While the different types of resistance bands can leave you confused, they all fall under the same category. They do have slightly different uses, but we can describe them holistically to make things a little easier!
So, what are resistance bands?
Resistance bands are literally ‘bands’ that are either flat or tubular in shape. Originally, their sole use was as a rehabilitation method for patients wanting to get back to exercise post-injury.
They were first used in physiotherapy sessions during the 1990s but only took off as a piece of mainstream exercise equipment in recent years. We’d be surprised if you haven’t already seen them being used at your local gym or on Instagram!
The benefits of resistance bands are what caused this spike in popularity, but we’ll get to that later on in this article.
They are mainly used either in place of or to complement resistance training involving heavy weights. Their portability helps their case, and the fact that they come in different pre-set tensions/resistance levels (which is something to look out for when buying).
Now that we’ve established a broad answer to ‘what are resistance bands?’, it’s time to dig deeper and find out more about the different types of resistance bands that exist in the fitness world.
This will give you a better idea about the benefits of resistance bands in general.
If you’re clued up on how different types of resistance bands can focus on multiple parts of the body during exercise as well as providing different levels of resistance, you’ll be able to choose the right bands for your workout.
If you’re a regular at the gym, then you probably associate the term ‘resistance bands’ heavily with flat bands. They are one of the most widely used and inexpensive models and get their name from their typical rubber band appearance.
Flat bands have no handles or grips, but they do come in varying levels of resistance.
They are usually colour-coded for this reason, but you can tell which will give more or less resistance from the width of each band.
Due to them being the smallest of the different types of resistance bands, they are usually used for rehabilitation purposes.
Athletes also use them to stretch out before or after exercise, especially long-duration races, so keep this in mind if this sounds like you! They’re especially great for aiding mobility and flexibility.
In a similar league to flat bands, pull-up bands are also quite a common sight in most health and fitness settings. In fact, they’re probably the most frequently used by fitness enthusiasts.
When it comes to the benefits of resistance bands, pull-up bands have an advantage over flat bands.
They have more potential when it comes to building muscle and pulling off a greater variety of moves, as they add more resistance to exercises due to their thickness.
They are a great option for those who are used to flat resistance bands as well as those new to fitness, as they are relatively easy to grasp!
Like their thinner counterparts, they are usually colour coded in the same manner. If not then the thicker the band, the greater the resistance.
Staying true to their name, they’re also used to either assist users in pull-ups or add resistance to pull-ups, making them extremely versatile!
Resistance tubes have a different appearance to the bands, and also bring new options to the table when it comes to the different types of resistance bands and their uses.
Firstly, their design comes from the earliest version of the resistance band, which was surgical tube in case you missed this earlier! This is where the idea for their hard, tubular exterior came from.
When it comes to workouts, the handles on resistance tubes give them the advantage of being able to be anchored just about anywhere, making it easier to get a gym-like workout on the go.
For example, you can anchor them beneath your feet rather than on a lampost or door handle, making them extremely practical and user-friendly. The grip of the handles is usually easier on your palms too, which is always a plus when wanting to train more often.