Author: Ihor Shymechko (26 years of Oly Lifting & Training experience)
Reviewed by: Oleksiy Torokhtiy (Olympian with 21 years of Oly Lifting experience)
The best heavy resistance bands are made of latex material because it is more durable and snap-Resistance. These heavy duty resistance bands also cover a wide range of resistance that allows for everything from rehab and warm-up work to actual band exercises and assistance movements. Strong resistance bands come in different price points, but often a set of resistance bands is more consumer-friendly than buying single bands.
In a hurry?
In a hurry?
In a hurry and can’t keep reading? How about you check out the Rogue Monster Bands.
Starting our list of the best heavy resistance bands is Rogue Monster Bands. These bands come in a color palette of orange all the way to silver with the orange being as light as 15 pounds and the silver bands being as heavy as 200 pounds of resistance.
Top 5 Heavy Resistance Bands Reviewed
- Rogue Monster Bands - Top Pick
- Draper’s Stretch Loop Bands- Runner Up
- Eleiko Resistance Band - Premium Pick
- Power Guidance Resistance Bands - Best Budget Pick
- WSAKOUE Resistance Band Set - Best Combo
1. Rogue Monster Bands - Top Pick
When it comes to resistance, you’ll be hard-pressed to find bands better than the Rogue Monster Bands. These bands come in a color palette of orange all the way to silver with the orange being as light as 15 pounds and the silver bands being as heavy as 200 pounds of resistance. This makes the Rogue bands some of the best heavy duty resistance bands on the market.
The bands are very reliable as well. They are made of natural latex rubber, one of the best materials for resistance bands. The latex rubber is highly durable and comes with enough snap resistance to give you a challenging workout.
As for versatility, depending on which band you pick you can perform speed and athletic training actual resistance training to rehab exercises.
You can purchase these bands separately, but they can be more expensive as single units. Or you can take one of Rogue’s package deals where you get a variety of bands for a lesser price.
- Tension: 15 to 200 pounds
- Length: 41"
- Width: 0.25" to 4"
- Material: Natural Latex Rubber
- Color Palette: 8 coded colors
Positives:
Resistance options include as light as 15 pounds to as heavy as 200
Offer a package deal with several different colored bands
Made of high-quality latex rubber
Could be better:
Individual bands are on the expensive end
2. Draper’s Stretch Loop Bands - Runner Up
The Draper stretch bands have some of the best resistance on the market as not only do they go extra heavy, reaching resistance of 200 pounds, but can be as light as 2 pounds. So, if you’re shopping around for versatility, these bands can be a great option as the 2-pound resistance is excellent for warming up joints and smaller muscle groups, but you can still get a tough workout with some of their heavier options.
A slight drawback of the bands is their rubber material. Normally latex is considered to be the better option as some find rubber to be sticky and can pinch or pull at their hair when using rubber bands.
The bands do come with a 90-day money-back guarantee, so you can try the bands out for 3 months and see how you like them and if they don’t meet your standards, you can always return them.
- Tension: 2 to 200 pounds
- Length: 41"
- Width: 2" to 4"
- Material: Natural Rubber
- Color Palette: 7 coded colors
Positives:
The resistance range covers all options from 2 pounds to 200 pounds
- Comes with a 90-day money-back guarantee
- Comes with band ties that you can slip on the bands after you've rolled them up
Could be better:
Rubber material can cause discomfort
3. Eleiko Resistance Band - Premium Pick
The Eleiko resistance bands come color coded in an Olympic palette where the lightest is green and the heaviest is black. These bands come with a resistance level from 1 to 7, where the lightest being about 33 pounds of resistance. This is great for working out, however, it isn’t ideal for rehab or warm-up exercises.
These bands are very reliable and versatile as you can use them to perform mobility and rehab work, along with assisting your bench press, squat, pull-up, and deadlift workout routines.
