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In the current strongman pantheon, Canada’s Mitchell Hooper is unquestionably the most dominant. The athlete is the reigning World’s Strongest Man (WSM) champion and has, at minimum, finished on the podium in 10 consecutive strongman competitions. (Note: He has only competed in 11 professional contests.) The superstar is preparing to add even more to his trophy case very soon.

On July 12, 2023, Hooper appeared in a video on 2016 Europe’s Strongest Man (ESM) Laurence Shahlaei’s YouTube channel, where he documents part of his preparation for the 2023 Shaw Classic (SC). The contest takes place on August 19-20, 2023, in Loveland, CO. Shahlaei helps train Hooper in the video, and the workout has Hooper polishing up his bench press, log lift, sandbag throw, and chest press. At the approximate 13:10 mark of the video below, Hooper successfully locks out a 210-kilogram (463-pound), three-rep bench press for a new personal record (PR).

YouTube Video

There is a completely bench press-centric event at the 2023 SC, making Hooper’s display of an upper-body milestone an excellent sign for his chances in the competition. In the sole SC appearance of his career in 2022, the strongman finished in third place to two-time defending champion Trey Mitchell (2021-2022) and the contest’s legendary eponymous competitor, Brian Shaw (second place).

Per Hooper, the bench press hasn’t usually been one of his strengths in the past.

“I’m probably the most nervous about this one (the Bench Press event) at the Shaw Classic,” Hooper explained. “I don’t think I’m a good bench presser. I think a lot of my overhead strength comes from my legs.”

Hooper had a three-contest winning streak to start the 2023 strongman season that was snapped with a third-place result at the 2023 Giants Live Strongman Classic (GLSC). The athlete will undoubtedly be seeking an emphatic way of putting himself back into the winner’s column at the 2023 SC. A Hooper win would also notably keep the iconic Shaw from a triumph in his last-ever strongman competition.

Hooper didn’t appreciate falling short at the 2023 GLSC:

“The longer the third place [at the 2023 GLSC] sits with me, the longer I [expletive] hate it,” Hooper said. “Losing really doesn’t really sit right with me.”

Here’s the roster of strongman competitors at the 2023 SC, including Hooper:

2023 Shaw Classic Roster

Of the overall 2023 SC roster, Hooper figures to be one of the favorites alongside Mitchell and Shaw. Dark horses might include former two-time WSM champion Tom Stoltman and 2020 WSM champion Oleksii Novikov.

No matter what happens at the 2023 SC, Hooper has firmly established himself as a household name in strongman. Part of what makes him so great is that he will likely push full throttle for another victory regardless of a well-earned reputation.

Featured image: Big Loz Official on YouTube

The post Mitchell Hooper Records 210-Kilogram (463-Pound) 3-Rep Bench Press PR appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

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Izzy Tait and Louis Jack are the respective champions of the 2023 Ultimate Scotland’s Strongest Woman (USSW) and Man (USSM). The contests took place on July 2, 2023, in Grangemouth, United Kingdom, and featured eight strongwoman competitors and 12 strongmen. Both rosters had a docket of five events to tackle en route to the titles Tait and Jack eventually took home themselves.

According to her resume on Strongman Archives, this is Tait’s first career strongwoman win after finishing in the top five at the 2022 and 2023 UK’s Strongest Woman (UKSW). On the strongman side, Jack also captured his first-ever professional victory per Strongman Archives, with a runner-up performance at the 2022 UK’s Strongest Man (UKSM) serving as his previous highlight.

Here are the final standings for the 2023 USSW:

2023 Ultimate Scotland’s Strongest Woman Final Standings

  1. Izzy Tait — 37 points
  2. Laura Baxter — 32.5 points
  3. Hayley Black — 23 points
  4. Steffi Murray — 20.5 points
  5. Sammy Mayhew — 20.5 points
  6. Anastasia Papas — 17.5 points
  7. Dianne Gaughan — 14.5 points
  8. Rosslyn Cole — 13.5 points

Here are the final standings for the 2023 USSM:

2023 Ultimate Scotland’s Strongest Man Final Standings

  • Louis Jack — 54 points
  • Chris Beetham — 53 points
  • Callum Crozier — 50 points
  • Stephen Jackson — 36 points
  • Lee Walker — 32.5 points
  • Connor Monaghan — 32 points
  • Scott Milne — 29 points
  • Liam Goldie — 23 points
  • Peej Greenhough — 23 points
  • Leon Patterson — 14.5 points
  • Robert McMillan — 13 points
  • Mikey Wilson — 4 points

The strongwomen had these five events: Duck Walk for Time, Max Deadlift, Log Lift for Reps, Hornetop Hold for Time, and the Atlas Stones. Tait won the Max Deadlift (250 kilograms/551.1 pounds) and the Log Lift for Reps (18), finishing as the runner-up in the three other events to secure her victory. Tait scored 37 of a possible 40 points.

The strongmen’s events were as follows: Duck Walk for Time, Car Deadlift for Reps, Block Medley Press, Truck Push, Atlas Stones. Jack won the Block Medley Press (four in 42.72 seconds and the Truck Push (31.7 meters) en route to his one-point triumph for the USSM title.

The USSW and USSM aren’t necessarily tentpole competitions in strongwoman and strongman. Nonetheless, getting on the board with their first victories is notable momentum for Tait and Jack as they continue their careers.

