13 Best Resistance Bands for Building Strength

So, you’re looking for the best resistance bands out there to get your new workout routine off to a good start. The only problem is, there are thousands to choose from...

It’s a good thing we’ve collated a list of the 13 best resistance bands on the web!

We’ve done the hard work for you, so you no longer have to ask; ‘which resistance bands are the best?’. Sit back, relax, and find out exactly where to buy resistance bands with OriGym’s Ultimate List. 

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#1 - TRX Resistance Bands

TRX are a hugely popular sports equipment brand because of their high quality at competitive prices - and their branded resistance bands certainly live up to their name. 

These are a great set of cheap resistance bands that would work well for every ability and knowledge level. If you’re a beginner these are an excellent gateway into resistance band workouts because you can get a variety of resistance levels in one bundle.

Their loop style makes these one of the best resistance bands for rehabilitation so that you can come back from injury and build your strength up in a safer and more controlled way, rather than through free weights.

These resistance bands are made from a durable latex which will hold up during a strenuous workout, so you’ll be able to get a lot of use for your money.

Price: £11.95

Resistance Range: X-Lite to Heavy

Included: 4 resistance bands (are available for purchase separately)

#2 - Latex Resistance Bands

Instead of a looped band you may be looking for something more customisable, in which case this may be the set of resistance bands for you. 

These latex resistance bands come in 3 lengths that can be tied into a shape and size that suits you, or used in both hands to stretch and train different muscle groups. They’re one of the best resistance bands for rehabilitation because you can adapt them for your own body and injury recovery rather than rely on something that is already set in a shape.

Resistance bands are an excellent alternative to weights; they’re easily transportable, simple to use and adaptable for various muscle groups and exercises. By buying a set you’re able to easily progress through different levels of resistance and challenge your muscles to get stronger.

These are some of the best resistance bands in the UK; the latex is strong, durable and easily wiped clean after use. They’re excellent value for money because you can either choose the whole set or buy specific levels that work for your training.

Price: £23.99

Resistance Range: Extra-Light to Extra-Heavy

Included: 5 resistance bands (are available for purchase separately)

Pull-Up Bands

#3 Bulldog Gear Resistance Bands

If branded resistance bands are important to you Bulldog is definitely one to consider. These are high quality resistance bands that will make a great addition to any equipment collection.

It’s hard to argue with a 5 star rating, and there are dozens of positive reviews praising these resistance bands from both beginners and veteran users.

This product is made from 100% latex and manufactured in a continuous loop for increased strength and durability. Their design and extra strength makes them one of the best resistance bands for pull-ups, dips and other upper body exercises.

They are on the more expensive end of the scale, with the lightest band starting at £12.00, and a set of three (which includes one green, one purple and one red) costing £45.00. However the quality and versatility more than makes up for the initial expense.

Price: From £12.00

Resistance Range: From 2-16kg to 25-70kg

Included: Single resistance band (are available for purchase as a set of 3)

#4 CoreSteady Resistance Bands

CoreSteady’s pull-up bands might cost you a little more than those previously mentioned (once you’ve collected the entire set), but there’s a reason for this.

If you’ve already skipped ahead to their resistance range, you’ll be on our wavelength. That’s right, they pack an extra 50lbs into their heaviest resistance band than WODFitters do!

As a beginner, we’d advise you to start out with one of the lighter options in this range. However, if you’re an experienced user of resistance bands, then you’ll no doubt find CoreSteady’s products some of the best resistance bands to find a challenge with.

If you can use a 175lbs resistance band without breaking a sweat, we’ll eat our hats!

Price range: £79.99 for the full set 

Resistance range: 15lbs-175lbs

Included: 1 band per purchase or 5 in the same set 

#5 Starwood Sports Resistance Bands 

If getting as much resistance for as cheap as possible is your main motive when browsing our list of the best resistance bands in the UK, we can’t blame you. It makes a lot of sense!

You’ll surely be pleased with this product if you can relate. It seems like we’re moving up and up in terms of finding the most reasonable bands with the heaviest resistance, and we’re loving it.

