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TheraBand is a well-established brand that offers resistance bands. What are these resistance bands good for and are they worth it?
Resistance bands are a type of fitness equipment that comes down to an elastic cord or loop. As you stretch them out, the resistance you experience becomes larger and larger.
TheraBand resistance bands review in short
TheraBand resistance bands can be a great piece of fitness equipment to grow and strengthen basically every important muscle.
With a good resistance band anchor you can add resistance to movements in all directions.
When using free weights you only get one main direction of resistance.
TheraBand does offer a few bands with high resistance. However, with these, one downside of these TheraBand resistance bands is that really strong individuals may need more resistance to grow and strengthen the strong muscles in their legs and upper back.
Pros
- Offers enough resistance for many people to grow and strengthen their muscles a lot
- TheraBand brand name
- Resistance in all directions when combined with a good resistance band anchor
- Different levels of resistance available
- Offers both loops and cords
- Relatively budget-friendly
Cons
- Strong individuals may find the resistance lacking, especially for strong muscles
- Some users claim the bands trigger their latex allergy even though the bands are claimed to be latex-free
What are TheraBands used for?
You can use resistance bands like TheraBands in different ways. Sometimes to stretch certain body parts but more often to grow and strengthen a variety of muscles.
To grow and strengthen muscles you have to engage these so they get damaged enough.
This may sound counterintuitive but this damaging makes it so your body repairs these muscles, and adds a bit more to be better prepared to exert similar efforts in the future.
TheraBands are mainly used for making certain movements and exercises challenging enough.
Keep in mind that if you stick to movements with the same resistance, as your muscles become stronger this same effort may not damage your muscles enough to promote extra muscle growth.
By gradually using TheraBands with higher and higher resistance, you can continue challenging your muscles enough for muscle growth and strength progress.
One downside of resistance bands like TheraBands is that strong individuals may need more of a challenge with heavy resistance bands. Especially to grow and strengthen strong muscles like legs and upper back.
That being said, most people can grow and strengthen their muscles a nice amount by gradually moving to TheraBands of higher resistance levels.
TheraBand exercise examples
One of the benefits of TheraBand resistance bands over other types of resistance like dumbbells, a barbell, and kettlebells, is that you can achieve resistance in all directions.
Sometimes a good TheraBand anchor is required or this can at least benefit many types of exercises.
With or without an anchor, there are many exercises you can do with TheraBands. Some examples include:
- Rows (upper back & biceps)
- Lateral raises (shoulders)
- Chest presses
- Tricep pushdowns
- Squats (legs)
- Deadlifts (legs and lower back)
- External rotations (infraspinatus muscle)
- Wrist curls
- Bicep curls
- Leg abductions/adductions (outer/inner thigh muscles)
- Etc.
As you can see, at a relatively inexpensive price, especially compared to a dumbbell set, TheraBand resistance bands allow you to work out a variety of muscles at home or wherever you are.
For some of these exercises like bicep curls or wrist curls, you could even get TheraBand handles. These allow you to hold the resistance bands in a more comfortable way.
How long do TheraBands last?
The TheraBands from this review are around 1 to 2 years old. They are not used for hours every day but these bands do get some moderate use.
One downside of resistance bands in general is that they will not last for 10’s of years similar to dumbbells or a barbell. At least every few years you will have to invest in a new set.
For now, the TheraBands I used in the review still seem strong and sturdy. However, I would not be surprised if these need a replacement in the near future.
In an ideal world, resistance bands would last longer. However, even if you need to replace them every once in a while, TheraBand resistance bands are generally a budget-friendly way to grow and strengthen your muscles.
Price
TheraBand is not the only brand that offers resistance bands. You can find other models as well that offer similar benefits.
One benefit of TheraBand is that it is a 40-year-old brand (1). This gives some sense of security when it comes to the quality of the product you will get, and if something goes wrong, that customer support will be helpful.
For some fitness products, a brand name comes at a hefty premium price. However, TheraBand manages to offer their quality resistance bands at a very budget-friendly price.
Compared to many other options, TheraBand resistance bands are even cheaper, and if not, often only a few dollars more than alternatives from more obscure brands.
Most users are more than happy with their TheraBands. These are regularly used by physical therapists for a reason.
What type of TheraBand should you choose?
Resistance bands come in different shapes and sizes. TheraBand offers a few of these. There are for example the resistance band tubes, resistance band loops, and flat resistance bands with free ends.
The resistance bands with free ends are generally the most versatile. You can tie the ends with a knot to get a resistance band loop.
For TheraBands with high resistances you can only choose resistance band loops. This is more comfortable anyway for exercises like squats or lunges.
Which one is the best for you mostly depends on personal preference.
For exercises like squats and lunges where you loop the TheraBand around your shoulders, the flat resistance bands with a big more resistance. tend to be the most comfortable and effective.
Are TheraBand resistance bands worth it?
TheraBand resistance bands can definitely be a worthwhile investment if you or your clients plan to do muscle-strengthening exercises at a low to medium level.
There are also more challenging TheraBand resistance levels. Even so, these may not be enough for strong individuals who want to strengthen certain leg and upper back muscles.
For many types of fitness products going off-brand can be a good option at a lower price. In the case of TheraBand, you are likely better off just sticking to the strong brand name. Especially since it is offered at such a competitive price.