Resistance Bands/Tubes Review

Do Not Buy Resistance Bands Until You Understand The Differences

Resistance bands are probably the most affordable piece of exercise equipment you will ever own. They can give you an extreme resistance workout while being compact, portable and quiet - no noisy, clunking expensive gym equipment.

Before you buy exercise equipment for your home or some type of home gym, be aware that the massive piece of metal you'll end up putting in the middle of the family room may not be able to work every part of your body like resistance bands can. Bands are very capable of giving you a total body workout; chest, back, shoulders, arms, abs, and legs.

Different Types Of Resistance Bands

Flat Bands
Rating:  "So-So"  2 out of 5

If you're looking for a small footprint and portability, nothing beats flat bands.  They can easily be stuffed inside a shoe or pocket.  They are sometimes referred to as pilates bands.  Unlike the thicker hi-grade resistance tubes, these bands are thin and can rip if they get nicked by sharp jewelry or other objects.  Flat bands can be purchased in pre-cut lengths or by the bulk roll so you can custom cut them to any desired length.  Flat bands have no handles which means you have to wrap them around your hands or grip them firmly to keep them from slipping.  The amount of pressure needed to keep them from snapping out of your hand while they're stretched can cause excess strain on your hands and wrists.  Repetitive gripping can lead to carpal tunnel symptoms if they're used on a frequent basis.  Notice the lady's knuckles while she extends the bands in the picture on the far right.  She has to clamp down very tightly to hang onto the band.

Resistance Tubes With Attached Handles
Rating:  "Better"  3 out of 5

Tubes with their own attached handle make them easier to hold for a wider range of exercises, but since each tube has its own handle, you can't attach additional tubes to the handle to create more resistance.   Some tubes come with handles already attached while tubing can also be purchased in bulk rolls allowing the user to cut to a custom length.  Handles can also be attached to custom cut tubing.  As you see in the picture below, the tube is slipped through the grommet of the handle with a knot tied on the other side.  Unless that knot is large enough, stretching the tube could cause it to unravel or slip through the hole during exercise, snapping a user or causing them to lose balance and fall.

Resistance Tubes With Detachable Handles
Rating:  "Best"  5 out of 5

By far, tubes with clip-on removable handles are the superior resistance workout bands. Single or multiple tubes can be attached to the handles creating a resistance workout ranging from easy to extreme.  Clips on the end of each tube should be sturdy metal, not plastic. The system in the picture below also includes an over the door strap.  The foam end on the strap is placed on the other side of a closed door and the tubes are slipped thru the loop on the end of the strap to create an over-the-head pull.  The strap can also be moved down the side of a closed door for a lower pulling path.  Handles can be detached from the tubes and replaced with ankles straps to exercise the legs, hips, thighs, and groin area, something that is not easily done with flat bands.

Recommendation

If you're interested in using resistance bands in your workouts, we'd like to suggest the 5-star rated system seen in the picture just above from Bodylastics.  They're available in basic tension, max tension, and super strong man tension.  All systems come with a manual of 140 exercises for every major muscle group, handles, ankle straps, door strap and Velcro carrying case.  Systems start at only $45.95.

Bodylastics T.O. Super Strong Man Over 254 lbs of resistance Includes: 7 elastics from 5 to 30 lbs, 4 handles, 4 ankle straps, 1 door anchor, 1 user manual, 1 Terrell Owens Workout & Diet Guide, 1 Circuit Training DVD, 1 travel bag FREE BONUS: Lifetime access to StrengthBandUniversity