But, the bands are made of rubber rather than latex, which calls into the longevity of the product as the constant use and stretching tends to wear out rubber resistance bands quicker than latex ones. However, Eleiko ensures the rubber material is highly durable.
- Tension: Extra light to heavy
- Length: 41"
- Width: Varies
- Material: Rubber
- Color Palette: 6 coded Olympic colors
Positives:
A single set covers extra light to heavy resistance
The rubber material is more durable than other rubber products
Extra heavy options available for more strength work
Could be better:
Might not be suitable for rehab or warm-up work because the lightest option is 33 pounds.
Might be some longevity concerns
4. Power Guidance Resistance Bands - Best Budget Pick
The Power Guidance makes great heavy duty exercise bands with a wide range of resistance. They cover a range from 10 pounds to 175 pounds. This allows for a versatile workout, however, because there are 5 coloured band options, each band covers a wider range of resistance. For example, a red band covers resistance between 10 to 35 pounds. So, you might need multiple of the same band to actually achieve the right resistance you desire.
However, the price point of the bands is relatively cheap, which is why it is our budget pick. Part of the reason is that the bands are made of natural rubber rather than a higher grade of rubber or latex material.
But the bands come with a lifetime warranty if damaged during your workout sessions. So, you can replace the damaged bands anytime you like.
- Tension: 10 to 175 pounds
- Length: 41"
- Width: 0.5" to 2.5"
- Material: Natural rubber
- Color Palette: 4 coded colors
Positives:
A lifetime warranty
Cheaper price point for budget shopping
A set comes with a storage bag for easier portability
Could be better:
Might require a doubling up of bands to achieve the proper resistance
Natural rubber material is not as durable as latex material or high-quality rubber
5. WSAKOUE Resistance Band Set - Best Combo
The WASAKOUE bands have a resistance level that is suitable for most lifters as it ranges from 15 to 135 pounds. However, this range is disturbed over just 4 bands. The black is the lightest, then green, blue, and red is the heaviest one they offer. So, once again, you might need to double up on each band to get the right resistance level.
However, you can still perform various exercises from rehab and warm-up work to actual band exercises or accessory movements. The bands are also sold as a set of four, which is why this is our best band combo as you get a wide range that covers most of your needs.
- Tension: 15 to 135 pounds
- Length: 41"
- Width: 0.5" to 1.7"
- Material: Natural Rubber
- Color Palette: 4 coded colors
Positives:
The set of 4 covers most of your needs
Versatile enough to be used in various manners
Elasticity of the bands is long-lasting
Could be better:
Multiple bands might be needed to achieve the correct resistance
Have a chemical smell to them at first
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What Are the Benefits of Using Heavy Resistance Bands?
Improve Flexibility and Mobility
Resistance bands can be a great tool to develop better flexibility and mobility and improve upon your limitation. For example, if you have tight hamstrings, you can use a resistance band to pull your leg, adding further tension to your hamstring and giving you a greater stretch. Over time, movements like that can help improve the flexibility of that muscle.
There are also many stretches and mobility drills which work best with a partner who gently pushes you further than your current point so that you improve your range of motion. But, not everyone has a partner they work out with, so a resistance band can be used to push the boundaries of your range of motion.
Great Warm-Up Tool
One of the best ways to prevent an injury is to warm up properly. Resistance bands are a great tool for this because they have enough resistance to them that the specific muscle or area has to work when you go through your warm-up drills. And it’s not just muscles, but joints such as the elbow joint can be warmed up through a resistance band, as well.
Exercise Versatility
You can get a great pump from the resistance band alone. Especially for specific muscle groups such as the biceps, triceps, the different heads of the shoulders, and so on. Resistance bands come in various resistance, which can challenge you depending on your set and rep scheme. On top of that, you can add resistance bands to your typical workouts like bench presses or deadlifts, to help either progress your overall strength in those workouts or to target a specific area of the workout such as the lock-out portion of a bench press.
Who Are Heavy Resistance Bands For?
