7 Best Resistance Bands For Building Muscle

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The right resistance bands can be great for building muscle. To achieve this goal you want a good set that is challenging but not too hard.

Best resistance bands for building muscle top picks

  1. TheFitLife Resistance Bands (long rubber loop)
  2. MhIL Resistance Bands Set (short fabric loop)
  3. WALITO Resistance Bands Set (long rubber tube)
  4. Rogue Monster Bands (long rubber loop)
  5. Rogue Shorty Monster Bands (short rubber loop)
  6. HPYGN Resistance Bands Set (long rubber tube)
  7. Eackrola Resistance Bands Set (long rubber loop)

These resistance bands for building muscle come in a few different shapes and sizes. To help you find the right options faster you can find these details after each of the top picks.

When it comes to the exact resistance, for building muscle, you want bands that allow you to do specific exercises for about 6 to 12 repetitions. The exact number this comes down to varies from person to person and exercise to exercise.

Ideally, you would do the exercises you intend to do a lot with resistance to figure out how much of a challenge you need. Another option is getting a resistance band set with a wide range of tension possibilities.

How we selected our top picks

Our fitness experts spent a lot of time looking at and comparing all the different important factors of the best resistance bands for building muscle. Some of the things that were taken into consideration when making our selection include:

  • Band resistance ranges, total set resistance, tension increments, etc.
  • User reviews
  • Anecdotal reviews from fitness experts
  • Total price and price per pound of resistance
  • Brand trustability

If a pick seems interesting click it to see the online prices.

7 Best resistance bands for building muscle reviewed

If you know what muscles you want to work and what types of resistance bands are the best for this, you can use the list of top picks to save some time and make a quick decision.

You can also look at each of the best resistance bands for building muscle reviewed in detail to find out what option is the right one for your personal situation and training goals.

1. TheFitLife Resistance Bands

Our top pick for the best resistance bands for building muscle is this set of TheFitLife Resistance Bands. These long loop resistance bands are not the heaviest option out there but they balance other important features very well.

First of all, the set comes with four different bands with resistances ranging from 15 to 120 pounds (6.8 to 54.4 kg). This may sound too easy to build muscle but remember that you can use multiple bands at the same time.

By doing that this set could offer up to 260 pounds (117.9 kg). This also makes the TheFitLife Resistance Bands relatively budget-friendly per pound of resistance.

There are of course also some potential downsides to keep in mind. The first one is that 15 pounds (6.8 kg) may be too challenging for certain exercises and individuals to start building muscle.

Pros

  • Includes 4 different resistance bands
  • Resistances from bands go from 15 to 120 pounds (6.8 to 54.4 kg) (and combinable)
  • Total resistance of the set is 260 pounds (117.9 kg)
  • Comes with a carrying bag and user guide
  • Budget-friendly per pound of resistance
  • A lot of happy customers

Cons

  • A few exceptional cases where customers got faulty resistance bands
  • 15 pounds (6.8 kg) can be too challenging in certain exercises for some people
  • Some people may need more resistance

On the other hand, individuals who are experienced with resistance training may find 260 pounds (117.9 kg) too easy for heavy lifts like deadlifts, squats, and bench presses.

There are also a few cases where customers got faulty products. However, from the high number of happy customers you can conclude that these situations are the exceptions.

All in all, this set from TheFitLife will contain the best resistance bands for men and women who are somewhere between new to somewhat experienced with resistance training.

For these people this set offers a lot of muscle-building potential for a reasonable price. Stronger or weaker individuals may need to choose one of the other resistance band sets or add individual options to this set.

2. MhIL Resistance Bands Set

The MhIL Resistance Bands Set is a collection of fabric short loop resistance bands. This type of resistance band has both advantages and disadvantages.

First of all, short loop resistance bands can be helpful to grow and strengthen your outer thigh muscles, gluteus maximus muscles, and hip flexors. You typically do this by looping the bands around your upper legs during certain movements.

Additionally, short loop resistance bands are generally cheaper than long loop resistance bands. The fabric version of this type of resistance band can be great because they tend to slip less and because they have a lower risk of snapping.

The main downside of short loop resistance bands is that while they can help a lot with building certain muscles, they are a lot less versatile than long loop resistance bands. There are many muscles you won’t be able to train that well.

