If you go to the Rebook website (i.e. reebok.com, not some special website dedicated to Reebok CrossFit), the title of the site is:

Reebok CrossFit – The Sport of Fitness has Arrived. – Reebok

And on the home page, all of the content “above the fold ” (i.e. what you see without scrolling) is marketing for CrossFit. I’d really love to know the details of Reebok’s partnership with CrossFit, because the way that Reebok is rebranding itself around CrossFit, it seems like Reebok has a lot more invested in CrossFit than the “10-year deal” they publicly announced.

Besides rebranding their main website so that it focusses almost exclusively on Reebok CrossFit, they’ve been running a number of Reebok CrossFit television commercials, and they also now have CrossFit affiliates opening up gyms that are specifically branded as “Reebok CrossFit”.

I read a forum thread on the CrossFit website where some people were bitching about why it had to be dorky Reebok to go whole hog supporting CrossFit, rather than a cooler company like Under Armour, Adidas (they own Reebok), or even Nike. Sure, the Reebok brand is only slightly hipper than Jordache, but regardless, CrossFitters should be thrilled with the exposure.

But that website got me thinking about how I could truly help you get the best possible results from your workouts, and it doesn’t involve teaching you about some magical training voodoo that will change your life and get you more results than you ever thought possible.

The truth is that the best way to workout effectively is to discover the type of workouts that you enjoy, using the equipment that you enjoy, in the environment that you enjoy.

For example, my resistance band workouts are highly effective at burning fat and getting fit, but what if you don’t like working out with resistance bands. Then you’d be much better off finding a different workout program.

What if you prefer to work out with dumbbells and doing challenging bodyweight exercises while receiving encouragement from one of the most motivating trainers in the business? Try P90X or P90X2.

What if you love working out with other hardcore fitness enthusiasts, and you receive a tremendous amount of motivation from keeping score of your workouts and competing with others for the best results? Try CrossFit.

What if you’ve got really bad knee problems and most exercise routines cause you knee pain? Try yoga, or a spinning class, or swimming.

What if you hate resistance training? Try boxing. What if you hate boxing? Try a dance class. What if you hate dancing? Go hiking with your dog.

The simple truth is that for the best possible workout results, you need to find a workout routine that you enjoy. Any workout program you don’t enjoy, or worse yet, any workout program you hate, will not work for you.

I’ve found that the best results are achieved from putting together a fitness program with maximum variety. Workout a couple days per week, play a sport once per week, do another fun activity once per week. Go for some walks, runs, or hikes here and there. Just try to stay active doing things you enjoy.

The worst possible way to get results from your workouts is to attempt to force yourself into a strict exercise routine that you do not enjoy. That will get you absolutely nowhere.

So if you’re struggling to get in shape, really focus on putting together a workout routine for yourself that you enjoy. Enjoyment from your fitness activities is the number one way to ensure that you will get long-lasting results.

Note that when I say “resistance bands” I mean resistance bands. Not resistance tubing. Resistance tubing is a decent type of exercise equipment, but resistance tubing is nowhere near as versatile as actual resistance bands (i.e. flat continuously looped 41″ resistance bands). That’s also indisputable.

There are lots of different brands of resistance bands on the market, so I figured I’d put together a blog post comparing the offerings from various manufacturers. Quality is pretty much the same (arguably identical) regardless of which manufacturer’s bands you choose, but price and available accessories vary significantly.

My preferred resistance band setup, and the type that I think most people should choose, consists of the following:

• 1 pair of 1/2″ bands
• 1 pair of 13/16″ bands
• 1 pair of 1 1/8″ bands
• 1 pair of 1 3/4″ bands

That’s the perfect setup for anyone interested in having killer workouts at home using resistance bands, so that’s the configuration I used when determining the prices below. I do consider handles and a door anchor must-have accessories, but many resistance bands companies do not sell those accessories, so for the price comparisons below, I’ve only included the configuration described above.

Note that those are standard resistance band sizes used by the majority of companies including RBT, Iron Woody, Body-Bands, and Rubberbanditz. Rogue and Jump Stretch sizes are slightly different, but not enough to bother going into detail about here.

RBT Resistance Bands · $104.99

Overview: Resistance Band Training (RBT) is run by Dave “The Band Man” Schmitz, who’s very well known in the fitness community as the world’s foremost expert on functional training with resistance bands.

Programming: Tons of high-quality resistance band workout DVDs and downloadable ebooks, plus Dave regularly posts excellent workouts for free on his blog and YouTube channel.

Extras: Training handles and “band utility strap” that can be used to anchor your bands to a door, or any other sturdy object.