Featured image: @izzy_tait_strongwoman on Instagram

The post 2023 Ultimate Scotland’s Strongest Woman and Man Results —  Izzy Tait, Louis Jack Prevail appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

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On July 5, 2023, strongwoman Lucy Underdown shared an eye-opening update on her strongwoman training progress. In an Instagram clip, the athlete captures a 280-kilogram (617.3-pound) deadlift for four reps. According to the caption of her post, this lift was a new quadruple personal record (PR) for Underdown. The athlete wore a lifting belt and utilized lift straps to help with the massive deadlift. In her socks, she also completed the pull from a conventional stance with a traditional grip.

What might make Underdown’s feat more impressive is how the athlete downplayed her mindset beforehand. Underdown wrote that having two bumper plates (four total) on her loaded barbell wasn’t a deadlift set-up she was accustomed to. Plus, there weren’t any collars where Underdown was training, meaning her weight wouldn’t stay steady and even as she worked toward a full lockout. In addition, the strongwoman was apparently “under the weather,” casting doubt on whether she’d come close to the new PR.

Despite all these elements of adversity, it could be a testament to Underdown’s unique power that she managed to transcend and finish off the quadruple set anyway.

It should be no surprise that Underdown notched this four-rep PR. At the time of this article’s publication, the athlete holds the strongwoman deadlift World Record of 300 kilograms (662 pounds) from the 2023 Arnold UK Pro Strongwoman contest. Underdown also possesses the Kratos bar deadlift World Record of 305 kilograms (672.4 pounds), which she set at the 2023 UK’s Strongest Woman. A Kratos bar is characterized by its extended 10-foot length, creating an additional “flex” for athletes when pulling their weight from the ground.

Underdown has already laid out her upcoming competitive schedule. She will be a participant in each of the upcoming 2023 Europe’s Strongest Woman, the 2023 Britain’s Strongest Woman, and the 2023 England’s Strongest Woman contests. To date, the athlete is still seeking her first-ever professional strongwoman victory, having finished as the runner-up at the 2023 UKSW. Nevertheless, she will likely shine based on her precedent.

That’s because regardless of any presented obstacles, Underdown continues to distinguish herself as deadlift royalty.

Featured image: @lucyunders_strongwoman on Instagram

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If you feel like your home workouts are getting a little monotonous, it’s time to switch some things up. Adding some versatility can help you stay consistent, but you might feel limited if your home gym space is on the smaller side. In addition, let’s face it, high-quality home gym equipment isn’t very budget-friendly. Therefore, what are your options when you want something inexpensive, fairly small, and that gives you flexibility with your full-body workouts?

We’ve found that resistance bands are an excellent choice for beginners and advanced trainees alike. You can incorporate them into your strength training routines and cardio sessions and bring them along with you when you’re on the go. However, not all resistance bands are alike. This is exactly why we’ve created our top picks for the best resistance bands.

So keep reading to find one that fits your preferences and doesn’t take up a lot of space!

Our Top Picks for the Best Resistance Bands

Best Resistance Bands Set: Living.Fit Resistance Bands


Living.Fit Resistance Bands

  • Can buy a set of four, a set of six, or individual bands
  • Loop-style design and 41-inch length
  • Resistance levels range from five to 200 pounds
  • Lifetime warranty


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Pros

  • Includes door anchor and carrying case
  • Four to six different resistance levels 
  • Lifetime warranty

Cons

  • Doesn’t have handles
  • Unable to buy the bands in pairs 
  • Bands not labeled with the resistance level

If your resistance training routine includes doing lots of pull-ups, you will want a set of resistance bands that can perform proficiently. After all, the last thing you want to worry about while doing upper body exercises is if your resistance bands can withstand the pressure. But is it really possible to find something that’s compact, affordable, and durable? 

Well, the Living.Fit Resistance Bands may check all of those boxes.

You can purchase them as a set of four for $29.99 or six for $79.99, which is quite impressive, especially considering their practically unheard-of levels of resistance. The lightest band offers approximately five pounds of resistance, and the heaviest one offers 200 pounds of resistance. Given their range, these bands could be a good choice for someone who doesn’t quite know what they need yet or someone more advanced.

The Living.Fit Resistance Bands come with a door anchor so that you can do various push-pull exercises. However, what’s inconvenient about these bands is that you can’t buy them in pairs. For instance, if you wanted to add some bands to a barbell, you’d need to buy another set or an individual band. One other thing that’s a bit of a nuisance is that the resistance level isn’t labeled on the band, so you’d need to look it up each time until you memorize it.

While these certainly aren’t the cheapest bands on the block, they’re still a reasonable price considering what you get. They’re high quality and don’t have the rubber smell many bands come with, which is a bonus. And we can’t forget about the lifetime warranty either. If a band snaps, Living.Fit will replace it!

Best Resistance Bands With Handles: REP Fitness Tube Resistance Bands


REP Fitness Tube Resistance Bands

  • Material: Latex rubber
  • Style: Tube bands
  • Amount of resistance: Light, medium, heavy
  • Length: Not listed


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Pros

  • Budget-friendly 
  • Three levels of resistance 
  • No rubber smell

Cons

  • Small handles 
  • Unknown pounds of resistance 
  • Less-than-ideal quality

Do you need low-cost rubber bands for warm-ups, stretching, and rehabilitation? If yes, the REP Fitness Tube Resistance bands might be a good choice for you. For just $25, you’ll get a set that lets you do different exercises that strengthen multiple muscle groups.

These tube bands provide three different levels of resistance: light, medium, and heavy. Each one is a different color so you can identify the level of tension. The nine-millimeter blue band provides light resistance, the 12-millimeter orange band bears medium resistance, and the heaviest band (13.5 millimeters) is black.

However, one flaw is that it’s still unclear how much tension you’re getting, as REP Fitness hasn’t disclosed this information. It also would’ve been helpful if the bands were labeled for easier identification.

