First, here’s a photo that very clearly shows the difference in appearance between resistance bands and resistance tubing. On the left is resistance bands, and on the right is resistance tubing:

As can see, resistance bands are flat, and resistance tubing is round. But what you can’t see is that resistance bands are solid, and resistance tubing is hollow. Also resistance bands are continuously looped, while resistance tubing have handles attached to both ends.

If you watch any of my old workout videos on Youtube, you’ll notice that I originally used resistance tubing for my home workouts. It took me a while to discover the benefits of continuously looped resistance bands, but once I discovered them last year, I stopped using resistance tubing in favour of using resistance bands (the bands I currently use are RBT Resistance Bands).

Below are all of the differences that I’ve found between resistance bands and resistance tubing. Many of these differences are specific reasons that caused me to switch from tubing to bands, but for some people, these things might not be important to you. I’ll also explain why you may want to choose resistance tubing over resistance bands. Read on and make your own decision on which piece of equipment is best for you.

1. Deadlifts
Deadlifts are one of my all-time favourite exercises, and they’re also one of the most effective exercises you can possibly perform for functional total-body fitness. But for years I had no way to properly perform them since I workout at home and I don’t own any free weights. With resistance tubing, it’s simply not possible to properly perform deadlifts because it’s impossible to get an adequate grip when grabbing ahold of the round tubing (the only way to attempt deadlifts with resistance tubing). With resistance bands, you can loop the bands around your wrists, which works amazing for deadlifts.

2. Resisted Pushups
Resisted pushups are another killer exercise that’s awesome with resistance bands, and a gong show with resistance tubing. With tubing, it’s quite awkward to get into the pushup position and then get the tubing under your hands correctly. Plus once you’re in the position, it can be a challenge to keep the tubing from slipping out from under your hands. With resistance bands, you can position the band around your back and the loops around your hands before even getting into the pushup, which makes the exercise comfortable to get into and out of. And because the bands are looped around your hands, there’s no slipping.

3. Resisted Squats
I always hated doing resisted squats with resistance tubing because of the awkward position you have to keep your arms while you perform that exercise with tubing. Unlike barbell squats where you can rest the barbell on your traps/shoulders, with resistance tubing, you have to squat while holding the handles at your shoulders with the resistance pushing your arms down in an uncomfortable angle. With resistance bands, you can loop the bands over your shoulders, and squat comfortably without worrying about any awkward strain being put on your arms.

4. Assisted Pull-Ups
Assisted pull-ups very easily done with resistance bands, and not possible with resistance tubing. Pull-ups are such a phenomenal exercise that they belong in any healthy person’s workout routine, but many people can’t perform a single unassisted pull-up. If you struggle to perform pull-ups, or can’t currently perform one pull-up, then you should definitely pickup a set of resistance bands. Performing assisted pull-ups with bands is absolutely the best way to develop the necessary strength to eventually be able to perform unassisted pull-ups.

5. Dowel Training
Dowel training is where you use a wooden dowel (or a PVC pipe would also work) in conjunction with continuously looped resistance bands to perform a variety of rotational pushing and pulling exercises. It’s lots of fun and an intense workout (particularly for your core). It’s not possible to perform these types of exercises with resistance tubing. So if you want to perform these types of exercises, you could spend nearly $200 for a dedicated piece of equipment like the TRX Rip Trainer, or if you have resistance bands, just pickup a dowel for $5 at your local Home Depot and you’re good to do.

6. Durability
Resistance bands are far more durable than resistance tubing. It could be because resistance bands are solid and resistance tubing is hollow, or it could be because the layering process used to make bands produces a more durable product than the dipping or moulding process used to making tubing, or it could be the way the handles are attached to the tubing is prone to breakage (when my tubing breaks, it usually snaps right at the spot where the handle is attached to the rubber tubing). I’m not exactly sure why bands are more durable than tubing, but in my extensive experience using resistance bands and resistance tubing, I’ve found that bands are significantly more durable than tubing.

7. Training Information
This is something that’s specific to RBT Resistance Bands, but I figured I’d include it in the list because it’s an important detail that helped me make my decision to switch from tubing to bands. There’s not a lot of high-quality training information being offered by any of the companies that sell resistance tubing, but the training information that Dave Schmitz from RBT posts for free on his blog and YouTube channel is some of the best info you’ll find anywhere on the internet. The quality of training info that Dave makes available for free online was a big factor in my decision to switch from tubing to bands.

So why might a person choose resistance tubing over resistance bands? Price.

Resistance bands are superior in nearly every way to resistance tubing, but if you’re extremely price sensitive, you might be more inclined to choose resistance tubing. A quality set of resistance bands will cost you about $100, while you can get a decent set of tubing for as low as about $35. If many of the resistance bands benefits I mentioned above are not important to you, and you simply want to spend as little as possible to get a piece of equipment that will adequately allow you to perform most of the basic exercises, then you should choose resistance tubing.

I hope this article has helped you with your decision on whether to buy resistance bands or tubing. If you decide to pickup a set of resistance bands, I suggest you choose RBT Resistance Bands. I use them myself for my home workouts, and I love them. They’re the highest quality continuous loop resistance bands on the market, at a price that offers by far the most value, and RBT also offers lots of must-have accessories like training handles and a versatility anchor.

The first ebook I plan to release next month is called Metabolic Resistance Training, and will be a 4-week home workout program that’s done in metabolic resistance training format, which basically means focussing on the best compound resistance training exercises and doing them at a very high intensity with minimal rest for maximum fat-burning results in the minimum amount of time spent exercising.

The Metabolic Resistance Training workouts will focus primarily on bodyweight exercises, but resistance bands will also be used for various rowing movements. So the only equipment you will require to perform the Metabolic Resistance Training workouts is a set of resistance bands.