Pros

  • Includes 5 different resistance bands
  • Resistances from bands go from 14 to 60 pounds (6.4 to 27.2 kg) (and combinable)
  • Total resistance of the set is 189 pounds (85.7 kg)
  • Comes with a storage bag
  • Less risk of slipping and snapping
  • Available in different designs
  • Budget-friendly per pound of resistance
  • Lifetime warranty
  • Very positive ratio of customer reviews
  • A lot of happy customers

Cons

  • Some people are not interested in short loop resistance bands
  • Less versatile than long loop resistance bands

Next, while fabric short loop resistance bands tend to be more pleasant to train with, they do tend to require a slightly higher initial investment.

In short, whether fabric short loop resistance bands are the right choice to build muscle will depend on your training goals and budget. If you decide that this type is for you, the MhIL Resistance Bands Set is likely the best choice.

This set contains 5 resistance bands with tensions ranging from 14 to 60 pounds (6.4 to 27.2 kg). Some of the other things that stand out are the budget-friendly price, lifetime warranty, and how positive the customers are.

3. WALITO Resistance Bands Set

Loop resistance bands are not the only type there is. The WALITO Resistance Bands Set contains resistance band tubes. These are basically elastic cords with two ends that can definitely also help you build muscle.

Resistance band tubes are great in that they work well with a variety of accessories like handles, ankle straps, bars, and anchors.

This makes them great for exercises like regular bicep curls where you want to keep your wrists at a certain angle. Many people also just prefer holding a handle instead of a loop which can be somewhat uncomfortable.

You do need to know that resistance band tubes do the opposite for certain exercises. In popular exercises like back squats, hip thrusts, and assisted pull-ups, most people prefer long resistance band loops.

Pros

  • Includes 5 different resistance bands
  • Resistances from bands go from 30 to 70 pounds (13.6 to 31.8 kg) (and combinable)
  • Total resistance of the set is 250 pounds (113.4 kg)
  • Lighter sets available too
  • Also comes with 2 handles, 1 door anchor, 2 ankle straps, 1 carry bag, and an exercise chart
  • 1-year after-sale service
  • Budget-friendly per pound of resistance
  • A lot of happy customers

Cons

  • Some customers claim their bands did not have the desired resistance
  • Not that great for certain exercises like back squats, hip thrusts, and assisted pull-ups
  • Some people may need more resistance

When it comes to resistance band tubes, one of the sets from WALITO is likely a great choice. Each of these comes with resistance band tubes, two handles, one door anchor, and two ankle straps.

Remember that you can use multiple resistance bands at the same time. In the heaviest set available this allows you to get a total resistance of 250 pounds (113.4 kg).

Combinations of different bands will allow most people to find at least one set from WALITO with a resistance range that is great for building muscle in their preferred areas.

That being said, strong individuals do likely need to either get multiple sets or go for one of the heavier resistance band sets on this list to grow and strengthen certain bigger muscles.

4. Rogue Monster Bands

Rogue Monster Bands
Product image from Rogue Fitness

The Rogue Monster Bands can be a good choice for heavy lifters with a budget and/or individuals who want to get just a few specific resistance bands.

As you can see from the resistance options available these bands from Rogue go very heavy. The heaviest model available offers 200 pounds (90.7 kg) of resistance.

For building muscle you need to challenge the muscles with enough resistance and provide your body with enough nutrients and rest. One or two Rogue Monster Bands can help you take care of the first part.

One of the main benefits of this option is also a potential downside. If you only need a few bands being able to pick individual models can save you money compared to having to get an entire set.

Pros

  • Resistances available from 15 to 200 pounds (6.8 to 90.7 kg) (and combinable)
  • Rogue brand reputability
  • You don’t have to get an entire set
  • Very positive ratio of customer reviews

Cons

  • Pricier than most of the other heavy options if you plan to get many resistance bands
  • 15 pounds (6.8 kg) can be too challenging in certain exercises for some people

On the other hand, some of the heavy resistance band sets on this list are more budget-friendly than getting the same amount of total resistance in Rogue Monster Bands.

Something else to note is that 15 pounds (6.8 kg) can be too hard to build muscle for certain exercises and individuals.

For example bicep curls, tricep extensions, and forearm exercises with 15 pounds (6.8 kg) may be too hard for resistance training beginners.

So if you are strong and/or interested in just a few resistance bands, this option from Rogue is definitely worth considering.

5. Rogue Shorty Monster Bands

Rogue Shorty Monster Bands
Product image from Rogue Fitness

This next option is, as the name implies, the short loop version of the previous Rogue resistance bands. The resistances available are smaller but definitely still impressive. Especially for short loop resistance bands.

Since being able to challenge your muscles enough is so important for building muscle, this can be really valuable for stronger individuals.

One important thing to note is that rubber short loop resistance bands, especially the thinner models, can potentially roll down during certain workouts when looped around your upper legs.