One of the most appealing features, especially for someone looking to do bicep curls, is the band’s handles. Unfortunately, many may find these grip handles underwhelming. They’re not very ergonomically made, as they are small and not very grippy. As a result, they won’t feel as secure in your hands as you’d probably expect.

In addition, given their price point, you have to question the quality, and reasonably so. Although they’re said to be heavy-duty, the materials feel as though they were made at a bargain.

Nonetheless, if you’re a beginner or recovering from an injury and just need something that’ll get the job done, these will do. Plus, they don’t have that strong latex smell many bands are often known for.

RELATED: Best Kettlebells for Home Gyms

Best Resistance Bands for Building Muscle: Rogue Fitness Monster Bands


Rogue Fitness Monster Bands

  • Material: Natural latex rubber 
  • Style: Loop bands
  • Amount of resistance: 15 to 200 pounds
  • Length: 41 inches


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Pros

  • Purchasable as a set, pair, and individually 
  • High-quality natural latex 
  • Eight bands to choose from
  • Durable

Cons

  • Pricier
  • Overwhelming rubber smell

If you ask me, the Rogue Monster Bands have something to offer everyone. Whether you want to use them in your home gym or place them in your gym bag, these latex bands should deliver. With eight bands that span between 15 and 200 pounds of tension, you’ve got choices, and you’re not forced to buy a set. I like that you can buy a single band or get a pair, as that allows you to really customize it to your needs.

For example, if you’re looking for beginner-friendly bands or some ideal bands for pull-up assistance, their 15 to 50-pound mini bands should do the trick. For lower body workouts, like squats and those targeting the calves, hamstrings, and glutes, the 65- to 100-pound bands would be best. Then, the much heavier 140- to 200-pound bands are nice to pair with barbells for deadlifts.

These are the type of resistance bands you should be able to count on for a long time. They’re not poorly made, so you shouldn’t have to worry about them cracking or splitting.

However, as you might imagine, a higher price tag is attached to reflect the quality. Depending on the resistance level, one band could cost you between $15.50 and $61. To be honest, you can get a set of four resistance bands for less than the price of one of their resistance bands, as most sets cost between $20 and $80. But even considering that, they’re still more cost-effective and space-saving than getting free weights.

Rogue also lets you buy additional accessories to take your workout experience to the next level. They’ve got a door strap and handle you can purchase as add-ons, so you can use the bands in any room of your home with a sturdy door for stretching and mobility work.

Best Looped Resistance Bands: Titan Fitness Loop Resistance Band Multi-Pack


Titan Fitness Loop Resistance Band Multi Pack

  • Material: Latex rubber 
  • Style: Loop bands
  • Amount of resistance: 15 to 120 pounds
  • Length: 12 inches


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Pros

  • Comes with eight bands
  • Thicker than other bands 
  • One-year warranty

Cons

  • Pungent latex smell 
  • Less exercise variability

The Titan Fitness Loop Resistance Bands are thick, well-made, and a good value for resistance band training. For less than $60, you get four pairs of non-slip bands that come with a one-year warranty. This speaks highly to Titan’s belief in its product, as you won’t find warranty coverage too often for bands.

These loop bands are color-coded for easy identification. Start with the red bands if you’re a beginner and/or doing physical therapy and looking for light resistance, like 15 to 30 pounds. When you’re ready to advance or implement calisthenics, move on to the black bands with 40 to 70 pounds of resistance. You could use the 60 to 100-pound purple bands for strength training with heavy resistance or the 70 to 120-lb green bands for advanced resistance training.

You can do many resistance band exercises with the Titan Fitness bands, but they are somewhat limiting. For example, you could use them with no problem during pilates and yoga, but I wouldn’t buy these if I wanted to do pull-ups. The bands are only 12 inches long, which is a little short. One user even stated that getting these over their shoes is challenging, which slows down their workout. Therefore, if you want bands for pull-up assistance, look for some that are at least 41 inches long.

Besides the noticeable latex smell, which should go away over time, and having slightly less exercise versatility, these bands are built to last. Titan Fitness even claims they have wear-resistant performance, so they shouldn’t lose their elasticity for a while.

Best Resistance Bands for Bodybuilding: Living.Fit Camo Resistance Bands


Living.Fit Camo Resistance Bands

  • Material: Synthetic rubber
  • Style: Pull-up bands
  • Amount of resistance: 5 to 125 pounds
  • Length: 81.9-inches (41-inches when the band is held with one end in each hand)


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Pros

  • Non-latex
  • Multiple resistance options
  • Includes door anchor and carrying case
  • Cost-effective

Cons

  • Cannot purchase individually
  • No handles

If you’re a fan of camo, you’re in luck. These bands sport a cool design that is sure to stand out in your home gym or gym bag. In addition to their interesting aesthetic, they’re also fairly affordable. For less than $35, you’re getting a set of four durable bands. That’s basically like paying $8 to $9 per band. This is a reasonable price, especially considering how expensive buying fixed or adjustable dumbbells would be.

Each band is 81.9 inches long, but if you hold an end in each hand, it’ll be 41 inches on each side. That’s a lot of length, and this is what makes the bands ideal for doing pull-ups. Despite having different widths, such as the lightest one being 0.5 inches and the heaviest being 1.7 inches, they’re all 3.2 millimeters thick. Similar bands are around 4.5 millimeters thick, so these are on the thinner side.

The Living.Fit Camo Resistance Bands set pretty much caters to all fitness levels, but more advanced trainees might want something different, as the heaviest tension level is 125 pounds. This would fall short if you want a band with up to 200 pounds of tension.

