I don’t frequently use resistance exercise bands as part of my workout anymore, but there are certainly times in my life when they have proved useful to me.
Around five years ago now, I dislocated my thumb and broke my scaphoid playing rugby. It was an excruciatingly painful injury and one that ultimately kept me out of the sport, and from lifting weights properly, for about three years. That’s when I first discovered the benefits of resistance exercise band training and it was an absolute life saver.
Unable to comfortably grip and lift weights, and bored of doing press ups, resistance exercise band training really gave me another outlook on muscle toning. I could run during these three years, but I’ve always been an avid lifter, so, with my options limited, discovering this new type of training was a great thing for me. It gave me a way to keep my muscles toned and was an integral part of my rehabilitation program.
I still use resistance exercise bands to this day, when I can’t get easy access to a gym. I travel a lot for work and pleasure, which means that I often find myself in far flung locations, with limited access to a gym. While running suffices sometimes, I always have an urge to lift, so resistance exercise bands are a great, light weight tool that I can take with me, wherever I find myself in the world.
The exciting thing about ProSource Resistance Exercise Bands is that they offer a variety of resistance levels, as well as a door anchor, which dramatically increases the variety of exercises that one can perform, as well as the intensity of those exercises.
How do ProSource Resistance Exercise Bands work?
The 48-inch long ProSource Resistance Exercise Bands come in a set of five, with each band a different colour, indicative of its resistance level. With the yellow band offering a resistance of 2-5 pounds and the black band offering up to 16-20 pounds, there is a resistance level suitable for every user, no matter their strength or fitness level.
The variance in resistance levels make the ProSource Resistance Exercise Bands the perfect tool, either for those undergoing strength training as part of a rehabilitation process or the average gym goer just looking for a new and convenient way to work out. The bands offer a whole body workout and a means of improving muscular strength and endurance.
The ProSource Resistance Exercise Bands are made from heavy-duty latex, with foam grips. The set also includes a door anchor, which gives you much greater variety in terms of the exercises that you can perform. ProSource Resistance Exercise Bands essentially give you the ability to work on all of the major muscle groups in the body, including the back, chest, arms, or abs.
A great alternative to more traditional workout techniques, such as free or machine weights, ProSource Resistance Exercise Bands support some of the latest exercise routines, such as P90X, P90X2, CrossFit, Slimin6, Insanity, and TurboJam.
Do ProSource Resistance Exercise Bands really deliver?
There appears to be a consensus among reviewers of the product that is it does deliver some great benefits in a number of areas.
One reviewer, daidai, exclaims that ProSource Resistance Exercise Bands are “perfect for toning.” Daidai uses the bands as part of his P90x/30 day shred workout routine and seems overall very pleased with the effectiveness of the product in terms of helping him to achieve his goals.
M. Yen continues to extol the virtues of the bands. A former College level athlete M. Yen is serious about exercise and usually tends to lift dumbbells when he’s looking to tone his body. Talking about ProSource Resistance Exercise Bands, however, M. Yen says that he was “pleasantly surprised by the effectiveness of these resistance bands.”
Mike is another reviewer with an intriguing story. At the other end of the training spectrum to M. Yen, Mike dislocated his shoulder in 2003 and has had serious problems with it ever since, as he didn’t get the surgery that he ideally should have. Mike says that lifting dumbbells has always caused him pain ever since and he felt like he was running out of ideas to keep in shape. After just one week of using ProSource Resistance Exercise Bands, however, Mike claims that “my shoulder is stable and stronger than before.” Mike has enjoyed great success with using the bands as a rehabilitation tool.
Will ProSource Resistance Exercise Bands help me lose weight?
ProSource Resistance Exercise Bands are not designed specifically as a product for weight loss. As a form a resistance training, however, using exercise bands is a proven way to tone up your muscles, which will essentially help to promote fat reduction over the long term. A whole host of reviewers were keen to emphasise the usefulness of ProSource Resistance Exercise Bands in their quest to tone up.
One reviewer, Alphaguy, when referring to the ProSource Resistance Exercise Bands, says that “if you are looking for good overall tone then it is a worthwhile purchase.” He assures us that resistance band training provides a great way to help reinforce the effects of weightlifting.
