Get ‘Em While They’re Hot: These Resistance Bands Are Still Available Online

Serious Steel, Fitness Gear and Te-Rich, Christine Giordano

Perhaps over the last few years you’ve become a bit more acquainted with a certain piece of equipment: the resistance band. If so, we don’t blame you! Resistance bands are easy to store at home and can be used for a great workout.

What you might be able to do NotYou may not realize it, but there are many different types of bands. So, we’ve rounded up some of the best resistance bands the internet has to offer, all according to expert trainers and rave reviews, to help you build your stash. Are you still interested? Great. But before you check out what to buy, here’s the lowdown on this kind of equipment.

Benefits from Resistance Bands

While the bands might not look like anything special, don’t be fooled: Resistance band training has been shown to be a “feasible alternative” to lifting weights when it comes to activating your muscles, according to recent research published in the JOurnal of Human Kinetics. The authors of the study compared muscle activation in upper-body strength exercises using resistance bands to that with free weights, and found very similar results. They believe that muscle fibers are triggered by the instability caused by the bands. Continue readingIt is better than free weights.

As certified trainer Sarah Gawron explains, they can increase flexibility, mobility and strength. It may not take long before you start to notice a difference. Subjects who participated in a study in the Journal of Sports Medicine found that five weeks of resistance training was sufficient to significantly increase hamstring and inner-thigh flexibility. Journal of Sports Science & Medicine.

This is all great news—especially if you’re working out at home—since resistance bands are relatively cheap and don’t take up much space.

Types of Bands (and How to Choose One)

For background on a few different kinds of resistance bands, personal trainer Toni Livers shares the three types she keeps in her gym bag—and how she uses them.

First: Small loop band (a.k.a. The mini band. This is basically an elastic loop that’s around a foot long when you lay it down flat. Livers often uses her mini band for mobility work warm-ups, especially when she’s going to hit legs or shoulders.

Next up: Booty band. Although they look similar to mini bands, Livers says booty bands are stronger, thicker, and don’t slip or roll up. These are great for glute exercises, as they live up to their name. She notes that both the smaller versions are great for lower body work (either during warm-ups or during actual workouts).

And finally, there’s the longer loop band. According to Livers, this piece of equipment is very versatile. This band can be used for assisted pullups and strength training.

Now, when it comes to choosing the best band for you, of course you’ll want to consider the kind of workouts you plan to do. Keep in mind, however, that you can also consider how OftenYou might use the band more than you thought. Livers says that bands that last longer can be purchased from a trusted exercise equipment manufacturer.

As for the strength of the band you choose, consider this piece of advice from Livers: “When you do resistance work, always start out with the lighter band and then go heavier.”

25 of the Best Resistance Bands

So which ones are worth the money? To find out, we interviewed seven personal trainers as well as analyzing dozens of reviews left by super-passionate users. Here’s our list of the 25 best resistance bands.

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Best For Butt Sculpting

Resistance Bands for Legs & Butt

These resistance bands have received over 27,000 positive reviews. They are specifically designed to train your lower body with three levels of resistance. The cotton material is made with anti-slip stripes to keep the bands in place and prevent them from rolling.

Extreme Pro Gym Set

This GoFit set is great for those who want flexibility in their resistance bands. This set includes four different resistance bands, ankle straps as well as handles, door anchors and a manual.

Overall, the Best Rated

Resistance Loop Exercise Bands

This pack comes with five different resistance bands. This allows you to make a lot of progress in your stretching and workouts. These have received over 100,000 positive reviews on Amazon (100! Thousand!) A solid average rating of 4.5 stars.

Best Long Loop Bands

Resistance Pull Up Bands

This set of resistance band will make you obsessed with pullups. You can hang them on a weight rack or other suspended surface to do assisted pullups. Or, you can incorporate them into other types of workouts like Pilates. The set comes with four different resistance levels, too, so they’ll work when you’re a beginner once you’ve become a total pro.

Best Resistance Bands for Stretching

Resistance Bands

These OG resistance bands are the same type you’ll likely spy at a physical therapist’s office. They’re the best prop to deepen any stretch. It is really help your muscles relax. (And P.S. – they’re latex-free!)

