How do I choose a model of resistance rubber?

26 / 09 / 2022

Resistance bands are one of the most versatile training devices. By using different parameters such as tension strength, length, width or even form (loop or tape), you can do almost any workout in the comfort of your home.

Types of resistance bands

Rubbers can be found under a variety of names such as Pilates bands, training rubbers, exercise rubbers, rehabilitation rubbers, etc. The names as much as the possibilities that rubbers offer are vast.
Among them you can find:
- Pilates bands - these are thin and wide latex rubbers, usually 120 cm long. They are mainly used in rehabilitation and in exercises where low resistance is needed. The advantage of these rubbers is that the resistance can be easily adjusted by shortening or lengthening the stretched part.
- Miniband resistance rubbers - this is a loop that can be worn on the thighs, ankles or hands.
- Strength training rubbers - these are mostly thick rubber bands in a looped version. This type of rubber gives the most resistance and is suitable for strength-type exercises. It is also the narrowest type of rubber band.

Which rubber to choose for yourself

Choosing the right rubber for yourself is not as difficult a matter as it seems. Each rubber is assigned a range in kilograms and the rubbers are also divided by colour, so yellow rubber will be the lightest and black the heaviest. If you only want to opt for one rubber, then choose the lighter one, as it is easy to increase the resistance of a rubber and there is no way to decrease its resistance. Remember that a rubber band is not a dumbbell so that it has a fixed weight, thanks to its properties you can operate its weight.

Example?

If you use a red looped elastic in the 9 - 16 kg range then when you put it on your ankles and do an inversion of the leg of about 40 degrees you can expect a load around the lower limit of 9 kg, but if you invert the leg higher by another 40 degrees you will certainly get closer to the limit of those 16 kg. Of course, these are approximate assumptions, as a 160 cm tall person with shorter legs will have different values than someone who is 180 cm tall and has much longer legs. It all depends on the length of the lever arm in this case the legs. The bigger the arm, the bigger the lever and therefore the need to use more force.

Suggesting the above data, it is better to buy a rubber band from the lighter ones, because it is easier to perform the exercise correctly and reach the upper range of the rubber band, rather than trying to exercise "half a whistle" with a harder rubber band.

Which rubber will be ideal

It all depends on what kind of workout you want to do with it, whether you are a beginner or advanced and how much strength you have. There is no perfect rubber band that will cater for everyone. I'll outline the variations below to help you choose the right model.

For exercises with a high number of repetitions

such as Pilates or fitness classes, for example, low-resistance tapes are best.

GU04

yellow and red

GU05

żółta

GU06

żółta i różowa

RB01

purple

TP01

różowa

For strength training for the strong and technically advanced person

it is better to choose rubbers with a range starting from 20 kg

GU05

from black up to orange

GU06

orange

TP01

black

GU04

black

For training in the privacy of the home for a beginner

minibands and Pilates elastics with a lower tensile strength, starting at 4.5 kg.

GU04

żółta

GU05

żółta

GU06

żółta

For rehabilitation

rubber bands with lower ranges, i.e. those starting at 4 kg, will work well

GU04

ŻÓŁTA

GU05

ŻÓŁTA

GU06

ŻÓŁTA

TP01

RÓŻOWA

As a supplement and relief

Having resistance bands can be incorporated as one of the training devices. This is an increasingly popular solution among coaches and athletes. Thanks to their properties, rubbers can be used as a stress reliever, for example when pulling yourself up on a barbell or lifting a barbell - you just need to attach them properly.
However, you need to bear in mind that you will not do isolated exercises on a rubber band for just one muscle. An example would be a triceps exercise, that is, you step on one end of the rubber band with your foot and catch the other end in your hand. The rubber band runs behind your back. The silhouette is straight, and the straightened hand with the rubber band works only the elbow joint. During the triceps exercise, the main postural and deep muscles are worked along with it. The stimulation of the deep muscles and the work of so many elements at once are a huge advantage of rubber band training.

What about when the rubber is too soft but still stretches without a problem?

If you are exercising on a rubber band and feel that, despite the maximum swing, the rubber is too light, there is a way! Let's stay with standing leg extension - in this case, you just need to put the looped rubber double over your ankles.
In the case of a banded rubber, all you need to do is grip closer to the centre of the rubber.

Rubber strength

Rubbers are made of a tough material, but as you know, any rubber can break ;), especially if you are constantly working on the upper ranges of its strength. You're more likely to break a thin pilates rubber used for warm-ups by a bodybuilder than a sturdy strength training rubber. However, if you feel that the rubber you are exercising on is too 'soft' for you then it is better to purchase a harder model rather than doing an ineffective workout and waiting for the rubber to break.

It is important to remember that none of the rubber bands have a fixed weight. The range listed next to each shows how much resistance the rubber gives when stretched lightly and when stretched to the maximum. When deciding to buy a rubber, it is better to choose several of the same model with adjacent parameters, so that you can carry out a full-body workout without any problems.