Note that my Metabolic Resistance Training workouts will work fine with resistance tubing (i.e. if you only have tubing, not bands). Eventually my new band workouts will require actual resistance bands, and won’t work very well for people who only have tubing, but the only band exercises in my Metabolic Resistance Training workouts will be rows that work equally well with bands or tubing, so for now, don’t sweat it if you have tubing but not bands.

The second ebook I plan to release next month is called Equalizer Workouts, and will be a 4-week home workout program that uses the Lebert Equalizer. This is the ebook I wanted to tell you about early to give you an opportunity to pick yourself up a Lebert Equalizer if you do not already have one.

I recently picked up a Lebert Equalizer simply because I wanted to use it for dips and bodyweight rows. I didn’t expect to use the product for anything else other than dips and rows. But the more time I spend using my Equalizer, the more cool exercises I discover, and I love using my Equalizer so much that I decided to create a 4-week workout program that’s done exclusively with the Equalizer.

So if you’ve been thinking about picking up a new piece of home exercise equipment this year to add some much needed variety to your workouts, definitely check out the Lebert Equalizer, and if you decide to pick one up, check back on this website next month for a great 4-week fat-burning home workout program that doesn’t require any equipment other than the Lebert Equalizer.

Note that the majority of exercises demonstrated in that video are specific to continuous loop bands (i.e. not possible with resistance tubing).

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.

They say it’s great for assisted handstand pushups, plus lots of other assisted and resisted exercises.

I say the best tool for assisted handstand pushups, plus every conceivable assisted and resisted exercise, is a set of continuously looped resistance bands that only cost about a hundred bucks.

The two main pieces of exercise equipment that I enjoy using right now are continuous loop resistance bands, and a suspension gym. Continuous loop bands are great for functional, unilateral, and rotational training, and suspension gym training is a really fun way to take bodyweight training up several notches and really challenge your core to the max.

If you’re bored with whatever types of workouts you’re currently doing, consider picking up some inexpensive home exercise equipment such as bands and/or straps to help add some much needed variety to your workouts and make them significantly more enjoyable. The more you enjoy your workouts, the harder and more consistent you’ll exercise, which means better results for you.

I subscribed to your channel and have been watching quite a few videos. I really like all the ones I’ve seen. I don’t have a lot of money to afford a gym membership but I really need to lose weight. I feel like your videos are my next step in doing this. However I don’t want to be all muscular, I just want to lose the extra fat and tone all my muscles. Do you have any videos that are aimed at the female viewer? Thank you.

That is a very, very, very common question that I get asked all of the time. A couple of months ago I wrote about men’s workouts vs. women’s workouts, and in particular how men and women don’t need to exercise differently, and how the best fat-burning workout routines are the same for both men and women.

Here’s the response that I sent to the person who asked me about this today via YouTube.

Hi there, thanks for your positive feedback about my videos. My YouTube videos are geared towards both men and women who want to burn fat and get in shape by exercising at home with minimal equipment. It’s a myth that women should exercise differently than men. Here’s an example of a fat-burning workout that I filmed that’s great for both men and women:

10 Minute Home Fat-Burning Workout Without Weights

If you have more than ten minutes to exercise, you should repeat that workout two or three times.

Here are some more workouts that are also very effective fat-burning workouts for both men and women:

10-Minute Bodyweight Workout

Home Workout Without Weights

Fat-Burning Workout Without Weights

Bodyweight Workout Routine

Bodyweight Circuit Training Workout

Note that since you didn’t mention what, if any, exercise equipment you have at home, I specifically choose to send you workouts that do not require any equipment at all. If you have resistance bands and/or a suspension gym ($50 to $100 for either), I have lots of exercise videos on my YouTube channel that use those pieces of equipment.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions, and good luck with your home workouts!

Mike

If you’re looking for the best tool for assisted pull-ups, you’re looking for continuously looped resistance bands. Instead of pissing away $80 on a tool you can only use for assisted pull-ups, spend that money on a set of continuous loop bands that will allow you to do assisted pull-ups, plus hundreds of other awesome exercises.

Continuous loop resistance bands are the most versatile piece of exercise equipment I’ve ever used, and they also offer by far the best value and bang for your buck. If you pickup just one piece of new exercise gear this year, I suggest you pickup a set of continuously looped resistance bands.

But now that I’ve been introduced to continuously looped band training, I plan to start incorporating resistance band training into my workouts (i.e. true resistance bands, not tubing), and going forward I intend to make a clear distinction between resistance bands and resistance tubing.

With that being said, here’s “The Band Man” Dave Schmitz on resistance bands vs. resistance tubing:

Let’s agree on one thing…. Resistance bands are in a class by themselves and offer a level of versatility that tubular or bungee cords cannot match up with.

Product Summary: RBT Resistance Bands are 41″ continuously looped flat elastic bands that come in a variety of thicknesses, allowing you to perform a large catalog of the most functional and effective resistance training exercises. RBT also offers handy accessories such as quick-clip handles for increased versatility, and a band utility strap that can be used to anchor your bands to a door, as well as various other sturdy objects both indoors and outdoors.

The Good:

• Entry-level package includes 150 lbs of resistance. Advanced package includes well over 500 lbs of resistance.
• Band utility strap allows you to anchor your bands just about anywhere.
• Quick-clip handles allow you to comfortably perform pushing and pulling exercises.
• Comes with cutting-edge resistance band workouts and programming.

The Bad:

• No storage bag.

The Verdict: RBT Resistance Bands offer tremendous bang for your buck in the home exercise equipment category of functional equipment designed to burn fat and improve your total-body fitness. If you’re looking for an effective piece of exercise equipment for around a hundred bucks, I highly recommend that you pickup a set of RBT Resistance Bands.

Click Here To Order RBT Resistance Bands

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