This tends to happen less with the fabric models. Additionally, the risk of snapping after extended use is somewhat higher in rubber models.

Pros

  • Resistances available from 15 to 140 pounds (6.8 to 63.5 kg) (and combinable)
  • Rogue brand reputability
  • You don’t have to get an entire set
  • Very positive ratio of customer reviews

Cons

  • Some people are not interested in short loop resistance bands
  • Especially the thinner models may roll down during certain workouts
  • More risk of snapping compared to fabric models
  • Less versatile than long loop resistance bands

Besides that, the downside of being less versatile than long loop resistance bands applies to the Rogue Shorty Monster Bands too.

That being said, individuals who need heavy short loop resistance bands to build muscle may prefer one or two Rogue Shorty Monster Bands over using multiple MhIL bands at the same time.

Additionally, some people simply prefer rubber short loop bands and/or buying from the Rogue Fitness brand.

6. Eackrola Resistance Bands Set

The Eackrola Resistance Bands Set is another collection of rubber long loop resistance bands and all the upsides and downsides that come with these.

Two important things that do stand out in this option are how light the lowest resistance band is and how many weight increments you get.

To build muscles you have to put them under enough pressure. However, if you put them under too much pressure you won’t be able to do your exercises for enough repetitions or not at all.

Pros

  • Includes 6 different resistance bands
  • Resistances from bands go from 5 to 60 pounds (2.27 to 27.2 kg) (and combinable)
  • The set starts at a low resistance
  • Total resistance of the set is 190 pounds (86.2 kg)
  • 24-month warranty

Cons

  • A few cases where resistance bands broke relatively fast
  • Many people may need more resistance

In turn, this can lead to slow or even no muscle growth and strength progress. That is why people who are new to resistance training and not strong (yet) can really benefit from this set.

On the other hand, stronger individuals likely need to choose one of the heavier resistance band sets to grow and strengthen strong muscles.

Additionally, something else you want to keep in mind is that there are just a few more mentions of resistance bands breaking relatively fast.

Eackrola does offer a 24-month warranty for cases like this. In combination with the relatively positive customer reviews, this implies that faulty bands are the exception, not the rule.

7. HPYGN Resistance Bands Set

To round off the list of the best resistance bands for building muscle there is another set of resistance band tubes. Most people will prefer the previous set of WALITO over this one from HPYGN.

The main reason for this is that there are just a few more mentions from customers about resistance bands that snap relatively fast and bands that do not have the desired resistance.

Additionally, the colors of the bands may require closer investigation to make sure you are using the right model.

Besides that, some of the more general downsides of resistance band tubes apply. They are not great for certain exercises and the total resistance of the HPYGN Resistance Bands Set may be lacking for certain muscles and individuals.

Pros

  • Includes 5 different resistance bands
  • Resistances from bands go from 30 to 70 pounds (13.6 to 31.8 kg) (and combinable)
  • Total resistance of the set is 250 pounds (113.4 kg)
  • Lighter sets available too
  • Also comes with 2 handles, 1 door anchor, 2 ankle straps, 1 carry bag, and an exercise chart
  • A lot of happy customers

Cons

  • A few cases where the resistance bands break relatively fast
  • Some customers claim their bands did not have the desired resistance
  • Not that great for certain exercises like back squats, hip thrusts, and assisted pull-ups
  • Some people may need more resistance

At the same time, this is still a relatively solid pick when it comes to resistance band tube sets. The heaviest set includes five different resistance bands with tensions ranging from 30 to 70 pounds (13.6 to 31.8 kg).

If you are not at this strength level (yet), you can also choose one of the lighter sets. Remember that you want to use resistances where you are able to do the exercise for about 6 to 12 repetitions in a row.

The added handles, door anchor, ankle straps, carry bag, and exercise chart in this set from HPYGN are somewhat standard but valuable.

Most people will prefer the set from WALITO but if you don’t like that option for any reason and/or happen to stumble upon any good deals, you can also use these resistance bands to build muscle.

FAQ

Can I build muscle with resistance bands?

Most people can build muscle with resistance bands when following a good workout plan, eating the right things, and resting enough.

Do resistance bands build muscle or tone?

Resistance bands will mainly help you build muscle. In turn, building muscle can also help you get toned with the right nutrition habits.

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Author:

Matt Claes founded Weight Loss Made Practical to help people get in shape and stay there after losing 37 pounds and learning the best of the best about weight loss, health, and longevity for over 4 years. Over these years he has become an expert in nutrition, exercise, and other physical health aspects.