Destiny offers that ProSource Resistance Exercise Bands are a “good starter set of resistance bands.” She bought them in order to allow her to complete some of the techniques required by the Turbo Jam and Turbo Fire workout DVDs, proving that, in combination with an effective workout regime, the bands are a great asset in the pursuit of weight loss.
Gabriel Young is an example of a reviewer who is utilising the effectiveness of the ProSource Resistance Exercise Bands as part of his training for Tough Mudder, a 12 mile adventure race. He claims that while the resistance bands will not help build huge amounts of muscle mass, he is currently trying to get fit and lean, so they are perfect in this regard. He asserts that “I'm burning fat and creating a leaner version of myself.”
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Excellent value. Reviewers seem to largely agree that ProSource Resistance Exercise Bands represent excellent value for money, with Jennifer Edmunds stating that the bands are “excellent value for the price and they are a good quality product.”
- Portability. One of the biggest positives about ProSource Resistance Exercise Bands is that they are extremely lightweight and portable, allowing you to workout wherever you are. Indeed, Mahja goes as far as to say that he calls them “have gym will travel.”
- Great for rehabilitation. Numerous reviewers have reported the benefit that the bands have had for either themselves, or their loved ones, with regards to rehabilitation. Cathy loves to read, for example, purports that, when her husband broke his wrist, the ProSource Resistance Exercise Bands were “instrumental in regaining flexibility and strength in his healing wrist.”
- Great for building strength. Peachy Queen asserts, as a great number of other reviewers also do, that “I started with little to no upper body strength and these have been great in helping me build strength.”
Cons:
- Durability. While most reviewers seem to think that the bands are durable, there are, however, a number who think that this is not the case. Aglaia, for example, claims that “the bands stretch well but they break.”
- Uncomfortable. One reviewer, Middy, claims that “the plastic is a rather rough on the side of your hands when you've got it stretched out and the thing starts to slide on you,” making for an uncomfortable training experience.
- Not for serious training. As the ProSource Resistance Exercise Bands only provide a resistance of up to 20 pounds, some reviewers claim that they are not for serious trainers, with Eric “MooN” stating that he found out very quickly that these bands “were not built for force endurance training.”
Problems and complaints
The overall reviews for ProSource Resistance Exercise Bands are positive. There does seem to be some concern, however, regarding the durability of the product and its effectiveness for those who are serious trainers.
Cvr, for example, claims that “the door anchor is horrible.” Cvr asserts that he was using the bands, along with the door anchor, when it slid through the door frame and hit him on the head. He claims that one should proceed with caution when using the door anchor, or consider buying a more stable one.
Lightingbird’s take on the bands is indicative of the overall concerns of reviewers regarding the target audience of the ProSource Resistance Exercise Bands. He claims that while the bands are sturdy and firm, “it just is not enough resistance.” He continues that if you are someone who is stronger than the average, then this may not be the product for you.
Are the ProSource Resistance Exercise Bands better than other resistance exercise bands on the market?
Resistance exercise bands are a product that many people seem to complain about when it comes to durability and resistance levels. They are not suitable if you are really into your strength training, so on many occasions complaints regarding their durability are based on over stretching. Within the exercise band market, however, reviewers appear to agree that ProSource Resistance Exercise Bands are a great quality product for a great price.
Jokerman concludes that ProSource Resistance Exercise Bands perform “just as well as other items currently on the market, but for a third of the price.” Another reviewer also seems to concur that “these are sturdy bands” that are “built to last.”
How do they rate overall?
Overall, ProSource Resistance Exercise Bands receive a favourable Amazon rating of 3.9 out of 5 stars, from over 300 reviewers. While the product may not be for everyone, reviewers seem to concur that ProSource Resistance Exercise Bands provide an excellent muscle toning workout.
Where can I buy these and where can I read more reviews?
ProSource Resistance Exercise Bands are available to purchase on Amazon for a discounted price, providing excellent value for a set that includes five bands. If you would like to read more reviewers before you purchase these bands, however, then check out these reviews here.