Just about everyone could benefit from adding resistance bands into their workout routine. They can be used to challenge people of all fitness levels, from beginners to intermediate to advanced. They can even be used to help assist you when you’re learning harder moves, like how to do pull-ups. And they’re capable of providing similar strength-building results to traditional resistance training with weights, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis from SAGE Open Medicine.
But one of the best things about resistance bands is that if you don’t belong to a gym with free weights or have access to equipment, they can help fill in the gaps in your workout routine. Resistance bands are affordable, lightweight, and easily packable, so it’s easy to bring them back and forth to the gym or with you when you travel. But even though they’re small, they deliver big benefits.
Convinced? If you’re interested in stocking up on your own set or two, we’re rounding up a list of 11 best resistance bands options to try — ahead.