HOW
TO CHOOSE THE RESISTANCE THAT'S RIGHT FOR YOU
if you have prior experience with
exercise bands theraband
equivalents
To
train your muscles effectively, you should get 2-3 bands since smaller
muscles (arms, shoulders) require less resistance,
while larger muscles (chest, back, legs) require more resistance.
Also, as you get stronger you will need more resistance. If you know
the pounds you want a band to equal, use the Pounds
Resistance Chart, otherwise use these General
Guidelines:
3
BANDS
Inactive
to Average
Women: light,
light-medium &
medium
Average to Active Women: light-medium,
medium & medium-heavy
Active to Strong Women:
medium, medium-heavy & heavy
Inactive to Average Men: medium,
medium-heavy & heavy
Active to Strong Men: medium-heavy,
heavy, & extra-heavy
2
BANDS
Rehab,
Some Older Adults:
extra-light & light
Inactive
to Average
Women: light-medium &
medium
Average to Active Women: medium &
medium-heavy
Active to Strong Women:
medium-heavy & heavy
Inactive to Average Men: medium &
medium-heavy
Average to Active Men: medium-heavy &
heavy
Active to Strong Men: heavy
& extra-heavy
INDIVIDUAL
BANDS
Extra-Light -
rehab, frail older adults
Light
-
rehab, some older adults
Light-Medium
- inactive women
Medium - average women, some men
Medium-Heavy - average men, active women
Heavy - active men, strong women
Extra-heavy - strong men, women bodybuilders
If
you have trained with exercise bands before, please be aware that there is no standardization of resistance
levels: color coding of resistances, along with what is considered a “medium”
band varies by manufacturer. Additionally, a band used in class will have lost some of
its resistance over time, so
a new band will seem stronger. We recommend you use the Pounds
Resistance Chart to accurately determine resistance levels best
suited to your needs. theraband
equivalents
An
exercise band provides resistance
(pounds of force) like a dumbbell would. But there is a main
difference: a10-lb dumbbell provides ten pounds of resistance
throughout the range of motion of an exercise, while an exercise band
provides varying resistance depending on how far it is stretched (the
farther you stretch it, the more resistance it provides).
Approximate Pounds
of
Resistance at
100% to 200% Elongation
(2x to 3x unstretched length)
what
this means
|
| Therapy
Band |
Color |
Pounds
Resistance |
| extra- light |
red |
3
- 5
lbs. |
| light |
orange |
4.5
- 7
lbs. |
| light-medium |
yellow |
6
- 9
lbs. |
| medium |
green |
8
- 12
lbs. |
| medium-heavy |
blue |
10
- 15
lbs. |
| heavy |
indigo |
15
- 22.5
lbs. |
| extra- heavy |
violet |
20.5
- 30.5
lbs. |
Trunk Extension - low back 