Resistance Bands: Types, Benefits and Workout Guide

Are you a fan of workout bands? No, we're not talking about the music playing overhead at the gym or the terrycloth accessories everyone wore in the '80s.

We're talking about workout bands that are made of rubber or latex, and they provide resistance for a variety of exercises. In fact, they're commonly called resistance bands, and they're a must-have whether you're trying to build muscle strength or support your mobility.

Resistance bands are versatile fitness tools, which you can use anytime, anywhere. If you haven't yet tried any resistance band exercises, that's okay. It's not too late to find out what you're missing and why you should really jump on the "band" wagon.

5 types of resistance bands

You probably use a spatula for cooking pancakes and a spoon to stir pasta: both are kitchen tools, but they have distinct purposes. Well, the same goes for resistance bands. There are different bands for different applications.

1. Therapy bands

   —As their name implies, these bands are most often used in physical therapy settings for flexibility exercises. Therapy bands usually come in a roll, so you can cut the length you need. They are lightweight and stretchy, so you can move through an extensive range of motion. For these reasons, therapy bands are especially helpful for supporting mobility and muscle recovery.

2. Loop bands

   —Loop bands are a large continuous circle, or loop. These are often incorporated with barbell exercises like a chest press, and are often found in gyms. You can create a very intense full-body workout with loop bands.

3. Mini-bands

   —Think of mini-bands as a cross between therapy bands and loop bands. They're circular and continuous like loop bands, but they have more tension than a therapy band. Mini-bands are small but mighty, which is why they're often used for strengthening glute muscles, the strongest muscles in the body. You might also see these bands used in a bootcamp class to increase intensity and pump up the cardio effects.

4. Tube resistance bands with handles

   —These bands are like bungee cords with handles. They consist of one long tube with a handle on each end, so you can comfortably grip the band. The thickness and material of the tube dictates the resistance level. Tube resistance bands are the perfect stand-in for dumbbells.

5. Figure 8 bands

   —These are small tube bands, shaped in a figure eight with handles. Because of their tension and unique design, you can easily build strength with this type of resistance band. Don't expect to work through a wide range of motion with these bands. In fact, you may prefer to use figure 8 bands for isometric movements or for adding resistance to various core exercises.

What are the benefits of using resistance bands?

In addition to being portable, affordable and safe, resistance bands offer real physical benefits. Regardless of your age or athletic abilities, you can achieve important fitness goals in and out of the gym with the help of these bands.

Balance

Balance and stability are fundamental to every fitness goal. In order to carry out any physical activity, you must first be able to maintain your body's position in space (aka balance) and maintain that position (aka stability). Establishing balance and stability leads to neuromuscular efficiency, which is when all your muscles work together in all three planes of motion.

Older adults may be especially concerned with neuromuscular efficiency due to age-related muscle loss and changes to sensory systems. Don't sweat it, though. Resistance workout bands can help you regain balance while also helping you build confidence. A 16-week study involving older adults showed that balance training with elastic resistance bands had a better effect on balance compared to training without resistance bands.

Healthy body weight

To maintain a healthy body weight, you need to consume as many calories as your body uses. To lose weight, you need to create a calorie deficit by burning more calories than you consume. It's simple math, but where does exercise fit into the equation?

By starting a regular exercise routine, you can increase the number of calories your body burns. This concept works no matter what kind of physical activity you do, including getting that burn with bands. Ultimately, as long as you move long enough and often enough, you'll be able to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.

That said, changing the composition of your body—the amount of body fat versus muscle mass—requires a little more intention. In that case, you definitely will want to try a resistance band workout. Multiple exercise studies have shown that resistance bands improved body fat better in comparison to other types of resistance training, including bodyweight exercises and free weights.

Increase strength

To increase muscle strength, you have to continuously increase intensity—a concept called progressive overload. You can increase intensity in a number of ways, including adding weight or resistance, increasing volume (repetitions) or changing the tempo.

Changing the tempo usually involves slowing down your reps to increase the muscle's time under tension. Resistance bands offer a unique advantage in this area of strength training, because they naturally create tension throughout the entire range of motion.

Even in the relaxed, set position of exercises (think straight arms in a bicep curl), your muscles are still fighting the resistance of the band. This time under tension helps progressively challenge the muscles, so they continue to grow stronger.

Build muscle

It may come as a surprise that these lightweight rubber bands actually offer muscle gains. In a review of 24 different studies that looked deep into the effects of resistance bands on upper body strength and performance measures, the review found that elastic resistance training yielded positive effects on isokinetic strength, isometric strength, one-rep-max strength, force velocity and throwing velocity. In fact, you can get the same strength gains using elastic bands as you can with conventional strength training exercises. Best of all, researchers have seen these changes happen across different populations.

Much like fitness supplements, resistance bands are a tool that can enhance your healthy lifestyle efforts as long as you play it smart. Start with the basics, perfect your form, and you'll get just as much out of resistance bands as the pros.

Who should use workout resistance bands?

Resistance bands have quite a far reach—and not just in terms of their stretch. Resistance bands can be used in several different workout settings and at all levels of fitness.

Professional athletes often use resistance bands to dynamically warm up before a big game or event. Long-distance runners will use bands as a cross-training tool to strengthen the small, stabilizing muscles around their glute muscles, hip flexors and core.

