The Best Resistance Bands For Home Workouts And The Gym

Resistance band lies next to man tying shoelace
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Frankly, no gym – home or otherwise – is complete without a set of resistance bands. This should absolutely be the first bit of fitness equipment you pick up when you decide to extend your home workouts beyond bodyweight.

That’s because resistance bands are cheap and effective, can be used in a variety of ways, and are easy to use without putting yourself at any risk of injury. Getting a set may be  a no-brainer, but it’s still worth understanding a little about your options before buying.

There are four types of resistance bands which suit different goals. In brief:

  1. Tube bands with handles are the easiest kind to use for high-resistance strength workouts. This resistance band workout for arms is a good example. Some sets will also come with an anchors so they can be attached to a door, fixed pole or bar to widen the range of moves the band can be used for. Other sets will allow you to add bands to the handles to increase the resistance.
  2. Open-ended strap bands are often used for mobility work, stretching and Pilates. They are sometimes tied off to create a loop.
  3. Large looped bands are ideal for strength sessions, and are often used to perform assisted pull-ups. Large looped bands that offer a lot of resistance can also be used to add an extra challenge to barbell exercises.
  4. Mini looped bands are great for lower-body work, like this resistance band glute workout, or activating muscles before a heavy leg workout.

Many people gravitate to tube bands, but a selection of large and mini looped bands open up the widest range of possibilities for your money. It’s a combination that’s used in our most popular resistance band workout.

Once you’ve decided on the type of band, you need to choose the level of resistance. The colour of a band indicates how heavy it is. Generally yellow bands have less resistance, blue and black bands have a high level of resistance, and red and green bands are in the middle. But there is a lot of variation between brands, and special colours are often thrown into the mix – gold bands in particular are usually very strong. 

If possible, try some bands with different degrees of resistance before buying: if the resistance is too great you’ll struggle to get any benefit, but too light and you may end up snapping them. You also need to take care of them, as natural latex bands can degrade and a nick can weaken the band. 

To help you home in on the best resistance band for you, we’ve divided them by type. 

Best Tubed Resistance Bands

CoreZone Resistance Band Set

(Image credit: CoreZone)

CoreZone Resistance Band Set

Best set of tubed resistance bands

Specifications

Levels of resistance: Five bands 10-50lb / 4.5-22.8kg
Material: Natural latex

Reasons to buy

+
Comfortable handles
+
Wide range of resistance settings
+
Well built

Reasons to avoid

-
Fiddly to change resistance

You’re getting a lot for your money here. The set includes five bands which can be combined for a max resistance of 150lb (68kg). Along with the expected two foam handles, there’s a door anchor attachment and two ankle cuffs, which means you can add standing glute kick-backs to your workouts.


Fitness Mad Safety Resistance Trainer

(Image credit: Fitness Mad)

Fitness Mad Safety Resistance Trainer

Best resistance band for extra safety

Specifications

Levels of resistance: Four (unspecified)
Material: Latex, nylon cover, TPE handles

Reasons to buy

+
Comfortable handles
+
Protected inner tube
+
Comes with door anchor

Reasons to avoid

-
Not as easy to store as other options

Even though we’d trust every band on this list not to snap if properly looked after, it never hurts to be cautious. This band’s nylon protection sleeve helps negate the risk of its latex tube failing, while also extending its lifespan. The resistance options span light to extra strong, and a door anchor is included to expand the range of exercises the band can be used for. 

Best Large Looped Resistance Bands

TRX Strength Bands

(Image credit: TRX)

TRX Strength Band

Best large looped resistance bands for home training

Specifications

Levels of resistance: Six: blue 5-15lb (2-7kg), green 15-30lb (7-14kg), yellow 25-50lb (11-23kg), orange 35-70lb (16-31kg), grey 45-110lb (20-50kg), black 60-150lb (27-68kg)
Material: Natural latex

Reasons to buy

+
Reliable design 
+
Heavier models suitable for assisted pull-ups

Reasons to avoid

-
Bands not available as a set in the UK

These long loop bands are ideal for exercises like squats or providing assistance for pull-ups. The beastly black band will also handle resisted sprints. The overlapping resistance levels also makes it easier to find the right level for you.


Rogue Monster Bands

(Image credit: Rogue)

Rogue Monster Bands

Best large looped resistance bands for experienced gym-goers

Specifications

Levels of resistance: Eight: orange 15lb (6.8kg), red 30lb (13.6kg), blue 50lb (22.7kg), green 65lb (39.5kg), black 100lb (45.4kg), purple 140lb (63.5kg), red 175lb (79.4kg), silver 200lb (90.7kg)
Material: Natural latex

Reasons to buy

+
Robust and durable 
+
Versatile for pull-ups or explosive workouts
+
Available individually or in sets of two or three

Reasons to avoid

-
Comparatively expensive

These natural latex rubber bands span eight levels of resistance, with the toughest best reserved for especially experienced lifters looking to make heavy barbell lifts even more challenging. You can buy the bands individually, as a pair if you’re planning on using them for barbell exercises, or in a pack of three with different resistance levels to cover all your bases.