If you thought we’d stopped at the CoreSteady Resistance Bands, we did too. But no, Starwood Sports have packed a whopping 55lbs extra into their ultra-thick orange band.

Off on your travels and need something to replace that monstrous barbell at the gym? These are surely the best resistance bands for the job.

They also have more potential for progression than any of the previously mentioned products, so this is a plus! We're not saying that they're the absolute best resistance bands when compared to the other products, but just that if this is what you're looking for then they could be the right choice for you. 

Price range: £54.99 for the set (orange sold separately) 

Resistance range: 15lbs-230lbs

Included: 1 band per purchase or up to 5 in the same set (orange sold separately)

#6 - Corezone Light Assisted Pull-Up Bands

Resistance bands are hugely versatile and can enhance any kind of workout, so it makes sense to want the best resistance bands the UK has to offer. Corezone sports is one of these brands that can provide you with great quality gear for whatever exercises you’re doing.

This particular set comes with 3 resistance bands in increasing strength so you’ll be able to work through at your own pace.

They’re made from 100% latex for an easy but strong stretch, and are lightweight for easy transportation. Whether you’re at the gym, at home or on the move these resistance bands will help support you and your fitness goals.

The relative thickness of these resistance bands compared to others on this list make them an excellent support for pull-ups. Simply loop around the bar and under the feet or knees to assist you as you lift and engage your upper body.

Price: £23.95

Resistance Range: 2-30kg

Included: 3 resistance bands per purchase

Figure 8 Bands

#7 - FitHut Figure-8 Resistance Band

Cheap resistance bands don’t have to mean bad quality - in fact there are several on the market that can provide the assistance you need without breaking the bank.

The FitHut figure-8 resistance band is an excellent example of this, at less than £10 you’re definitely getting value for money.

Instead of latex the resistance tubes are made from TPE, which stands for thermoplastic elastomer. This material takes the elasticity and stretch of rubber and combines it with the recyclability and processing qualities of plastic.

In terms of quality, TPE is strong but durable, and has enough stretch to make it perfect for resistance bands whilst also being less harmful for the environment. The FitHut then uses a soft foam for the handles and middle to make them comfortable in the hands or against your legs.

The overall resistance tube is lightweight and easily folded down to fit in your bag and taken wherever you plan to exercise.

Price: £8.99

Included: 1 figure-8 band with foam handles

Resistance tubes

#8 - FitBeast Exercise Resistance Bands 

Now comes one of our favourite resistance tubes sets currently available on the web. Not only do they look amazing (how could you NOT want to workout with these after one glance?), but they're also incredibly versatile compared to some of the other types of resistance bands. 

For example, their handles mean that resistance tubes can be used a little differently to your standard resistance bands. You can attach them to door handles, street lamps, anything you wish and even use them as a portable cable machine! 

Judging from its brilliant reviews on a variety of online platforms, including Amazon (92% of them are 5-stars on here!), any problems with the product aren’t a regular occurrence. FitBeast has crafted a pretty high-quality product here that will allow you to break a real sweat, and we'd definitely recommend checking it out if resistance tubes are what you're looking for. 

Price: £16.99

Resistance range: 10-50lbs

Included: 5 bands per purchase, soft cushion handles, ankle straps, door anchor, small gym bag

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#9 - 66fit Resistance Tube

For a more robust resistance tube that’s still value for money why not try this product from 66fit?

This resistance tube is made from TPR, which stands for thermoplastic rubber, and covered with a nylon sheath in the unlikely event that it over-stretches and breaks. TPR is very similar to the TPE we mentioned above, as it also mixes the characteristics of plastic and rubber. 

However it’s slightly harder and less flexible so you’ll get more overall resistance here whilst still keeping the flexibility you need from a resistance tube.

Alongside your choice of resistance tubes this product comes with 2 detachable foam handles that connect with metal clips for extra security as you use them. This also makes it really easy to switch resistance tubes when you need more of a challenge in your workout.

The box for these resistance tubes also has some infographics for exercise ideas, which is a great help if you’re just starting out.

Price: £4.45 +VAT

Included: 1 resistance tube, 2 detachable hands

#10 - Pro Fitness Resistance Tubes

On our list of the best resistance bands (UK edition) we’d be remiss in not mentioning the offering from Pro Fitness. This is an excellent set of resistance bands and useful accessories that provides everything you’ll need for resistance based workouts.

