Ready to take your lifts to the next level? Here’s a breakdown of the best heavy resistance bands for busting through plateaus and getting stronger.
Resistance bands are one of my favorite tools for my training.
There are a few different reasons for this.
✅ For serious lifters, especially powerlifters, power resistance bands are a way to help target specific weaknesses in each of your lifts. Most of us struggle with the end ranges of our lifts–similar to weight lifting chains–and bands can help us zero in on areas of improvement.
✅ Increased time under tension means more activation in your muscles, like at the top of a lift, for example, where your muscles generally wouldn’t be doing too much thanks to the lack of resistance (gravity).
✅ Constant tension forces you to really stabilize your body, adding an element of work to your core and midsection that you might otherwise be ignoring.
✅ Power bands are an excellent tool for working on your pull-ups (use them as a pull-up assist band), adding resistance to your lifts, or even as a tool for doing mobility and recovery work before and after your workouts.
✅ Use them with ballistic movements like kettlebell swings. One of my favorite uses for my bands is doing banded kettlebell swings to help increase resistance at the top of the swing.
And so on!
Heavy resistance bands are generally made the same.
Look for a band made of soft, natural latex rubber, with an adequate width (to prevent rolling up and moving on the bar), and of course, find a band that matches your budget and aesthetic preferences.
Below is a breakdown of the best heavy-duty resistance bands for weightlifters.
Read on, find the best power resistance band for you, and take your workouts to the next level.
Let’s go.
Rogue Monster Bands
⭐ Best overall heavy resistance bands
I’m a longtime fan and follower of Rogue stuff. Even though they are perhaps best known for their deep ties to the CrossFit world, I’ve never done a WOD in my life and find that their gear works just fine for the average gymgoer.
They make excellent stuff, whether it’s their line of squat racks, Rogue’s barbells, or the Rogue Monster Bands, the best overall bands for powerlifters.
Made of natural rubber, and available in two different lengths (they have a twelve-inch “Shorty” version which is awesome for glute bridges, etc), the Monster Bands have been tested by countless athletes the world over.
Whether you want to bust through a plateau on your bench by lashing up some bands to your power rack, rep-out on pull-ups, or improve your flexibility, there is a Rogue Monster Band for you.
Each band is 41” long, with eight different resistance levels, with the silver band being the thickest, providing 200lb of resistance. These are among the strongest resistance bands on the market (others top at around 150lb or 175lb) and one of the few I trust for 1MR lifts.
The strongest Monster Bands and their respective widths and max resistance levels:
| COLOR | MAX RESISTANCE | WIDTH |
| Black | 100lb | 1.75” |
| Purple | 140lb | 2.5” |
| Red | 175lb | 3.35” |
| Silver | 200lb | 4” |
Pricing is reasonable, with a pair of the orange Monster bands costing $16 while heavy-duty users wanting maximum resistance with the silver bands are looking at around $100.
They are available exclusively through Rogue’s website here.
Elite FTS Pro Strong Resistance Bands
⭐ Runner-up for best overall powerlifting bands
Elite FTS is a serious brand for serious lifters. Their line of resistance bands is geared towards powerlifters and other athletes who want to push a ton of weight and want the comfort of knowing their bands won’t snap and rip on them.
Like the Rogue Monster Bands, the Elite FTS Pro Strong Resistance Bands are made of natural latex rubber, are nice and thick (4.5mm), and have a generous width of up to 2.5 inches to give the band lots of “grip” on the barbell.
The line of Elite FTS Pro bands is also the highest-rated for resistance, providing up to a whopping 275lb of total tension, making it one of the heaviest-duty of the heavy-duty resistance bands in this round-up.
| COLOR | MAX RESISTANCE | WIDTH |
| Orange | 125lb | 1.125” |
| Silver | 192lb | 1.75” |
| Blue | 275lb | 2.5” |
(The silver band pictured below is their second-strongest, tapping out at 192lb of tension. The blue band is their strongest one.)
Elite FTS bands are available through their website as well as on Amazon, with a single Pro band costing around $25-30 (check Amazon for current pricing).
Rogue Shorty Monster Bands
⭐ Best short powerlifting resistance bands
Most powerlifting resistance bands are in the neighborhood of 40” in length.
But that won’t do for those looking for a much shorter range of motion (for example, trying to place extra emphasis on a shortened lockout phase while doing bench press). Or for lifters who don’t want to loop a band two or three times over to create tension in the band before a lift.
That’s where the Rogue Shorty Monster Bands steps in.
They are less than one third the length of a regular powerlifting band, at just 12”, but they have the same snap-free and strong construction of the full-length Monster Bands.
Just how strong are these bad boys? The strongest of the Rogue Shorty Monster Bands are black (100lb of resistance) and purple (140lb).
| COLOR | MAX RESISTANCE | WIDTH |
| Green | 65lb | 1.13” |
| Black | 100lb | 1.75” |
| Purple | 140lb | 2.5” |
For the lifter who wants a shorter band for heavy lifts without having to wrap and re-warp the band around equipment to create tension, the Shorty Bands are essential.
