Resistance Bands
Dumb little loops. Stupid versatile.
The short version
Bands won't replace your barbell — and anyone telling you otherwise is selling bands. But for warm-ups, finishers, pull-aparts, assisted work, and training in a hotel room? Nothing beats them for the money. A full set costs less than one month of most gym memberships.
Get a set with multiple resistances. You'll use the light ones more than you think.
Who they're for
- Warm-up people. Band pull-aparts and dislocates before every upper day. Non-negotiable.
- Travelers. A set of bands weighs nothing and fits in a backpack. No gym, no problem.
- Finishers. Banded curls, pressdowns, lateral raises — chase the pump after the heavy work.
Who should skip them
- "Bands only" programs. If your whole plan is bands, your plan is a warm-up. Get real resistance for the main work.
- Snap victims. Check for nicks and wear. A band snapping mid-rep is a bad day — replace them when they look tired.
Specs that actually matter
- Layered latex, not tube-with-handles. Loop bands (the flat continuous ones) last longer and do more.
- A real range. Get a set from light to heavy — you'll outgrow a single band in weeks.
- Width = resistance. Wider bands pull harder. That's the whole sizing system.
How I use them
- Every warm-up: 2 × 15 band pull-aparts + 10 dislocates. Takes three minutes, saves shoulders.
- Finishers: 100 band curls or pressdowns, rest-pause style. Simple, brutal, effective.
- Travel days: rows, presses, squats, deadlift patterns — all banded. It's not perfect, but it beats skipping.
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