The 10 Best Resistance Bands for Low-Impact Strength Training

Buying resistance bands in a bundle can give you a band for almost every workout and keep them lasting longer, too. Our pick for the best bundle is the Sportneer Resistance Band Set because of its wide range of resistance levels and band types, as well as its high-quality materials.

Included in the set are five color-coded loop resistance bands: pink, (5–15 pounds [lbs]), light purple (15–35 lbs), light blue (25–65 lbs), dark purple (35–86 lbs), and dark blue (50–130 lbs). It also includes anti-slip clip-on handles, a door anchor, and a portable carry bag.

The wide range of resistance levels makes these ideal for beginners or seasoned athletes, as you’re less likely to outgrow them. The clips and door anchor allow for a wider range of exercises with the bands, and they can turn a door or a pole into gym equipment.

“I was thrilled to get the door anchor and the handles. This makes it easy to get different workouts done in the comfort of my own home,” says editor Nicole Bonaccorso. The handles in particular allow for even more exercises with these bands, she says.

You can easily get a full-body workout with these versatile bands, and they’re great for yoga, Pilates, pull-ups, push-ups, resistance drills, and rehabilitation therapy. The material is a durable and non-toxic latex, so if you have a latex allergy, you’ll want to keep that in mind. 

The Bala Bands are ideal for workouts like Pilates or yoga, because their soft fabric allows you to work them in seamlessly without the friction that some rubber resistance bands can cause.

“They’re comfortable to use, can be used for a variety of exercises, and come in three strength levels,” says writer Brittany Vargas. The three resistance levels are color-coded: light is blush pink, medium is sand, and heavy is charcoal. Vargas likes the band’s “cute colors,” and appreciates how “sturdy and well-made” they are. She also likes that they come in a portable mesh carrying case, so you can easily take them with you anywhere you go.

In addition to Pilates, these bands are ideal for lower-body or core workouts. Plus, their elastic fabric is less likely to bunch up in clothing during certain poses than rubber bands are. Because these are fabric bands, the resistance depends on how much you stretch them and on your arm and leg size. The brand doesn’t specify an exact resistance range like some others do.

Note that these bands aren’t ideal for upper-body exercises or heavy full-body strength training. Vargas also felt like the bands were big and not super-tight, and they'd sometimes slip off her leg. Still, we think this is the perfect, super-comfy band set for Pilates, yoga, or low-impact leg or core work. 

The PVOLVE P.band is a great choice for improving posture. It offers a low-resistance upper-body workout that activates your upper back muscles, eases shoulder tension, and improves shoulder alignment. In addition to lifting your rounded shoulders, it helps strengthen and sculpt your arms and enhance your range of motion.

The latex-tube resistance band comes with gloves to connect to your hands for a safer workout. The gloves attach to prevent snap-back injuries, which is a major plus.

“I really like that these connect to your hands, so you can focus on your workout without having to worry about the band accidentally slipping through your hands if you stretch it too much. If you’ve ever snapped a resistance band like this, you’ll understand,” says editor Ashley Ziegler.

Unlike some of the other products on this list, the P.band comes with just one band. However, it also includes a 14-day trial membership to stream PVOLVE’s online classes, plus a one-on-one consultation with a trainer. PVOLVE is a low-impact functional fitness method that focuses on strength, mobility, and stability. Should you choose to purchase a membership, you can access over 1,500 pre-recorded classes and 40 weekly live classes for $24.99 a month.

One thing we didn’t love is that PVOLVE doesn’t provide information about the band's tension. However, we know it’s on the lighter side and isn’t meant for heavy resistance training. It’s also only for the upper body. The band is made of latex, so if you have a latex allergy, you’ll want to take note. 

This set of mini-loop resistance bands offers a range of resistance for newcomers to the intermediate range. It also comes with an instruction manual on how to do certain exercises, making it the perfect set for beginners.

This set of five color-coded, latex bands comes in a variety of color palettes, including primary colors, pinks, pastels, and more. The color depends on which set you choose, but the resistance levels are as follows: X-light (10–15 lbs), light (15–20 lbs), medium (20–25 lbs), heavy (25–35 lbs), and X-heavy (35–45 lbs).

Another great beginner-friendly aspect of these bands is that they are extremely affordable, costing around $10-$15. The set includes a carry bag, too.

The bands will serve you best for lower-body workouts, injury recovery, or gentle strength training. The only potential con is that latex may roll onto clothing or skin more than fabric bands of this shape do. If you have a latex allergy, you’ll want to steer clear. Still, this budget-friendly starter kit is a great choice if you're curious to try resistance bands or if you're trying to recover from an injury. 

These TRX Strength Bands offer a wide range of resistance, with clearly labeled levels. That makes them great for various strength levels and workouts — and our experts agree.

“These loop bands from TRX each feature a 79.5-inch [in] circumference that can allow for full-body workouts across varying ranges of motion. The thicker natural latex can also anchor effectively to different structures, allowing you to press and pull without worry of snap-back,” says Sheehan.

You can purchase each latex band individually or as a set of four or six, with each one clearly labeled and color-coded. The blue band has 5–15 lbs of resistance, the green band has 15–30 lbs, the yellow band has 25–50 lbs, the orange band has 35–70 lbs, the grey band has 45–110 lbs, and the black band has 60–150 lbs. The Strength Band Bundle (a set of four) has resistance levels of 5–70 lbs, and the All Strength Bands set of six has levels of 5–150 lbs.

“I really love their simplicity and durability. The bands are pretty thick, so you know they won’t tear easily. I also really appreciate that they have the resistance weight printed on them. This helps when keeping track of weight progression in weight training,” says editor Ally Hirschlag.