The Shorty Monsters, like their Big Brothers, are made with natural rubber, but unlike the longer Monsters, are shipped in pairs and not as singles.
Iron Bull Strength Heavy Duty Resistance Bands
Iron Bull Strength is a relatively new player in the weightlifting equipment game. They make some of my most-used equipment, including their barbell hip thrust pad and line of bumper plates that are currently parked in my garage gym.
Made with natural rubber, the Iron Bull Monster Resistance Bands share a lot of the same features as the Rogue and Elite FTS bands, including a 41” length, a width of 0.25” up to 2.5”, and plenty of resistance options.
| COLOR | MAX RESISTANCE | WIDTH |
| Purple | 80lb | 1.3” |
| Green | 125lb | 1.75” |
| Blue | 175lb | 2.5” |
The thinnest bands (yellow) deliver up to 15lb of resistance while the heavy-duty blue band can generate up to 175lb of resistance.
The bands are available individually ($10 to $30 per band) or in a set (all five bands for $90) and Iron Bull backs these bands for life.
WOD Nation Heavy Resistance Bands
WOD Nation makes affordably priced training gear, including their jump rope, which I really liked. Their heavy resistance bands, ideal for lifting, stretching, or for doing pull-ups, is a quality band at a low price.
The bands are made of all-natural rubber and are 41-inches long. They are essentially knock-offs of the more popular brands on this list but don’t sacrifice much in quality and thickness.
| COLOR | MAX RESISTANCE | WIDTH |
| Purple | 80lb | 1.25” |
| Green | 125lb | 1.75” |
| Blue | 175lb | 2.5” |
WOD Nation’s bands are priced the lowest, ranging from $11-27 depending on the resistance level (check Amazon for up-to-date pricing and shipping options here).
DYNAPRO Power Resistance Bands for Powerlifting
DYNAPRO’s line of resistance bands are extremely well received on Amazon (over 450 five-star reviews), and made of soft and heavy-duty latex rubber, and provide a tension level of up to 170lbs (with the blue band pictured below).
Designed to be snap-resistant, DYNAPRO’s bands are made with natural rubber for maximum durability, are wide enough that they don’t roll up on you when using it, and can be purchased individually or bundled up as a set.
| COLOR | MAX RESISTANCE | WIDTH |
| Purple | 80lb | 1.25” |
| Green | 125lb | 1.75” |
| Blue | 170lb | 2.5” |
They are also priced very competitively, with their strongest band offered at under $40 (check Amazon for current pricing and availability).
Best Powerlifting Bands – FAQs
Why train with powerlifting bands?
Resistance bands are, in my experience, a really underappreciated tool when it comes to developing strength and speed in the gym.
Perhaps it’s because bands don’t have the satisfying bang and clang of lifting and dropping plate-loaded barbells or pushing a new PR, but the benefits of using them in training and lifting is clear-cut.
Studies have shown that using bands for resistance is often superior to traditional free weights such as dumbbells and barbells for reducing overall body fat1.
More importantly for strength athletes, bands are superior for building force and power compared to regular strength training2 and simulate the higher loads typically seen in ballistic training3.
For powerlifters, using a resistance band during deadlifts helps you to lockout like a champion (the band creates more resistance at the top of the lift), forces you to lift with the most efficient means possible (i.e. straight up and down), reduces shear on your lower back, and increases lat engagement.
How do I care for powerlifting bands so that they last longer?
Look, I’m not going to lie to you and tell you that bands don’t break. They do. Sometimes at extremely inopportune times.
Even though natural rubber lifting bands are designed for heavy-duty use, they aren’t completely immune to cracking and tearing.
Some tips for getting the most from your bands include:
- Store them in a cool and dry place. Direct heat and freezing colds are two obvious extremes to avoid.
- Keep them out of the sun. Natural rubber is particularly vulnerable to UV radiation and will degrade quickly.
- Wrap them in a bag to reduce exposure to moisture.
- Store them in a “relaxed” condition where possible.
According to rubber manufacturer Warco, the shelf life on natural rubber products is 3-5 years.
They won’t last forever.
Something to keep in mind as you churn out the heavy lifts and reps once you get your new bands.
What are the best powerlifting bands for lifting weights?
The top three bands on the market for heavy-duty lifters are:
The Rogue Monster Bands are my top pick. Available in resistance levels of up to 200lbs of tension, they don’t roll on the bar and won’t tear when chasing new PRs.
The Elite FTS Power Band is another serious band for serious lifters that I can happily recommend. The max resistance is a whopping 272lb on the “pro” band.
And for shorter ranges of motion, the Rogue Monster Shorty Bands are the best option for lifters, with a maximum resistance of 140lb.
Choose the right band for you, reap the benefits of lifting with bands, and get after some new PRs under the bar at the gym!
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