However, this isn’t to say you couldn’t still get a good workout in. With four different resistance levels that range between five and 125 pounds, you’ve got options. For instance, the light resistance red camo band can be used for stretching and increasing your range of motion, while the black camo and purple camo bands can be used for speed training and curls. The green camo band has between 50 to 125 pounds of resistance, which can be great for lower body exercises, giving you versatility.

I also can’t forget to mention that these bands are made with synthetic rubber, so those with latex allergies still have a good option. It’s neat, too, that these come with a door anchor and carrying case, making them easily portable and giving you options for where you can use them.

Best Resistance Bands for Seniors: Gritin Resistance Bands


Gritin Exercise Bands Loop Bands

  • Material: Natural latex
  • Style: Loop band
  • Amount of resistance: Light to XX-heavy 
  • Length: ‎23.62 inches


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Pros

  • Resistance level marked 
  • Priced under $10
  • Very compact 
  • Comes with a carrying bag

Cons

  • Somewhat flimsy and not ideal for strength training
  • Limited exercise options 
  • Strong latex smell

As we age, our joints may become less flexible, which can limit our range of motion. However, using resistance bands, like the ones by Gritin, can help minimize the impact of such age-related changes.

Gritin Resistance Bands are some of the most affordable on the market. For almost $9, you’ll get five color-coded bands that are super lightweight and easily portable. The tension ranges from light to XX-heavy, but it’s not exactly clear how much tension in pounds that translates to. While that’s a bummer, the bands still stand out in other ways, such as being extremely beginner-friendly and easy to use.

Another factor that stands out to me is that these bands are clearly marked with their resistance level. Some of the most expensive bands on the market don’t have this feature, so it’s neat to see it here. This takes the guesswork out of the equation, allowing you to focus more on just completing your home workouts.

If you want to build muscle, these aren’t the resistance bands for you. They’re a bit too thin and flimsy to be used for advanced strength training. You could do exercises such as front squats with them, but you do have to worry about the bands slipping and riding up. In addition, at just over 21 inches long, they’re a little on the shorter side, limiting what exercises you can do. 

Ultimately, if you’re looking for a set of bands that won’t break the bank, these could be a decent choice. Sure, you’re not going to get top-quality material, but they could suffice. You might also have to bare with their strong latex smell, but you could try setting the bands outside for a couple of days to see if that’ll air them out or wash them with mild dish soap.

Best Resistance Bands on Amazon: Fit Simplify Resistance Loop Exercise Bands


Fit Simplify Resistance Loop Exercise Bands

  • Material: Natural latex rubber 
  • Style: Loop bands
  • Amount of resistance: Two to 30 pounds
  • Length: 12 inches


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Pros

  • Different color options 
  • Affordable 
  • Good value for the price
  • Includes instruction guide

Cons

  • Rolls up easily 
  • Sticky 
  • Tears easily

Amazon has become a go-to retailer for a lot of us, so naturally, if you need resistance bands, you’ll probably look there first. However, if you type “resistance bands” into the search bar, you’ll see several pages worth of options. And with so many choices, how in the world are you supposed to choose?

Well, to make it easier, we’ve identified the Fit Simplify Resistance Loop Exercise Bands as the best resistance bands from Amazon. 

For less than $13, you’ll get a set of five elastic bands. They’re color-coded and have three different color options to choose from. For instance, there’s one set with an assortment of colors, including blue, green, yellow, black, and red. The other choices are berry and pink. 

Conveniently, each band’s resistance level is labeled and ranges from x-light to x-heavy. 

In my opinion, it would’ve been even better if the Fit Simplify brand had also added the pounds of tension to the bands. However, for the price, it’s good enough. 

The amount of resistance each band provides is below:

  • X-light – two to four pounds
  • Light – six to eight pounds
  • Medium – 10 to 12 pounds
  • Heavy band – 15 to 20 pounds
  • X-heavy – 25 to 30 pounds

You could also stack them to get a total of 74 pounds of resistance. These admittedly don’t pack a lot of tension compared to other bands, but if you’re a beginner or getting physical therapy, these should suffice. 

Many consumers seem satisfied with the bands, noting that they’re good quality and very durable. But don’t expect these bands to last a very long time. While it depends on what you use the bands for and how often you use them, you may get one to two years of use out of them.

Best Fabric Resistance Bands: Arena Strength Fabric Booty Bands


Arena Strength Fabric Booty Bands

  • Material: Cotton
  • Style: Loop bands
  • Amount of resistance: Light, medium, and heavy (23 to 55 pounds)
  • Length: 25 inches


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Pros

  • Includes workout guide 
  • 12-month warranty 
  • Good quality 
  • Unbreakable

Cons

  • Too small for some
  • Not enough tension for advanced trainees

Some of us want to work on our arms, and some of us want to work on our calves. However, others are very clear that they want to do resistance band exercises for glute activation. The Arena Strength Fabric Booty Bands may be ideal for those looking to enhance their lower body. 

For $29, you’ll get three bands. You can select the pack with gray, blue, and black bands or the one with pink, gray, and black bands. Each band is the same size, but they have different resistance levels. The gray band is 23 to 33 pounds, the pink and blue bands are 34 to 44 pounds, and the black band is 45 to 55 pounds. Some people may find that this isn’t enough pounds of tension to help them meet their needs, but they’re good for light warm-up exercises or beginner-friendly workouts.

What really makes these bands different from many others is that they’re made with fabric — cotton, to be specific. Their triple-stitched interface makes them practically unbreakable, and they also don’t roll. This is important, as some other bands tend to slip when you’re doing lunges, hip extensions, deadlifts, and more. Latex grips are sewn inside the bands to help them stay in place. 