Pull-Up Band for Assisted Use

If you’re already resistance band-savvy, you’ll know that one size does *not* fit all when it comes to your workouts. For your arms, you might need to use a lighter resistance. You might be able increase the resistance to work your legs. This set is great because it has four tension ranges.

Resistance Loop Exercise Bands

The Spartan brand is Livers’ favorite for mini bands. These five-packs come with resistance levels from light to extremely heavy, and can be used in a variety of workouts such as strength training, yoga, and Pilates.

Resistance Bands

These resistance bands are great for people who travel a lot. These resistance bands are small and easy to fold. They also come with a drawstring that you can keep in your gym bag. There are three resistance bands, each measuring approximately 5 feet long. They can be used for a variety different workouts.

Pull up Assistance Bands

This set of four resistance bands is made from a super-soft, odorless rubber material. Many reviewers love its durability and quality. These bands have received over 6,500 positive Amazon reviews.

Best Overall Band System

Resistance Bands

This set includes five resistance bands and attachments such as handles, ankle straps and door anchors. You can create your own mini gym. Snap Guard can help you avoid overstretching your band and keep you safe in case it snaps.

Professional Grade Strength Training Resistance Band

The longer loop bands of SKLZ are a favorite with Livers. With this one, you can buy a light, medium, or heavy resistance level, and it’s good for building upper- and lower-body strength.

Mini Resistance Bands

This set of three is for you if you like the SKLZ brand, but you would rather try a mini band or just want to expand your equipment collection. They have been well reviewed and are very durable.

Pro Resistance Tube

The biggest pro for this pick: You can purchase it in 10 different weights, so it’s super customizable to your fitness level.

Best Mini Loop Bands

Mini Bands

These mini-loop bands are used by Tatiana Lampa, a certified trainer, to strengthen her outer thighs and glutes.

Mark Bell – Hip Circle

Katherine Ellis, CPT, states that this resistance band can be used to wake up your hip, glute, and thigh muscles before doing any heavy lifting on the legs.

Best Non-Latex Resistance Band

Non-Latex Resistance bands

Gawron claims these latex-free band are great for strength training, leg and arm stretching, and increasing flexibility and mobility.

Best Resistance Band To Conquer Pullups

Pull Up Band

If you’ve been trying to master the pullup (you beast, you), these need to be in your arsenal. Anja Garcia, a certified trainer gave a shoutout to these 41-inch super bands that you can tie around your pullup bar to lift your weight during assisted pullups. They are great for your back. They’re tough, she says, but totally worth it.

First Place All-Purpose Exercise Band

“These are my absolute favorite bands for home use,” says Pete McCall, CPT author of Smarter Workouts. He says that they can be placed around a solid object or in a door frame. This is useful for resistance training exercises.

Best for Recovery

StretchStrap

This band measures over six feet in length and has elastic loops that can be used to anchor your feet or hands during stretching and recovery moves. “This is a great tool for improving flexibility,” Ellis says. Are you stuck on the best moves? You’re covered: The strap comes with a guide.

Fabric booty bands

We’re not saying cute colors are everything, but it doesn’t hurt, right? This set is a top-ranked Amazon pick. The four booty band colors are black, pink, grey, and aqua. Even more importantly, they’re made of a comfortable, non-slip material.

Pull up Assist Resistance Bands

There are four bands included in this set of resistance loops. Each one has a different resistance level. To make the set even more powerful, you can add the blue Power Guidance band.

Best For Your Budget

Ultra Toner

This lightweight piece of equipment is available in five different levels of resistance, and it’s only about $10 for the “very light” level.

Xering

This oval-shaped resistance band can be looped around your ankles, calves or thighs. You’ll feel the burn in your lower body while you do exercises such as lunges and clamshells. You can buy this one in five levels of resistance, just like the SPRI alternative.

Super Band

This band is available in four tension levels. It has received high praise from reviewers for its quality.

Resistance Bands

These bands are also very affordable. These bands come in three different resistance levels, and can be combined to make them stronger.

Aryelle Siclait
Editor
Aryelle Siclait edits Women’s Health’s articles on relationships, sexual health, fashion, and pop culture.

Madeline Howard
Editorial Assistant
Madeline Howard is the editorial assistant for Women’s Health.

Erin Warwood
Erin Warwood, a San Francisco-based writer and runner, is a sparkling water enthusiast.

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Source: Women’s Health Mag