The 5 resistance tubes are of differing levels of strength for an easy way to build and improve your strength, and the metal clips at each end attach to soft foam handles built for comfort and grip during your upper body workouts.

On the other hand the ankle straps and door anchor are more suited to lower body exercises, and are easily swapped out with the handles when you want them. 

All of these accessories means this product is an excellent and versatile set that even comes with it’s own carry bag so you can keep everything in one place for easy pick up and storage.

At £22.00 for the whole set these resistance tubes are certainly value for money, and are a great starting point for your home workout collection.

Price: £22.00

Included: 5 resistance tubes, 2 detachable handles, 1 door anchor, 2 ankle straps and 1 carry bag.

Lateral bands

#11 - Mirafit Resistance Bands

Whilst Mirafit are certainly one of the more expensive options on our list, they’re very high quality and certainly worth every penny.

These lateral bands are 100% latex like many others on our list, but they’re also formulated to prevent any snap back into position which will save your skin from stings and bruises.

Mirafit offers 6 different bands in increasing resistance levels so you’ll have plenty of room for progression as your muscles get stronger. They’re perfect as lateral bands (or booty bands) if you’re keen to train your lower body, especially your glutes. 

These types of equipment are some of the best resistance bands for rehabilitation as well because they’re strong enough to keep your body steady as you retrain and strengthen muscles after an injury.

Price: From £8.95

Resistance Range: 15-230lbs

Included: 1 resistance band (are available for purchase as a set)

#12 - Urban Fitness Resistance Bands

Another great example of lateral bands are the Urban fitness resistance bands because their shape and size make them perfect to loop around the legs for lateral walks or side steps.

The 100% latex allows for total stretch and flexibility so you can easily train various muscle groups with the same equipment, whilst the different levels of resistance make it easy to swap and change bands as you need depending on your exercise routine. 

There are 5 bands so you’ll have plenty of room for improvement, and the lateral bands are fairly small meaning you can do concentrated movements and really dial in on the muscle groups you’re training.

These are great cheap resistance bands to get you started on learning and incorporating resistance band exercises into your training. This particular set is sold in Holland and Barretts in the UK, so you could even nip out to the highstreet and get started straight away.

Price: £9.95

Resistance Range: X-Light to X-Strong

Included: 5 resistance bands

#13 - FH Lateral Stepper Resistance Band

Last but certainly not least on our ultimate list of the best resistance bands out there is the LH Lateral Stepper Resistance band.

It comes in one size only, but that doesn’t stop it from earning its place on our list!

With the positive reviews coming in at 85% on Amazon, we certainly can’t argue against its credibility. It’s a product we highly recommend checking out, especially if you’re on a tight budget but still want to get all the benefits of a resistance band workout.

Price: £7.99

Resistance range: light/medium

Included: one band per purchase

FAQs

#1 Which resistance bands are the best?

When looking for the answer to ‘which resistance bands are the best?’, it’s important to keep your goals in mind. If you’re looking to tone the lower body for example, then lateral bands may be the best resistance bands for you!

‘Which resistance bands are the best’? - we recommend a good mix to keep things varied, maybe even try one of each type.

#2 Where to buy resistance bands: where is best?

As you’ll see in the rest of our article, we love Amazon as an online marketplace for fitness products. This is because you can often find great deals on products that are more expensive otherwise, and especially on big name brands.

Wondering where to buy resistance bands? Amazon is a great start!

#3 Should I buy resistance bands or weights?

In short, it depends on your goals.

If you want to get into bodybuilding or achieve a bulked-up physique, then weights will get you there faster.

However, if you’re looking to tone up and build endurance then resistance bands are a great option and complement the work you do with weights in the gym nicely (especially if you’re out and about without access to a gym!).

Before you go!

We hope you feel equipped with all the right information to go out there and find the best resistance bands for you and your fitness goals!

Eager to kick-start your career in fitness? Not to worry. Give our free prospectus a look over, or check out OriGym's Level 3 PT Diploma to find out more!