This set includes a 15-page workout guide that was developed by CrossFit coaches. You also get a handy-dandy carrying case so you can bring them with you when you’re on the go. What’s even better is that these bands come with a 12-month replacement warranty. Therefore, if you’re not satisfied, the company will give you your money back.

One complaint that some users had is that the bands are too small if you’re not skinny. These bands are 25 inches in loop diameter, which is a little on the short side. If you fear that that size wouldn’t work for you, Arena Strength offers longer bands that are 42 inches long.

RELATED: Best Home Gym Machines on the Market

How We Chose the Best Resistance Bands

At Breaking Muscle, we underwent a tedious process to identify which bands were the best of the best. First, we considered what we’d heard from members of the fitness community, as people who work out will tell you what they did and didn’t like about a product. In addition to that, we perused the internet to identify what resistance bands consumers seemed to gravitate towards. Then, once we completed our list, we began sifting out what didn’t make the cut.

Many factors went into which resistance bands would remain on the top-pick list. For instance, we wanted to ensure something for everyone, so we aimed to include bands at different price points. After all, we’re all working with different budgets. Being mindful of the various resistance levels out there was critical as well. You may need more or fewer pounds of tension depending on your fitness goals and health. We also couldn’t forget about the material, as some users are allergic to latex.

All of these factors helped us narrow it down to the list we’ve presented here.

Benefits of Resistance Bands

If you’re in the process of buying equipment that you can utilize during your home workouts, resistance bands are a great choice. Here are a few reasons why you should add these to the cart.

Beginner and Advanced Trainee Friendly

When you’re new to working out, resistance bands are one of the least intimidating pieces of fitness equipment you’ll come across. You can use them while standing up and sitting down, thus catering to where you are in your journey. For advanced trainees, like those doing calisthenics, strength training, and pull-ups, these small but mighty things will make you sweat.

A Cost-Effective Choice

On average, dumbbells cost about $1 to $2 per pound, which can add up very quickly. So if you wanted two 50-pound dumbbells, you’d likely be out $100. Even with the best-quality resistance bands, you won’t experience that. As you saw above, you can easily get a set of four to six bands for under $100. Some of these bands even have 200 pounds of tension. Therefore, they’re a great choice if you’re on a budget for your home gym.

Compact But Challenging

Besides resistance bands, where else will you find 200 pounds of tension that you can toss in your bag without it weighing you down? These bands are incredibly lightweight and portable, making them an obvious choice when you want something you can take along with you when you travel or do workouts at the park.

What To Look For When Buying Resistance Bands

Buying resistance bands should be a very intentional process. I can still clearly remember the first time I bought a set. Honestly, they were very cheap, so I shouldn’t have been shocked at how flimsy they were. They kept rolling up while I did squats, and after a few months, one of them eventually snapped and popped me right on the thigh. I was also repulsed by the strong latex smell and powdery residue on the bands. This experience initially led me to believe all resistance bands were like that, but that’s not true. So, here’s what you need to look for!

Price

Before you go searching for resistance bands, the first thing you need to decide is how much you’re willing to spend. Once you’ve determined your budget, get an idea of how many bands you want. Do you wish to purchase them individually or as a pair? Are you looking for a set of four to eight, or do you want a single band? Whatever you come up with, keep that and the price in mind as you shop around. 

Do understand that cheaper bands aren’t going to have the best quality, but that doesn’t mean they can’t get the job done. The list above includes a set of bands as low as $9 and even some that are almost $80. Consumers have gotten immense value out of bands at every price point.

Materials

Raise your hand if you have a latex allergy. If you do, you’ll want to be extra cautious, as most bands are made with latex. For an option that doesn’t cause an allergic reaction, opt for bands made with synthetic rubber, like the Living.Fit Camo Resistance Bands.

Style

An elementary mistake to make on your hunt for resistance bands is assuming that they’re all the same. However, they most definitely are not. 

Loop bands, like those provided by Titan Fitness and Fit Simplicity, are flat and form a continuous loop. They can be used for upper body and lower body movements. Typically, the lighter resistance bands are used for the upper body, and the heavier ones are used for squats and other lower body exercises.

There are also tube bands, like the ones created by REP Fitness. These have handles on each end, which are helpful for new trainees. In addition, tube bands are great for enhancing your range of motion if you’re doing physical therapy.

Pull-up bands, like the regular Living.Fit resistance bands, tend to be best for upper body movements. If you’re trying to improve your bodyweight training routine, these should help. They’re often lengthier and will be about 41 inches long, compared to others that are only 12 inches long.

Amount of Resistance Provided

Another factor you must consider when hunting for resistance bands is the amount of resistance provided. Some people like to buy a set that includes a range of different resistance levels. This is ideal if you’re completely new to resistance bands and want something that can grow with you.

You also have to ask yourself what workouts you plan on doing. If you’re doing rehabilitation, maybe extra light bands that provide five to 10 pounds of resistance are better. But if you’re doing advanced strength training, you’ll probably want the extra heavy ones that offer 100 pounds of resistance. Be realistic about your needs so you can get an option that works for you.

Best Resistance Band Workouts

What I love most about resistance bands is their versatility. Here are some workouts you can do with this multifunctional item.

