9 best resistance bands to help you stretch, strengthen and sculpt muscles

These resistance bands from TRX, which is known for its suspension trainers, are high quality and come in a variety of resistances. Included in this versatile kit are four long looped bands – two each of the blue (2-7kg) and green (7-14kg) – along with two ergonomic handles that you can slide the bands into.

The handles make the bands easier and more comfortable to use for certain moves as they stop them digging into your hands, and the rubber handle covers provide good grip, even when you’re sweaty. The handles and bands are light, making them ideal for travelling, and you can pop two bands into the handles to up the resistance.

This is a clever set consisting of two ankle straps, one short tube band, one long tube band, a handle and a 1.5lb ball. You attach the band to the ankle strap at one end with a carabiner, then the other end has a handle. The ball can be used as an independent weight, but can also attach to the end of the band so you end up with both resistance and weight.

This set is designed to be used with the P.volve app, which is a favourite of Jennifer Aniston. The app provides workouts focussing on strength and function. I liked the emphasis on low-impact, functional movement, with classes ranging from 20-minute core and arm sessions to a 60-minute full body sculpt.

The only slight faff is that you have to unhook the strap to swap it to the opposite leg when you work the other side of the body, but this only takes a few seconds. You can read our review of the full P.volve set and how our writer got on with the training style here.

I bought this pull-up band set years ago, and I haven’t felt the need to invest in another one since. It comes with five bands with different thicknesses and, consequently, resistances. There is also a travel bag, door anchor and a couple of velcro handles to make the bands more comfortable to hold during certain exercises.

The bands are well-made and worked brilliantly for assisted pull-ups – clove hitch one end over a pull-up bar, place your foot in the other end, and away you go. I’ve also taken the bands on several holidays, and they’ve allowed me to hit strength training sessions everywhere from a Portuguese plaza to Yosemite National Park.

The range of resistances should suit all fitness levels (seriously strong customers can always double up if they want more of a challenge) and the door anchor allows you to jam the bands in a door and perform pulling exercises like face pulls and seated rows.

This addition from La Pochette is a short looped band for lower body exercises that’s made of stretchy, breathable fabric rather than latex. It’s wide, making it very comfortable around the legs with no cutting or digging in, and it has an inner grip to stop it sliding down.

It’s extremely durable and feels extremely safe to use, with no concerns that it will snap. It can be hand washed, and is also available in heavy and light.

La Pochette’s accessories are also great for travelling with and they’re all designed to fit together so you can build a full workout set for use on the go.

This nifty (if expensive) resistance band set is a great one to have in your gym bag, whether you want to work out on the go or spice up your warm-up.

It has three short looped bands offering light, medium and heavy resistance, allowing you to do everything from shoulder prehab work to donkey kicks. I found the bands really helpful for working on my hip health with exercises like clamshells, and they also come with a neat mesh bag – perfect for travelling.

The bands are made from a strong fabric which feels far more comfortable than rubber alternatives, particularly on bare skin, and they have silicone waves on the inside to stop them from slipping out of position mid-workout.

These long looped bands are available in various resistances: extra light (6.7-13kg), light (18-31kg), medium (27-45kg), heavy (31-54kg) and heaviest (36-67kg). Long-looped bands are perfect for assisted pull-ups – just clove-hitch it around a pull-up bar and put the other end around the middle of one foot or knee to give yourself a boost.

I tested the thickest black band, and found it made pull-ups easier without propelling me too swiftly.

Les Mills On Demand classes were a go-to in lockdown and remain popular with those who still prefer working out at home. This resistance band is part of its home exercise equipment range and you can use it throughout the online classes, or just for your own workouts.

It’s a well made piece of kit – the band itself is strong, durable and a nice width (it’s flat rather than tubed), and the comfortable handles are attached with strong webbing. There is a band with stronger resistance (SmartBand extreme) but this option is a good fit for both beginner and intermediate levels. 

Meglio offers rolls of resistance therapy bands with five different levels of resistance, from extra light to extra heavy. You can cut it to your preferred length and then tie it into a loop, onto a door handle or just wrap either end around your hands.

These bands are used within NHS physio departments and are great for rehab exercises or if you’re a personal trainer who wants to give bands to clients for specific moves. If you’re sensitive to latex, they’re latex-free, and recyclable at the end of their life.

A set of three with varying levels of difficulty, these super soft bands are ideal for working out at home. A jump between the resistance of each means you can work your way up from easier movements to more challenging ones, building tone and working various muscle groups as you get stronger. This really helps with progression and will mean you’re less likely to plateau.

The soft material means no chafing and no clammy feeling, especially if your legs or hands are sweaty. There are also clever anti-slip silicone dots inside each band to keep them in place as you move.

As with all of Onyx’s products, these resistance bands also look the part. They come in a range of colours and are a hit with those who care about form just as much as function.