always check the material that they are made from before you buy them.
4-Soft grip handles and heavy duty fabric components for comfort and safety.
5- They are so confident that their bands are of the highest quality, they include lifetime warranty on their bands.
Black mountain CONS
1- Again, they only include 2 handles which can be pain in the butt. Like I said before, you will get used to it pretty quickly.
2- Unlike Bodylastics, they don't have the anti snap cord technology.
3- Metal components can be noisy and distracting.
TOP RATED LOOP RESISTANCE BANDS REVIEWS- PROS AND CONS
2-Loop resistance bands:
These bands don’t have the handles and clips found in tubes bands. Instead loop bands are colorful elastic bands that target your lower body and can also be used for some upper body exercises. As suggested by their name, loop bands form a loop around your ankles or knees for glute and leg exercises and your wrists for shoulder and chest exercises.
Loop bands don't get as much credit as tube bands and that's probably down to the fact that tube bands are more popularized by the fitness world than loop bands. From my personal experience, if they are used the right way, believe you me they can be very effective.
At the end of the day, loops bands are designed to target different muscle groups than tube bands. So, It's not fair to compare loop bands to tube bands because they are both designed to do different jobs.
1- Fit Simplifiy resistance bands review
whats included?
5 bands (x-light, light, medium,heavy and x-heavy), carrying bag, Instruction guide, ebook and online workout videos.
Fit Simplify PROS
1- They are made from 100% natural latex. Bands that are made from 100% latex material tend to be more durable than bands that are made from a combination of latex and thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), which are less durable.
The thing I really like about latex bands that they are snap, stretch and sweat resistant. So many bands that I have used in the past where they start to stretch and crack after a while and that's why I highly recommend that you get yourself heavy duty bands, so you can focus on your workout instead of worrying about the bands snapping or not.
2- Suitable for all fitness levels (beginner , intermediate, advanced).
3- They are covered with a lifetime warranty.
4- They are one of the best fitness equipment for rehabilitating injured muscles and joints. Physiotherapists and chiropractors use them to rehabilitate their patients. If you are suffering from back, hip or leg pain, then you should try loop bands exercises.
5- If you are pregnant and want to stay active during your pregnancy, loop bands are your best friend. They are very safe and effective at toning your muscles during pregnancy.
Fit Simplify CONS
There are two things that I don't like about loop bands.
1- Limited number of exercises, which means loop bands are not as effective as tube bands at targeting upper body and core muscles. But again, they were designed to target the lower part of the body.
2- The thing that annoys me the most about loop bands it's when you're doing fast paced moves. They don't stay flat and start folding and rolling up and that can hurt your knee and ankle joints.
Limm bands are another heavy duty bands that are very popular and they are as high quality as fit simplify bands.
whats included?
Set of 5 bands, carrying bag, ebook, online workout videos and manual.
Limm Bands PROS
1- Heavy duty 100% natural latex loop bands. Very durable and snap,sweat and stretch resistant.
2- Suitable for all fitness levels.
3- Best for muscle and joint rehabilitation and recovery.
4- Best exercising equipment to use during pregnancy.
5- Lifetime warranty.
Limm Bands CONS
Same annoying issues as fit simplify.
TOP RATED REHAB RESISTANCE BANDS REVIEWS- PROS AND CONS
3- Rehab resistance bands
These bands are flat, much wider and longer than loop bands and are most commonly used for physical therapy, physiotherapy, yoga, palates, gymnastics and dance. They are widely used for muscle and joint rehabilitation as well as increasing mobility and reducing joint pain.
Whats included?
3 thera bands (light, medium, heavy)
Thera bands PROS
1- Latex- free. If you are allergic to latex, thera bands are the way to go.
2- With thera bands you get more control as they are much longer and wider than loop bands.
3- They are more versatile than loop and tubes bands. Can be used for upper and lower body exercises. The thing that impressed me the most with these bands is the fact that you can use them to do so many exercises.
Thera Bands CONS
1- If you don't have strong grip, then they can be a bit challenging to get used to them. They can slip out of your hand if you don't hold them securely, which can lead to injury.
2- They can be a bit tricky, if you wanted to use as a loop bands.
2-ofinito Booty Bands
What's included?
3 bands (light,medium and heavy)
Booty Bands PROS
1- They come looped and straight (sold separately). much wider than regular loop bands, more control.
2- Best for rehabilitation and increasing strength and mobility.
3- Heavy duty bands
4- Latex-free, if you are allergic to latex.
Booty Bands CONS
1- Straight bands sold as singles, pricey if bought as set.
TOP RATED PULL-UP RESISTANCE BANDS REVIEWS- PROS AND CONS
4- Pull-up/squat and power-lifting resistance bands
These bands are very popular resistance bands, especially if you are looking to:
- Get better at doing pull-ups and chin-ups.
- Very effective at adding extra/more resistance while doing squats and lunges.
Before I get into the pros and cons of these bands, I like to dispel a myth that these bands are only for advanced athletes. That's not true in any way or form.
If you are a beginner or advanced, you can use these with ease and you can get amazing results.
The first brand that I want to look at is
What's included?
They are sold as single units or as a set and their resistance ranges from 2lb-150lb.
Serious Steel Bands PROS
1- What I really like about these bands is that the resistance of every single unit ranges from let's 2lb to 15lbs (lightest band). So, every band has a few different levels of resistance. For instance, if you want to lift 10lb and then 15lb, you can use the same band to do so.
2- They are probably the most durable resistance bands on the market.
3- The best bands for pull up and chin ups. If you have never done any pull-ups/chin-ups in your life and you are looking for the best exercising equipment to help you with that, then serious steel bands are your best friend.
4- Powerlifting, squats and lunges. I found that one of the most effective and safest ways to get extra elevated results from doing squats and lunges is by incorporating these bands into my workouts.
5- They are much longer looped bands than the traditional loop bands and and longer than tube bands, as well. What that means it's that they are suitable for people of all sizes and they can be used as loop and tube bands as well.
Serious Steel Bands CONS
1- Bands sold as singles, pricey if bought in set.
2- The biggest issue with longer bands it's that they can be awkward and takes time to get used to them. Same as therabands, if you have weak grip or you prefer handles, then like I said, it will take time to get used to them.
Wodfitters resistance bands are as good as serious steel resistance bands. I just wanted to mention them because they get amazing reviews, so if you decide to get these types of bands, then you have few options to choose from.
Final Thought
Despite the fact that all resistance bands are very versatile and can be used to train the whole body. But, I do strongly believe that if you want to get the best out of your workout, then choosing the right resistance bands can make a world of difference.
Choosing the right bands also depends on your fitness level and ultimately what you are trying to achieve?, is it only to strengthen one single muscle or are you rehabilitating an injured muscle or may be you are doing a workout and want to target the whole body for weight loss/ toning up.
If you are a beginner and thinking about getting bands for a whole body workout, then I strongly recommend that you get yourself tube bands as they are the best for cardio/weight loss programs.
If you are intermediate/advanced and want to go up a gear or two in your fitness, then you must incorporate more than one type of resistance bands into your workout as each type of band is designed to target different parts of the body.