  • Variable resistance training – This is when you add an elastic band to your bar before you lift. Banded deadlifts and bench presses are excellent examples of this.
  • Yoga – You could implement bands while doing the downward-facing dog or plank.  
  • Pilates – Do leg openers by looping a band around your ankles while lying on your side. 
  • Bicep curls – To do this, grab some resistance bands with handles. You’ll want to stand on the center of the band while keeping handles at your side, then slowly curl your hands up to your shoulders. 
  • Lateral raise – With your feet shoulder-width apart, stand on the center of the bands, hold the ends of the band in each of your hands, and raise your arms out to the sides. They should be parallel to the ground. 
  • Push-ups – To complete a banded push-up, you’ll want to place the band behind your back, under your arms, and then loop it through the palm of your hands. 
  • Glute bridges – Simply put the band around both of your thighs (ideally right above the knees) and, while lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, raise your hips toward the sky. 
  • Tricep kickback – These are best done with a resistance band set that includes a door anchor and handles. Secure the bands to the anchor, and bend at the knees while keeping your back flat. Then pull the bands back with your forearms. 
  • Bent-over row – Stand in the center of the bands while slightly bending forward. Grab the bands on both sides and lift the bands up towards your upper rib. Lower them and repeat.

Final Thoughts

For those looking for budget-friendly equipment that lets you take your resistance training routine to the next level, consider resistance bands. However, don’t go shopping for just any bands. Consider our top picks above for the best resistance bands to help you make your decision. 

We’ve already done the heavy lifting for you by considering the different price points, materials, styles, and more. Therefore, all you’ve got to do is determine which one of these is best for you.

For under $100, you can totally advance your cardio and strength training sessions. So, which ones are you going to go with?

FAQs

Which resistance band is best?

Which resistance band is best depends on your preferences, lifestyle, and fitness goals. For example, if you want to improve your upper body strength, consider pull-up bands like the Living.Fit resistance bands. Or, if you want to tone up your glutes, think about loop bands with heavier resistance, like the loop band multi-pack from Titan Fitness. Just keep in mind that what works for someone else may not be ideal for you.

Who makes the best resistance bands?

REP Fitness, Rogue, and Titan Fitness are some of the top contenders for the best resistance bands. However, smaller and less well-known brands like Living.Fit and Gritin produce high-quality resistance bands, too.

What are the safest resistance bands?

The safest resistance bands are likely those that are made with high-quality materials like latex. Poorly made loop bands, in particular, sometimes don’t stay in place, which could make them a tripping hazard or cause them to snap during your workouts.

What strength resistance bands should I use?

The strength of your resistance bands depends on your experience level. If you’re unsure of which ones to get, we recommend buying a set of four to eight with different resistance levels ranging from about 10 pounds to 50 pounds. That way, if you start with a light band, you can gradually progress to the other bands.

What are the best resistance bands for beginners?

The Gritin Resistance Bands are incredibly user-friendly and excellent for beginners. The resistance levels on the bands are clearly labeled, they come with an instruction guide, and they are under 10 bucks. Many people also find tube bands like REP Fitness’s tube bands the most beginner-friendly because they have handles.

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Chances are, when powerlifter Nabil Lahlou loads up his barbell with an unfathomable amount of weight, he’s going to make jaws drop to the floor. The athlete’s latest remarkable feat in a sanctioned competitive context was no different.

On July 8, 2023, during the 2023 World Raw Powerlifting Federation (WRPF) Drug Tested Give Me Liberty or Give Me Chaos, Lahlou successfully locked out a 342.4-kilogram (755-pound) top raw deadlift. The mark is an official drug-tested World Record in Lahlou’s 75-kilogram weight class, helping him to a first-place performance. The deadlift surpasses Taylor Atwood’s previous record by 1.9 kilograms (4.4 pounds). Atwood notched the past benchmark of 340.4 kilograms (750.6 pounds) at the 2021 USA Powerlifting (USAPL) Raw Nationals. Lahlou wore just a lifting belt for assistive equipment on his deadlift and completed it from a sumo stance with a traditional grip.

In addition to his new World Record pull, Lahlou captured respective all-time drug-tested competition bests on his squat (252.5 kilograms/556.6 pounds), his bench press (140 kilograms/308.6 pounds), and his final total (735 kilograms/1,620.4 pounds).

Here’s an overview of the athlete’s complete performance at the WRPR-organized competition:

Nabil Lahlou (75KG) | 2023 WRPF Drug Tested Give Me Liberty or Give Me Chaos Top Stats

  • Squat — 252.5 kilograms (556.6 pounds) | All-Time Drug-Tested Competition Best
  • Bench Press — 140 kilograms (308.6 pounds) | All-Time Drug-Tested Competition Best
  • Deadlift — 342.4 kilograms (755 pounds) | All-Time Drug-Tested World Record
  • Total — 735 kilograms/1,620.4 pounds | All-Time Drug-Tested Competition Best

Even though he’s still in his early 20s, Lahlou is no stranger to rewriting the record books with his pulling prowess. Per the Open Powerlifting database, the powerlifter is the all-time raw deadlift World Record holder in the 67.5-kilogram weight class with a pull of 322.5 kilograms (711 pounds) at the 2022 WRPF The Freaks Come Out At Night.

To date, according to his personal page on Open Powerlifting, Lahlou can boast 15 victories as an Open and Juniors competitor in a career that began in November 2020. Lahlou has fallen short of a win on four occasions and has only competed raw at the time of this writing.

There’s no doubt Lahlou has established himself as a young dynamo in strength sports, especially when it comes to deadlifting. The athlete hasn’t yet announced his upcoming competitive plans but seems certain to put on a show whenever they arrive.

Featured image: @nabil_lahlou on Instagram

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On July 10, 2023, World’s Strongest Man (WSM) champion Mitchell Hooper posted a video to his YouTube channel featuring a leg-training session with strength sports icon Nick Best. After some warm-ups and deliberative conversation with his eventual spotter in Hooper, the 54-year-old Best successfully locks out a 364.2-kilogram (802.9-pound) back squat with wraps starting at around the 4:45 mark in the video. According to Best in the video, it is now the 27th consecutive year that the athlete has squatted at least this much weight for one rep. In a post on his Instagram, Hooper called it an “absolute privilege” to watch Best continue his personal tradition.

