Exercising With Resistance Tubes

Resistance Tubes vs Resistance Bands

While there are many similarities between resistance bands and resistance tubing, they are two different pieces of exercise equipment.

A resistance band is long and flat, like a ribbon. Some resistance bands are made in continuous loops, not unlike an oversized rubber band. Some are simply long strands with loose ends. The ends can be gripped in someone’s hands or tied together to create a DIY loop. Resistance bands come in many different sizes and resistance levels. In many cases, the color of the resistance band correlates with the resistance level, making it easier for someone to choose the resistance level they want at a glance.

Resistance tubing is round, with a small hole running through the middle. Like resistance bands, resistance tubes come in many sizes, colors, and resistance levels. However, it’s rare to simply use a piece of cut resistance tubing for exercise. Most resistance tubing is made with handles for a secure, comfortable grip while exercising or other accessories, such as ankle straps and door anchors.

Benefits of Resistance Tube Workouts

There are many benefits to exercising with resistance tubing. Resistance tubing is highly customizable, so you can choose from a variety of resistance levels depending on your fitness and desired intensity levels. You can use resistance tubing to achieve a full-body workout or target specific muscle groups, all with a full range of motion.

Plus, resistance tubing is inexpensive and convenient. A set of resistance tubing is much more affordable than a set of weights or a gym membership. The tubing is small and lightweight, so storage—even for travel—is easy, and they can be used just about anywhere. A busy person who doesn’t have time to go to the gym can work out at home, at the park, at a hotel, or anywhere else they might be.

Resistance Tube Exercises

Arms & Shoulders

Whether you’re just starting to build strength or have years of training experience, resistance tubing is fantastic for upper body exercises.

Most arm and shoulder resistance tubing exercises are conducted while standing. With the center of the tubing under the feet and a handle in each hand, you can do overhead presses, lateral raises, front raises, upright rows, and bicep curls. You can DIY a pulley machine by attaching the center of the tubing to a door frame for tricep extensions.

Legs

A variety of squat variations can be conducted standing, with the feet separated slightly wider than the hips, and the center of the tubing underneath both feet. One handle is gripped in each hand. This is the starting position for a squat, front squat, and squat press.

You can also increase the intensity of a lunge using resistance tubing. One foot is placed well in front of the other, with the center of the tubing underneath the front foot, and one handle in each hand. As you bend your knees to sink into a lunge, you may either keep the handles at your shoulders or push upward to work the shoulders, a compound movement.

Donkey kicks, an effective glute exercise, can also be made more rigorous with resistance tubing. Starting on all fours, the tubing is secured around the arch of one foot, with a handle in each hand. That foot is then pushed straight back and up, against the resistance of the tubing.

Chest

Because resistance tubing is made with handles, it’s far superior to resistance bands for chest exercises. That secure grip is ideal for maximizing the impact of each rip without worrying about the tubing slipping out of your grasp.

If the center of the tubing can be secured to the top of a doorframe or other structure, it can be used for chest press and chest fly reps. You can also do incline chest presses by securing the tubing to the bottom of a doorframe—or under your foot.

Resistance tubing can make bodyweight chest exercises easier or more difficult. The tubing can be placed in each hand and looped around the upper back to make push-ups more challenging or looped around the shins to make dips more accessible.

Back

Resistance tubing exercises are fantastic for strengthening the back, without the need for a pulley machine. The tubing can be secured under the feet for bent-over rows and reverse flies and attached to a door frame for standing rows, kneeling rows, and face pulls at many levels.

This list is far from exhaustive. With creativity, resistance tubing workouts can be used to enhance a variety of bodyweight exercises and target specific muscle groups, depending on your needs and fitness level.

Explore Custom Rubber Products From KEP

Kent Elastomer Products (KEP) is proud to manufacture top-quality, natural rubber latex resistance tubing on American soil. We can customize virtually every specification of resistance tubing, from thickness to length to resistance level, using our continuous dip machines.

Our capabilities go far beyond manufacturing. We offer on-site packaging and labeling services, saving you the hassle of managing multiple vendors. We can also help source handles, accessories, and other components so you can deliver a complete product to your customers.

To learn more about continuous dip or talk about a project, get in touch >