Photo: New York National Guard
Just like there is no perfect workout routine for everyone, choosing the right resistance bands depend on how far you want to go with the P90X system. The most important criteria to consider are:
- Your level of fitness: Bodylastics and Beachbody B-LINES offer sets catered towards two main groups. First, people of average strength looking to stay in shape. Second, aspiring athletes, MMA, and bodybuilding enthusiasts.
- Brands: Quality, value, and selection vary greatly depending on the brand.
- Budget: Pricier sets include more high-tension bands. If you spend more you’ll have room to grow when you decide to move up to a more intense workout.
Trainer Tony Horton obviously wants you to buy from his own brand, Beachbody, however I advise against it. In my review of B-LINES I concluded that other companies are offering bands of comparable quality for less money. B-LINES bands have no killer feature that makes them stand out among the pack.
My main comparison of the three top selling brands ended with Bodylastics coming out on top. Read the full reviews here. They offer a great variety of sets, so this is a system you’ll never grow out of. They’re also a good value as the sets are priced reasonably considering the nice quality of the bands and components. I also liked the basic set by Black Mountain Products, however this company does not currently offer comprehensive sets comparable to say Max Tension, Strong Man and MMA Training by Bodylastics. Add-on accessories such as door anchors and ankle straps, plus single bands, are also more readily available.
One point to consider is P90X is meant to be an extreme workout system formulated to get quick results. It’s not as catch all for workout for everyone as it’s sometimes portrayed as online. For this reason if you want to do it right, I’d be looking at sets that move beyond the basic three or four bands. Depending on your goals this would be Bodylastics Max Tension XT and above.
Concluding, Bodylastics is the clear winner although the B-LINES Extreme kit isn’t a bad choice despite having only three bands. In this case I’d stay away from Black Mountain Products and especially Wailea Fitness as these companies don’t offer as many options for enthusiasts looking to do more than an average workout.