“That makes 27 years now. The first time was in 1996.”

Best wore a lifting belt, knee sleeves, and wrist wraps to help him with his squatting achievement. Such an equipment set-up would count under a “Wraps” qualification in a sanctioned powerlifting context. Best remains an active professional powerlifter but retired from competitive strongman in November 2022.

YouTube Video

After finishing his squat, Best and Hooper would spend the remainder of their session performing some deadlifts. At the peak of their pulling segment, Best repped out 227 kilograms (500.4 pounds), while Hooper worked with 275 kilograms (606.2 pounds). Best wore a lifting belt and lifting straps for his deadlifts, while Hooper appeared to have just utilized lifting straps.

Best’s latest milestone squat comes on the heels of the athlete pushing himself full throttle approximately a half year after a nephrectomy — the surgical removal of a kidney. In April 2023, Best shared footage of himself performing seated iso lateral rows with the highest weight of 244.9 kilograms (540 pounds) for eight repetitions. Then, roughly a month later, in late May 2023, Best recorded a 350-kilogram (771.6-pound) squat with wraps.

If the athlete had seen any ill effects from his surgery recovery, it wasn’t apparent with these two training tidbits. It also certainly isn’t evident if Best can squat the same weight he’s been squatting for nearly three decades.

At this stage in the year, it seems the legend is back to his customary full strength.

At the time of this article’s publication, according to his personal page on Open Powerlifting, it has been over a year since Best last competed in a powerlifting contest. The athlete has not yet announced when he will compete again but does not appear to have ruled out a return. Best may be waiting to recuperate completely before making any commitments — a logical bet that seems to be working out with flying colors in the gym.

Featured image: @nickbeststrongman on Instagram

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American strongman Evan Singleton wasn’t the only big winner at the 2023 Giants Live Strongman Classic (GLSC).

During the contest that took place on July 8, 2023, in London, England, Australian athlete Eddie Williams broke the Nicol Stone Carry World Record with a distance of 31.66 meters. The famous stones weighed 114 kilograms (251.3 pounds) and 138 kilograms (304.2 pounds), respectively. Meanwhile, another American competitor, Trey Mitchell, set a new Viking Press World Record by finishing 18 repetitions of the eponymous overhead implement, which weighed 150 kilograms (330.6 pounds). By the competition’s end, Mitchell and Williams finished in fourth and fifth place overall.

The Nicol Stone Carry was the first event of the 2023 GLSC, meaning Williams effectively set the tone for the competition with his World Record. The athlete notably shattered the distance of the previous World Record holder Kevin Faires by over seven meters. Notably, Faires was also competing in the contest. Faires set the past Nicol Stone Carry mark at the 2022 Giants Live World Tour Finals with a carry of 24.61 meters.

Each of Williams, Faires, Singleton, and Mitchell Hooper eclipsed the previous record, but it was Williams who comfortably notched the farthest distance.

Given that the Castle Stones (or Atlas Stones) are a usual closer at strongman events, the Viking Press served as the climactic penultimate event of the 2023 GLSC. A battle that Mitchell shined in with his World Record. Mitchell’s record of 18 reps surpasses Paul Smith, who locked out 13 reps at the 2023 Giants Live Britain’s Strongest Man (GLBSM) for the past top number. Once again, several strongmen at the 2023 GLSC outperformed the previous Viking Press record, but Mitchell stood tallest in the showcase of overhead pressing endurance.

Mitchell will likely move forward by diving back into his training for the 2023 Shaw Classic (SC) in August. The athlete is the two-time defending champion and could be the competitor who keeps the legendary Brian Shaw from winning his last-ever professional strongman contest. On the flip side, Williams is a former two-time Australia’s Strongest Man (ASM) champion (2017-2018) and figures to be someone to watch after notching his first top-five international finish since 2019.

Featured image: @berserkerlifter on Instagram

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Ab workouts are one of the few types of exercise that some people are instinctively drawn to whether they’re dedicated lifters or not. Many people use ab exercises as an entry point into some type of regular exercise, which is great. Hopefully they eventually move on to incorporate training their other body parts, but a start is a start.

Whether it’s performing crunches before breakfast or sit-ups before bed, some people make consistent ab training a priority. Some even take it a step further and use progressively more challenging exercises, which is where the bicycle crunch often appears.

Muscular person outdoors in grass performing bicycle crunch
Credit: MDV Edwards / Shutterstock

By combining a rotational upper body movement with lower body coordination, the bicycle crunch can effectively train your abdominals and oblique muscles in unison. This makes it an effective muscle-builder while also creating athletic core strength that can carry over to performance on the field, in the ring, or on the lifting platform. Here’s how to get the most out of this complete core-builder.

Bicycle Crunch

How to Do the Bicycle Crunch Step By Step

The bicycle crunch may look like it requires “pat your head and rub your stomach”-levels of total-body coordination, but it doesn’t. Break the exercise into its component parts and you can learn the technique.

Step 1 — Lie on the Ground

Person on gym floor doing ab crunch
Credit: Bojan656 / Shutterstock

Lie face up on the ground with your legs bent at roughly 90-degrees. Your feet should be in the air with your toes pointed up. Rest your head on the ground and bring your hands to your ears. Let your fingertips barely touch your head behind your ears with your palms facing the ceiling.

This is a familiar setup for many ground-based ab exercises whether it’s a full sit-up, crunch, or any related variation. Some exercises would have your feet planted flat on the ground, but the bicycle crunch requires your legs to begin in the air.

Form Tip: Don’t interlock your fingers and cradle the back of your head. This would put you in position to unconsciously crank your neck to complete repetitions. Your fingers should lightly touch the sides of your head or your ears.