For Recovery and Rehab
Tips From the Champ
Olympic Weightlifting Champion
To Increase Exercise Variety
What to Look For In Heavy Resistance Bands
Tension
Length
Width
Material
Color Palette
How To Use Heavy Resistance Bands?
- Stand shoulder width apart with the band looped under your feet. Tip: The width of the band determines the amount of tension you will be working with. So, if you close your feet, you will have less tension and if you stand with your feet further apart, you will have more tension.
- Grip the band and stand up straight. You should already feel some tension as the band will naturally want to snap back down.
- Curl your arms up in a controlled manner and bring them back down at a slow tempo. If the tempo is correct you should feel your bicep contracting and getting a good workout. Again, if it’s too easy, take a wider stance and if it’s too hard, narrow your stance.These principles can be applied to different resistance band workouts for other muscle groups.
FAQs
Are thick resistance bands better?
A thicker band generally means more resistance, so these types of bands are better for larger muscle groups like the back or legs which can handle more resistance than smaller muscle groups like the biceps or triceps.
Which color resistance band is the strongest?
It really depends on the company, but generally, the strongest resistance band tends to be black. However, there are companies where the black is the lightest.
What is the difference between resistance band and TheraBand?
The main difference between the two is their application. A resistance band is designed to provide a muscle-building or strengthening workout. While TheraBand’s primary purpose is to aid dynamic stretching.
Conclusion
The heaviest resistance bands require high-quality materials like latex to ensure longevity. These resistance bands should also be versatile enough to increase the variety of your workout and even help with such things as warm-up and dynamic stretching. The resistance bands which fit this description the best are the Rogue Monster Bands.
What’s your favorite way to incorporate resistance bands into your workout? Do you use the bands for warming up, if so, how? Have you found resistance bands to help you break any exercise plateau?
Let’s discuss all of this and any other questions you might have in the comment section below!
References:
- Using Superbands for Strength Gains // Verywellfit:
https://www.verywellfit.com/superbands-using-resistance-bands-for-strength-gains-4158169 - Bodybuilding.com's Highest Rated Resistance Band Workouts // Bodybuilding: https://www.bodybuilding.com/content/best-resistance-band-workouts.html
Why Trust Us?
- Author
- Reviewer
Experience: 26 years
Best Results: Snatch - 208 kg,
C&J - 240 kg
My name is Ihor and I have been a professional weightlifter since 1996. With over 20 years of competition experience, my resume includes European Champion in 2009 and the silver medalist at 2011's Senior World Championships – 105kg division.
I competed at the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics.
After hanging up my own competitive lifting shoes, I decided to share my huge background as a coach. I am currently coaching multiple athletes who are competing at national and international competitions.
If you have any questions/suggestions/any other inquiry, you can reach out to us via email - reviews@torokhtiy.com
Experience: 21 years
Best Results: Snatch – 200 kg,
C&J - 240 kg
My name is Oleksiy Torokhtiy. I am a professional athlete with 20 years of experience in Olympic weightlifting. I have won multiple European, and World titles and have taken part in two Olympic Games (Beijing 2008, London 2012).
After finishing my career, I have committed myself to coach, and as of 2022, I’ve hosted 200+ weightlifting seminars all over the globe. I’m the founder of an international sportswear and accessories brand, Warm Body Cold Mind (my motto), author, and creator of a series of training programs and eBooks.
If you have any questions/suggestions/any other inquiry, you can reach out to us via email - reviews@torokhtiy.com
This article was written by our qualified author and proofread by an expert with proven experience. When writing the article we've used our expertise and data from authoritative, scientific, and evidence-based sources. The list of references is provided at the end of the article.
Our team of authors and experts includes professional athletes (Olympians, winners of European and World titles), PhDs in Sports Science, certified coaches, sports nutritionists, CSCSs, physiotherapists, and others. Read more about the team here, and more about how we test here.
