9 best resistance bands to help you stretch, strengthen and sculpt muscles

2 weeks ago 8

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Resistance bands have an impressive elevator pitch. These versatile training tools are capable of upgrading your warm-ups, workouts and even injury rehab efforts. They can easily be thrown into any gym bag, plus you rarely have to pay over the odds for a full set.

For these reasons and more, I think owning a few is a must for gym-goers and home workout heroes alike. But which ones should you buy?

This is where things get a little tricky, because there are a few different types of resistance bands available. These include long looped resistance bands (my personal favourite), short looped (or booty) bands, tube bands with handles and therapy bands.

Each one has pros and cons, so to help you choose I’ve tried and tested a selection of the best below, bringing you a full rundown of why you should (or shouldn’t) add them to your workout armoury. Read on to find the right set for you.

How I tested the best resistance bands

I tested each resistance band in this roundup (and a few beside, which didn’t make the cut) by incorporating them into my warm-ups and workouts.

The way they were used varied depending on the type of band – tube bands with handles were mainly used for strength and muscle-building work, as were long looped bands. The latter also came in handy for assisted pull-ups, therapy bands were a good fit for yoga and Pilates, and short looped bands helped me hit my glutes and hip flexors sans-gym. Some sets also contained multiple types of band.

Each entry in this list was judged on the same strengths; versatility, quality and comfort. This left me with a list of resistance bands capable of improving your training. Read on for the best for every need and workout style.

Why you can trust IndyBest reviews

As the IndyBest’s resident fitness writer, I’ve spent the past decade working out in gyms, garages, parks and more across the UK. I enjoy nothing more than experimenting with different training styles, and I now fill my weeks with everything from strength training to running, calisthenics to Olympic weightlifting. This gives me plenty of chances to test the best fitness kit, and I recommend all my favourite products in IndyBest guides like this one.