Best Mini Looped Resistance Bands

TRX Exercise Bands

(Image credit: TRX)

TRX Exercise Bands

Best set of mini looped resistance bands for most people

Specifications

Levels of resistance: Four: yellow 2-8lb (0.9-3.6kg), orange 5-12lb (2-6.8kg), grey 6-17lb (2.7-7.7kg), black 10-25lb (4.4-11kg)
Material: Natural latex

Reasons to buy

+
Ideal for glute activation drills 
+
Lightweight and portable 
+
Can be bought individually or as a set

Reasons to avoid

-
Cheaper bands available

The king of suspension trainer brands also offers a set of durable mini bands, ranging from an X-Lite version that’s ideal for Pilates moves up to a heavyweight option that’s more at home in the weights room.


Meglio Latex-Free Resistance Loops

(Image credit: Meglio)

Meglio Latex-Free Resistance Loops

Best latex free mini looped resistance band set

Specifications

Levels of resistance: Four (unspecified)
Material: Thermoplastic elastomer

Reasons to buy

+
Good value
+
Latex-free and odourless 
+
Can be bought individually or as a set

Reasons to avoid

-
Offers light resistance only

If you currently live in a band-free household, we recommend picking up a few of these stretchy loops immediately. They’re excellent value and will enable you to take your home bodyweight workouts to the next level. You can opt for one band or a pack of four that has a range of resistances, from the red band (light) up to the black (extra heavy). If you have all four you can also combine the bands to increase the challenge involved in your workouts.

The loops are great for building strength and for rehab after an injury, and if you get a set of four it comes with a handy pouch to stuff them in after your workout is done.


CoreZone Resistance Loop Bands

(Image credit: CoreZone)

CoreZone Resistance Loop Bands

Best-value set of mini looped resistance bands

Specifications

Levels of resistance: Six: yellow 10-15Ib (4.5-6.8kg), red 15-20Ib (6.8-9.1kg), blue 20-25Ib (9.1-11.3kg), green 25-30Ib (11.3-13.6kg), black 30-35Ib (13.6-15.9kg), red 35-40Ib (15.9-18.1kg)
Material: Natural latex

Reasons to buy

+
Great value 
+
Ideal for glute activation drills 
+
Lightweight and portable 

Reasons to avoid

-
Other brands offer a lighter starting resistance

The cheapest set on our list also offers the most bands and includes a rare XX-heavy red option. It also comes with a carry bag. Our only complaint is that the starting band has a comparatively high level of resistance.


TRX Glute Bands

(Image credit: TRX)

TRX Glute Bands

The most comfortable mini looped resistance bands

Specifications

Levels of resistance: Three (unspecified)
Material: Cotton

Reasons to buy

+
Won’t catch leg hairs
+
Adjustable

Reasons to avoid

-
Expensive

One downside of Latex or TPE bands is that they can pull leg hair. TRX has designed an adjustable alternative made from cotton. The set comes in a light, medium and heavy resistance option and can be hand-washed to keep them fresh for your next workout. 

Best Open-Ended Strap Resistance Bands

Meglio Resistance Bands

(Image credit: Meglio)

Meglio Resistance Band

Best open-ended resistance bands

Specifications

Levels of resistance: Six: yellow 1-4lb (0.5-1.8kg), red 3-8lb (1.4-3.6kg), green 6-12lb (2.7-5.4kg), blue 9-15lb (4.1-6.8kg), black 12-17lb (5.4-7.7kg), orange 14-22lb (6.4-10kg)
Material: Thermoplastic elastomer

Reasons to buy

+
Low cost 
+
Wide range of resistance levels
+
Available in two lengths

Reasons to avoid

-
Comparatively expensive

As you may have realised by now, Meglio is one of our preferred brands and you may well encounter its products in physiotherapists’ offices, commercial gyms and Pilates studios. These open-ended bands are available in 1.2m and 2m lengths in the UK, while in the US your option is supersized to 7ft. There’s also a wide range of resistances so you can use a light resistance for rehab and a tougher version for strength work.


Theraband Resistance Bands Beginner Set

(Image credit: Theraband)

Theraband Resistance Bands

Best set of open-ended resistance bands

Specifications

Levels of resistance: Three: yellow 3lb (1.3kg), red 3.7lb (1.7kg), green 4.6lb (2.1kg)
Material: Natural latex

Reasons to buy

+
Good for beginners
+
Useful for Pilates and rehab

Reasons to avoid

-
Comparatively expensive

Theraband has been going for more than 40 years and if you’ve been rehabbing an injury in the US there’s a good chance you will have come across its products. The company offers a wide range so you can also find non-latex sets and more challenging resistances.

Sam Rider
Contributor

Sam Rider is an experienced freelance journalist, specialising in health, fitness and wellness. For over a decade he's reported on Olympic Games, CrossFit Games and World Cups, and quizzed luminaries of elite sport, nutrition and strength and conditioning. Sam is also a REPS level 3 qualified personal trainer, online coach and founder of Your Daily Fix. Sam is also Coach’s designated reviewer of massage guns and fitness mirrors.

With contributions from