Choosing the Right Elastic Bands and Resistance Tubes for Strength Training

A Guide to Resistance Bands: History, Types, and Training Benefits

Tired of traditional exercises with dumbbells, barbells, and machines? Traveling for an extended period and don't want to skip a strength training workout? Need a low cost and compact training tool that allows for total body strength training? Resistance bands make excellent training tools that are portable, lightweight, efficient, and economical. Whether you are beginning an exercise routine or are a seasoned athlete, resistance band training can help you meet your fitness or athletic performance goals.

The Beginning of Elastic Resistance Training

The first recorded patent for an elastic training device rooted in Switzerland by Gustav Gossweiler in 1895. Referred to as a universal gymnastic apparatus that could replace more costly and complicated equipment, the training device was designed to be compact, easy to use, and secured anywhere.

In the 1960's and 1970's, the benefits of elastic resistance gained popularity with therapists and athletic trainers. Utilizing surgical tubing and bicycle inner tubes, patients were able to rehabilitate injured or weak muscles without the use of weights. This method of training slowly trickled into the eye of the general public as a fitness revolution started to take place. With its proven strength training benefits for therapeutic use, elastic resistance training evolved and grew into a fitness equipment category of its own.

What Type of Workout Elastic Resistance Bands and Tubes Are Available?

Stretch and Therapy Flat Bands

As a staple for rehabilitation training, flat bands are a popular physical therapy training tool. Medical and physical therapy settings will sometimes dispense therapy bands cut from a bulk roll to tailor a custom length band for the patients, a must have for shoulder rehabilitation. They can also be utilized for a multitude of other upper and lower body rehabilitation and strength training movements as a flat band or tied in a loop. These flat bands are available in economical packs by Serious Steel with bands at different resistance levels.

Resistance Tubes with Handles

The characterized appearance of the standard resistance tubing with handles reflects a heavy duty latex rubber tube with plastic handles at each end. Most are manufactured to approximately 4 feet in length with various levels of resistances available to cater to all levels of fitness. Resistance tubes with handles are universal for upper and lower body exercises. By stepping on the band itself, users can perform exercises such as bicep curls, shoulder presses, and squats. Wrap the resistance tube around a stationary anchor point and face toward the bands to perform standing or seated rows, or face away from the bands to perform standing or seated chest presses.

Resistance Band Loops and Tube Loops

To fill the limitation of lower body band exercises are short range resistance band and tubing loops. Patients and exercisers are able to utilize manufactured elastic resistance band loops and tubes for lower body specific movements such as lateral band walking, leg extensions and leg curls, as well as inner and outer leg lifts. Loop resistance bands are also available from manufacturers such as Stroops which prevents the band from sliding during a strength training workout.

Strength and Conditioning Resistance Bands

Measuring approximately 40" long, strength and conditioning resistance bands resemble a large rubber band. These bands have various widths and most are less than 1/4 inch thick and supply significant elastic resistance. Strength bands are a staple in CrossFit facilities and other performance training facilities, frequently utilized for pull-up assistance, active stretching, as well as general conditioning. These heavy duty bands are also incorporated with powerlifting and general strength training, with many power racks and benches available with band pegs. By utilizing bands with barbell workouts, exercisers are able to increase the resistance without adding additional weight. The bands provide a variable resistance that offers a strength curve (torque) that is similar to that of human strength curve, in essence providing more elastic force when a muscle is applying more tension and less elastic force when a muscle is applying less tension.

Resistance Bands Evolved

With heavy use or continuous stretching of bands to the extremes, the elastic band can wear down. Stroops Slastix technology incorporated in Stroops bands and loops provide a protective fabric sleeve that eliminates the risk of bands snapping from stretching them to extremes, and also protects the bands from wear-and-tear. These quality bands are made in the USA and available in a variety of lengths in popular resistance shapes, as well as part of a training system for upper and/or lower body specific training for martial arts or sport performance.

Suggested Resistance Bands and Tubes

For strength training, conditioning, mobility and other elastic-resistance applications, explore IRON COMPANY resistance bands, tubing and loops. Different configurations support the types of training discussed throughout this article, from handled resistance tubes and training loops to heavier resistance bands used for strength and conditioning.

Relevant equipment options include Stroops Slastix Toner Power Bands for handled resistance-tube exercises, Stroops Slastix Training Loops for loop-based movements, and Body-Solid Resistance Lifting Bands for buyers comparing strength-training band configurations.

Where to Purchase Resistance Bands and Tubes

Ready to purchase resistance bands for total body strength training? Ironcompany.com offers a variety of resistance bands and loops for physical therapy, strength training, and conditioning for consumers, personal trainers, rehabilitation clinics, and sport performance facilities. Made in USA elastic resistance bands are also available for Government/Military purchase. GSA Contract 47QSMA22D08NN.

About the Author: IRON COMPANY Editorial Team

The IRON COMPANY Editorial Team creates and maintains buyer-focused content for gym equipment, gym flooring, cardio equipment, strength training equipment, free weights, and related fitness facility solutions. Our content is developed to help residential, commercial, government, military, school, institutional, and facility buyers compare products, understand key specifications, avoid common buying mistakes, and make more informed purchasing decisions. When appropriate, content is reviewed against manufacturer information, product specifications, IRON COMPANY category knowledge, and current purchasing considerations before publication.