The only potential cons are that latex is not suitable for people with latex allergies, and the material can bunch or roll on clothing. 

This archer’s bow–shaped resistance band setup isn’t just fun and unique, “it’s versatile and gives you new ways to set up your workouts that normal equipment doesn’t,” says Angelino.

Sheehan is also a fan of the design’s ability to give you barbell-style training, since the bow shape mimics typical barbell placement. This resistance band set can also give you a hefty workout. “Another aspect that makes the original Gorilla Bow one of the most versatile resistance band kits is the fact that up to four bands can be stacked across the bow for combined resistance up to 300 pounds,” says Sheehan.

You can purchase bundles of varying resistance depending on your workout needs. A base bundle, best for beginners, offers 110 lbs of resistance with four color-coded resistance bands: one yellow 10-lb band, one blue 20-lb band, one green 30-lb band, and one red 50-lb band.

The heavy bundle, best for those with advanced skills, offers eight bands totaling 210 lbs of resistance: one 10-lb band, one 20-lb band, one 30-lb band, three 50-lb bands (all the same colors as the other bundle), plus two 60-lb black bands and two 70-lb purple bands.

You can also get a total bundle with nine gorilla bands and two short bands, totaling 520 lbs of resistance. The bundle includes one 10-lb, two 20-lb, two 40-lb, one 50-lb, two 70-lb, and one orange 80-lb band.

Included with the purchase of any bundle is a portable carry case and a month of free all-access, on-demand full-body or targeted workouts. Our only potential cons are that this equipment takes some time to learn to use, and it isn’t as intuitive as barbells. Also, some users report that the bands can snap. 

The Gaiam Resistance Band Stretch Strap is ideal for recovery because it can aid your range of motion and is made with gentle, supportive material.

“The multiple grips allow for targeting different parts of the range of motion of a muscle. If someone is recovering from something like a tendon injury, they'd normally focus on the top portion of the [range of motion] until they get a bit better, and then gradually expand [range of motion]. Since more stretched muscles often lead to more tendon stress,” says Angelino.

This single band (not a set) is made of soft polyester, which can be “less irritating on bare skin than latex rubber,” says Sheehan. It’s also suitable for people with latex allergies.

The band comes with a medium resistance level, which is great for recovery, but not for more-serious strength training. While this is advertised as a stretch band, Angelino says that resistance bands aren’t actually meant for stretching. “If you’re using a resistance band, you’re not technically doing a stretching exercise, given you’re applying resistance to your muscles,” he says. “If something is called a stretch, while using a resistance band, it is mislabeled.”

The Serious Steel Fitness 41" Resistance Band is our pick for pull-ups, because it has the stability and tension needed to hold people up without putting them at risk. “This band is pretty stable and good at holding bodies within its weight limit. It’s generally more reliable than many competitors in the space,” says Sheehan.

While there are nine types of bands, you can purchase the latex loops individually or as a set of six. One of the bands is thick and can support up to 150 lbs of tension, making it great “for providing ample assistance through a full pull-up movement,” says Sheehan.

The bands are latex and have 15 durable layers to prevent them from snapping. (If you have a latex allergy, you’ll want to steer clear of these.) They come in beginner-friendly to more-advanced resistance ranges and in a variety of lengths. We're reviewing the 41-in bands.

The bands come in the following color-coded resistance ranges: orange #0: 2–15 lbs, purple #1: 5–35 lbs, red #2: 10–50 lbs, blue #3: 25–80 lbs, green #4: 50–120 lbs, black #5: 60–150 lbs, yellow #6: 80–200 lbs, gray #6.5: 115–290 lbs, orange #7: 120–300 lbs.

Fabric loops can be beneficial for several reasons: They’re softer and won’t trigger people with latex allergies, and they’re less likely to slip or bunch up than latex bands. This set of three cotton-and-polyester bands is slip-resistant and great for a variety of lower-body exercises, such as squats, lunges, donkey kicks, and more.

The set comes with three resistance ranges: light (20–35 lbs), medium (30–50 lbs), and heavy (45-70 lbs). The bands come in three fun, different-color sets: white, black, and gray; blue, orange, and yellow; and purple, pink, and green.

Sheehan likes that the resistance levels are clearly written on each band. “This resistance band kit from Renoj also comes with a convenient mesh carrying case for easier travel and storage. The mesh bag, in particular, can be helpful for airing out your bands post-training, as fabric loops can be prone to holding sweat,” he says.

You may want to note these aren’t designed for serious strength training, and they’re mostly for your lower body.

Mini loops, like these from Perform Better, offer a variety of resistance-training perks. “I like these mini bands, because they can be easy to throw in a gym bag for pre-training stretches and are available in a wide range of tension levels for supporting different movements or training intensities,” says Sheehan.

Using a smaller loop can keep bands in place more firmly, especially during lower-body workouts. “There’s less slack than what you’d experience with a larger band, and you don’t have to continuously adjust your placement to maintain proper tension,” he says.

The loops are made of durable latex, which gives the bands to a longer lifespan, Angelino says: “This is important, since regular mini loops inherently break pretty easily, due to their structure.”

The bands come in the following color-coded resistance levels: yellow (light), green (medium), blue (heavy), and black (extra-heavy). That said, the brand doesn't specify the numerical value of the resistance.

Unlike fabric, latex may tend to roll or bunch up clothing. And while these bands are great for lower-body workouts, travel workouts, or physical therapy, they’re not ideal for heavy strength training or pull-ups.