You may even see pregnant women and older adults using resistance bands at the gym for low-impact strength training. And because resistance bands are so lightweight and portable, they're a great option if you are:

1. Tight on space
2. Traveling somewhere with limited equipment
3. Trying to increase the intensity of your regular routine
4. Want to help maintain your mobility
5. On a budget and need an effective at-home gym workout

But maybe you are brand-new to fitness and wondering if resistance bands are safe for you to use. Rest assured, resistance bands come with much less risk than dumbbells, barbells or even some of the machines in the gym.

Resistance Band Workout Guide

There are literally hundreds of resistance band exercises you can do at varying levels. Try not to get overwhelmed or intimidated by what you see fitness influencers doing. The following exercises are easy-to-follow options anyone can try. Feel free to add these to your current routine to elevate your game, or cycle through all of them at once for a total-body, muscle-burning resistance band workout.

Legs

Banded iso squat lateral walk (monster walk)

• Type of band: Mini-band
• How to: Stand with feet hip-distance apart and the mini-band wrapped around your ankles or calves. Bend knees and sit down into a squat. Maintain the squat as you step your right leg out to the side. Left leg follows. Take at least 10 steps one direction, and then 10 the other way.

Side plank banded clam shell (lateral leg lift)

• Type of band: Mini-band
• How to: Place the mini-band around your thighs, just above your knees. Start lying on your left side, legs stacked on top of each other and forming a straight line from head to toes. Bend both knees and lift your hips off the ground. Your left arm and left knee are supporting this side plank position. From here, raise right knee up. Hold it for a count to fire up your glutes before lowering down to reset.  

Chest

Banded push-up

• Type of band: Loop band
• How to: Wrap the band around your back, holding either end of the band in your hands. Start on the floor in a high-plank position. The band should be stretched along your upper back and around the outside of your arms. The ends of the band are trapped between your palms and the floor. Lower your chest down toward the ground, and then press back up to a high plank. You'll feel the tension in your upper body as you push up.

Banded chest fly

• Type of band: Two (2) loop bands
• How to: Find two secure posts next to each other. Wrap each band around the posts at chest height. Stand with your back to the posts and grab the loop bands, one in each hand. Your arms start wide. Find a staggered stance and bring your hands to meet in the middle of your chest. Think about hugging a beach ball as you press your hands together. Slowly return to the start.

Shoulders

Banded standing overhead press

• Type of band: Tube band with handles
• How to: Stand on the center of the band. Grab one handle in each hand and pull them to shoulder height. Press the handles straight up, reaching for the ceiling. Arms should be straight at the top. Lower back to shoulders to reset.

Banded high-plank lateral glide

• Type of band: Mini-band
• How to: Wrap a mini-band around your wrists. Place hands on the ground to start in a high-plank position. Holding the plank, lift right hand off the ground and reach it straight out to the side, letting your right hand just hover above the ground. Return to center to reset. Repeat on other side.

Triceps

Tricep kickbacks

• Type of band: Any band
• How to: Secure your band around a door anchor. Grab one end of the band. Hinge from the hips, so your torso is leaning forward. Keeping your elbow lifted, pull the band straight back behind you. You should feel your upper body and arms flex at the end. Bend the elbow and relax back to the start. 

Back

Seated single-arm low row

• Type of band: Any type of band
• How to: Wrap your resistance band around a door anchor. Sit on the ground and make sure the band is at chest height. Using your right arm, grab one end of the band (or handle) and pull the band toward you. Right elbow drives backward, as you maintain a neutral grip (palm faced in). Straighten your arm to reset. Switch sides.

Standing high pull

• Type of band: Loop band
• How to: Stand on the inside of a loop band. Hold the opposite end of the band, using a wide grip. Pull the band straight up your torso, pulling the elbows up and slightly back to pinch your shoulder blades together. Your hands should finish at chest level, elbows higher than your wrists. Lower down to reset.

Biceps

Banded bicep curl

• Type of band: Tube band with handles
• How to: Stand on a tube band, gripping one handle in each hand. Arms start hanging by your sides. Bend from the elbows to pull the handles up toward your shoulders, palms facing up. Slowly lower hands down to reset.

Join the resistance movement!

No matter what you're trying to work on when it comes to your personal fitness, resistance workout bands can help you crush your goals. Remember, you can add resistance bands to your full-body exercises, or you can create an entire resistance band workout.

Pro tip: Make sure you're pairing a regular exercise routine with the right nutrition and workout supplements. Nutrition and fitness have to be top-notch if you want top-notch results.

Now, go have fun exploring new exercises, because the "band" wagon is calling your name!

References

• Armat MR, et al. "The Effect of Resistance Exercises Using an Elastic Band on Balance and Fear of Falling in Older Adults with Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy: A 16-week Randomized Controlled Trial." Arch Phys Med Rehabil. April 2024. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38218307/
• Liu X, et al. "Effects of Different Resistance Exercise Forms on Body Composition and Muscle Strength in Overweight and/or Obese Individuals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis." Front Physiol. February 2022. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35250604/
• Santos Silva Lopes J, et al. "Effects of training with elastic resistance versus conventional resistance on muscular strength: A systematic review and meta-analysis." SAGE Open Med. February 2019. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30815258/
• Seguin RC, et al. "The Efficacy of Upper-Extremity Elastic Resistance Training on Shoulder Strength and Performance: A Systematic Review." Sports (Basel). February 2022. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8879764/