Resistance bands are lightweight, versatile and portable gym equipment that provide an excellent workout wherever you are. They are designed to replicate most resistance exercises and are extremely useful for building several muscles in the body, including the chest.
In the absence of weights and equipment that we often use for chest workouts, resistance bands are a perfect alternative that increases the exercise’s intensity and allows a full range of motion.
In this article, we’ve listed some of the best resistance bands for chest workout and exercises that’ll help build stronger chest muscles. Let’s start!
Best Resistance Bands for Chest Workout
Resistance bands typically come in 3 forms – flat bands, tube bands, and loops. Fabric bands are a type of resistance band that have been gaining popularity recently. As the name suggests, they are made of durable, elastic fabric. These are designed to be shorter in length which makes them more suitable for lower-body workouts.
On the other hand, latex rubber is used for most bands due to its elastic and flexible nature. These bands are best used for banded chest exercises and full-body workouts.
BodyBoss home gym 2.0 is a strength training system that uses resistance bands instead of weights.
It combines these resistance bands with a stable base, allowing workout routines to become adaptable and challenging. This makes it an ideal exercise choice for individuals looking to avoid costs and maximize the efficiency of their home chest workout routine.
The Body Boss home gym 2.0 is designed for people of all fitness levels. It includes resistance bands of different strength level, a VectorFit base that provides an anchor and a collapsible bar that allows new ways to grip.
All the equipment feels sturdy and well-made, like equipment you can expect to find at the actual gym. The plastic base that forms the carry case has an unexpected strength to it, and everything included in the kit has a similar quality of design.
Pros
Compact and portable
Affordable
Cons
Those who’ve never used a resistance band before may struggle to learn the movements
Serious Steel Assisted pull-up bands are designed for use with bodyweight exercises such as pull-ups. They are generally longer and thicker than standard resistance bands, which makes them better-suited for heavier weight training.
The bands provide extra support for your body during exercise, helping to increase muscle tone and strength. They are also made of high-quality materials that are durable and long-lasting. These qualities make assisted pull-up bands a convenient and efficient way to maximize your chest workout results.
However, due to their toughness and thickness, Serious Steel bands may not be ideal for exercises like bicep curls.
Pros
Great for heavy weight training
Durable
Cons
May not be ideal for some exercises due to its thickness
Every exercise has to start with a good stretch and Pro-Tec's Ahtletics Exercise Stretch Band is the prefect equipment for that. It is a versatile and portable chest workout tool designed to help you strengthen your chest muscles with both static and dynamic stretching.
The band has a soft technical fabric allows for a secure yet comfortable hold, while the grip loop technology gives you control over your movements as it is reduces slipping.
Ten grip loops are included to allow for progressive stretching. Portability won't be an issue either as this band is lightweight and easy to store, making it ideal for home or travel workouts.
Pros
Great for stretching
Has a variety of resistance for dynamic and static stretching
Cons
Not ideal for heavy resistance training
RUNNER UP
SPRI Braided Xertube Resistance Band Exercise Cords
The SPRI Braided Xertube Resistance Band Exercise Cord is different from the rest in this list as it consists of four separate bands braided together. The design allows it to be resistant to abrasion and to withstand heavy daily use.
The cord is a lot lighter than it looks and is highly durable. The handle is padded so that it is comfortable to hold and easy to grip. Although sold separately, this is available in various resistance levels so you can progress and challenge yourself as you gain strength.
The TRX Bandit Resistance Band Kit is a little different than your usual bands but is incredibly simple and easy to use. It consists of two pairs of bands -- light and medium -- and two handles where you can slip the bands into. This design allows for an easy-to-grip resistance band system that is perfect for chest workouts anywhere.
The band system can go up to 4 resistance strengths with tension ranging from 5 lbs to 60 lbs. If you want to go higher, the handles can also work with heavier TRX bands that you can purchase separately, increasing its versatility and flexibility.
The bands are made of natural latex to ensure resistance to wear and tear. Additionally, this kit comes with a 6-year guarantee to give you a peace of mind even after your purchase.
Pros
Versatile and portable
Easy to use
Cons
Actual kit consists only of up to medium-resistance bands
Banded Chest Exercises to do at Home
Resistance band push-up
Push-ups are a great way to build upper body strength but if it gets too easy for you, adding resistance bands are the way to go. To do a resistance band push-up, close the resistance band together, then bring it over your head and around your shoulder blades. With the end of each band underneath each palm, get into a push-up position and perform the exercise for reps.
You will find that pushing up from the floor - the concentric phase of the exercise - will be a lot harder due to the resistance band forcing you back down.
And with this added resistance, you can bet it will mean more gains.
Resistance Band Chest Press
The resistance band chest press replicates the same movement as a regular barbell bench press. To perform it, bring the resistance band over your head and wrap it around your shoulder blades, then lie down on a comfortable floor surface and push the band up as you normally would when doing a regular bench press.
Increasing the difficulty of the resistance band chest press, or resistance band bench press, is as easy as using a thicker resistance band, or performing the exercise on a gym bench or something similar. In this case, you would secure the resistance band under the feet of the bench.
While you may not be able to go as heavy as a regular bench press at the gym, it is a great alternative if you are at home or away on a trip.
Resistance Band Chest Flys
Replicating the ever-popular chest cable fly, resistance band chest flys can serve as your go-to exercise when you can’t get to the gym and want to target all the areas of your inner chest.
And just like low and high cable flys, you can position the resistance bands to hit the upper and lower portions of your chest.
To perform a standard resistance band chest fly, fold the band together and wrap it around your shoulder blades. Remain standing with your chest pushed out and your shoulder blades squeezed together, then push the resistance band out in front of you in the same fashion as a standard cable fly, making sure to squeeze your pecs together.
To replicate a high or low cable fly, fasten the resistance band to a bedpost, closed door or pull up bar in the desired position. Perform the exercise as you normally would but as a one-arm fly.
You can also do resistance band chest flys with a pair of resistance bands, fastened at two separate points.
Resistance Band Overhead Press
While generally considered a shoulder exercise, the overhead press (military press, or shoulder press) is actually a compound exercise that also targets your upper chest when the exercise is performed with a full range of motion. In the gym, this would mean lowering the dumbbell or barbell to your chestline, before pushing it back up and over your head.
And, of course, you can perform the same exercise with resistance bands without the need for any expensive weights or gym equipment.
To do a resistance band overhead press, or resisted overhead press, that targets your upper chest, place the resistance band underneath your feet, shoulder-width apart. Push the resistance band from your chestline and up, over your head with extended arms, to complete one rep.
Conclusion
The best resistance bands for chest workout will help push your routine to the next level and help you build your chest faster. Resistance band exercises are great for home workouts, as they are portable and can be used anywhere. So get your workout band today and start pumping up those pecs!
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