Verdict: Very close to the best price you’ll find on resistance bands, plus RBT offers all the of the must-have accessories and workout content. For the majority of people reading this post, RBT will be the best place to buy your resistance bands from.

Click Here For More Info On RBT Resistance Bands

Iron Woody Bands · $86.25

Overview: Iron Woody is probably the most well known brand of resistance bands in this list. They are wildly popular and known for offering extremely high quality resistance bands at the best price you’ll find anywhere.

Workout DVDs: None.

Extras: Nothing worth mentioning.

Verdict: The best price you’ll find for resistance bands, but since Iron Woody doesn’t offer training handles, or a door anchor, or any workout programming, the low price will come with inconvenience since you’ll need to look elsewhere to complete your resistance band setup.

Click Here For More Info On Iron Woody Bands

Body-Bands Exercise Bands · $114.95

Overview: I just discovered Body-Bands tonight when I was doing research for this blog post. They boast that Body-Bands are made by the same suppliers as the more well known brands (likely true), except Body-Bands are significantly less expensive (not true — Body-Bands are priced at about the middle of the pack).

Programming: None.

Extras: Training handles and basic door anchor.

Verdict: On their website they boast that price savings is the main reason to choose their product (they say competitors cost “30 to 60%” more). As you can see, that’s not true. Iron Woody and RBT are both less expensive than Body-Bands, and Rogue isn’t much more expensive than Body-Bands. With that in mind, I can’t think of a good reason to choose Body-Bands.

Click Here For More Info On Body-Bands Exercise Bands

Rogue Monster Bands · $126.00

Overview: Rogue Fitness is one of the most well known manufacturers of equipment for the CrossFit community, and besides being known for making very high quality equipment, they have a reputation for offering phenomenal customer service. Rogue is a reseller of Iron Woody Bands, but they also sell their own brand of resistance bands called Rogue Monster Bands.

Programming: None.

Extras: None.

Verdict: Rogue may not offer must-have accessories or workout programming, but if you’re into CrossFit and/or want to support a well known and respected company in the CrossFit community, consider paying a bit extra for your bands and getting them from Rogue Fitness.

Click Here For More Info On Rogue Monster Bands

Rubberbanditz Fitness Bands · $173.96

Overview: Rubberbanditz is another company I had never heard of prior to tonight when I started doing research for this post. Rather than aiming to undercut competitors on price, Rubberbanditz emphasizes the quality of their product, plus they have a strong focus on protecting the environment and have lots of info on their website about their green initiatives.

Programming: Basic resistance band training tutorial DVD and exercise manual, plus lots of free downloadable workouts in ebook format.

Extras: Training handles, basic door anchor, plus a cool looking “bamboo barbell”.

Verdict: Quite expensive, but if you’re passionate about protecting the environment and supporting companies who share your interest in green initiatives, consider purchasing your resistance bands from Rubberbanditz.

Click Here For More Info On Rubberbanditz Fitness Bands

Jump Stretch Flex Bands · $200.00

Overview: Jump Stretch has the reputation of being the original manufacturer of continuously looped 41″ resistance bands (which they call “Flex Bands”). They also have the reputation of charging nearly double (or in some cases more than double) what most of their competitors charge for the exact same product that was likely even manufactured in the exact same factory in China.

Programming: Good selection of resistance band workout DVDs.

Extras: Tons, including training handles, band utility straps (called “door harness” by Jump Stretch), lift bar (to mimic barbell exercises and for dowel training), vertical wall anchors, etc.

Verdict: These bands are so preposterously expensive, I can’t think of any reason why any sane persons would buy their resistance bands from Jump Stretch when you can get the same quality bands for less than half the price from RBT or Iron Woody.

Click Here For More Info On Jump Stretch Flex Bands

Still undecided? Here’s the straight goods:

If you’re looking for the best value with the best must-have accessories and the best workout programming, choose RBT Resistance Bands.

If you don’t want or need training handles or a door anchor, and are just looking for the lowest price on high-quality resistance bands, choose Iron Woody Bands.

I can’t think of any good reason to choose Body-Bands Exercise Bands.

If you want to support a company in the CrossFit community, and/or you want to buy the product with the coolest name, even if that means spending a bit more and having to go elsewhere for your handles and door anchor, choose Rogue Monster Bands.

If you’re passionate about protecting the environment and you prefer to support companies who share your values, and/or you’re just really into eco chic products made from bamboo, choose Rubberbanditz Fitness Bands.

If you’ve got lots of extra money to burn, and you get a thrill from pissing your money away on ridiculously overpriced products, choose Jump Stretch Flex Bands.