Step 2 — Pedal the Bike

Muscular person in gym doing bicycle crunch
Credit: Dusan Petkovic / Shutterstock

The bicycle crunch gets its descriptive name from the lower body action that appears similar to riding a bike. Contract your core muscles to raise both shoulders slightly off the ground. As your torso comes up, bring your left leg up and in toward your upper body.

At the same time, “crunch” your upper body forward and lean your right side toward the approaching leg. The range of motion will be relatively short, so focus on bringing the opposite sides together.

Don’t overfocus on reaching your elbow to your knee. That can lead to flapping your arms with reduced core activation. Instead, think about bringing one shoulder toward the opposite knee even though they don’t need to actually touch at the top of the movement.

Form Tip: Visualize an X-shaped band across the front of your body. As you move, think about each line drawing one leg and the opposite shoulder closer together.

Step 3 — Repeat the Rhythm

Long-haired person outdoors doing bicycle crunches on floor
Credit: Prostock-studio / Shutterstock

After a strong contraction at the top, extend your left leg forward while lowering your upper body to the floor. When your shoulders are on the ground and your leg is returned to the starting position, smoothly transition to repeat the movement with the other side.

Draw your right leg toward your torso while crunching your upper body forward and leaning the left side of your body into the approaching leg. As you complete multiple repetitions, alternating sides with each rep, you may eventually find a natural rhythm not unlike the rhythm needed to pedal a bike smoothly.

Form Tip: Perform each repetition slowly at first. Focus on the cross-body activation and core recruitment. As you become more comfortable with the movement, gradually increase the speed without sacrificing the quality of individual reps.

Bicycle Crunch Mistakes to Avoid

Because the bicycle crunch involves your legs and torso working together, there are several opportunities for things to go wrong. Here are some big issues to watch out for.

Elbows Flapping

Some people misinterpret the cross-body action of bringing their legs and upper body together, and end up swinging their upper arms and elbows toward their knee instead of activating their abdominals.

person on floor doing bicycle crunch
Credit: Desizned / Shutterstock

This not only reduces the work done by your abs, but it may potentially strain your shoulders or neck. Keep the movement strict, maintain focus on feeling your abdominals working to crate the movement, and don’t make it a priority to force your elbow and knee to touch in the middle of your body.

Avoid it: Keep your hands very lightly against your head, which will make any shoulder or elbow movement more noticeable. As you crunch, keep your elbows “back” nearly in line with your ears. Don’t allow them to point forward.

Shoulders Stay in the Air

One bad habit some people develop when performing high-rep sets of bicycle crunches is holding an ab contraction, remaining in the top of a crunch position, while “pedaling” their legs and explosively rotating their shoulders back and forth.

person in home gym doing bicycle crunch
Credit: Ground Picture / Shutterstock

While this may potentially increase some work for your oblique muscles, you’re short-changing your abdominals because you’re holding a static contraction instead of working through a range of motion.

Avoid it: Treat each phase of the movement as separate parts — crunch and twist in one direction, lower fully, crunch and twist to the opposite side, lower fully again, repeat. Don’t try to rush through the set by completing reps as quickly as possible.

Not Enough Leg Movement

The bicycle crunch requires you to drive one leg up with each repetition. Performing the upper body movement without also “operating” your lower body changes the exercise. Instead of a bicycle crunch, it becomes a relatively more basic twisting crunch.

Muscular person outdoors doing bicycle crunch
Credit: RomarioIen / Shutterstock

This can be an effective exercise on its own merit, but it doesn’t offer the same lower ab and hip flexor recruitment of the bicycle crunch. (1) If you begin a set intending to get the benefits of the bicycle crunch, make sure that’s the movement you end up performing.

Avoid it: If your legs aren’t moving, you’re not performing a bicycle crunch. With each repetition, draw your leg in toward your upper body and extend it as the opposite side moves.

How to Progress the Bicycle Crunch

Even though it’s a bodyweight exercise, the bicycle crunch can be considered relatively advanced because you’re operating your upper and lower body together. Work up to the full movement by mastering these foundational movements.

Crunch

Arguably the most fundamental ab exercise of all time, the basic floor crunch is an essential movement to be familiar with. The crunch offers lower body stability, with your feet firmly on the ground. The movement also lets you zone-in on creating a strong abdominal contraction over a short range of motion.

YouTube Video

Be sure not to turn the crunch into a full sit-up by raising your torso too high. The sit-up can also be an effective exercise but it won’t carry over as directly when building to a bicycle crunch.

Twisting Crunch

As mentioned earlier, failing to properly incorporate your legs into the exercise turns the bicycle crunch into a twisting crunch. However, you can flip that situation around by deliberately performing the twisting crunch as a way to build up core strength for the more advanced bicycle crunch.

YouTube Video

By learning how to crunch “up and over,” you’re recruiting your obliques and abdominals into a single movement. When you become comfortable and capable with the twisting crunch, add the alternating leg movement to evolve the exercise into the bicycle crunch.

Benefits of the Bicycle Crunch

The bicycle crunch recruits your entire core by involving your upper body and lower body with rotational movement. This makes it a versatile and effective exercise for many fundamental goals.

Core Strength

Athletes in traditional sports, strength sports athletes, and recreational lifters can all benefit from a stronger core. Core strength has also been shown to help reduce lower back pain. (2)

The bicycle crunch can be an efficient addition to a comprehensive core-strengthening routine. The exercise works upper and lower body coordination and strength transfer, while also activating the obliques, which can play a major role in many athletic movements from running to throwing.

Ab Muscle Development

The upper abdominals are recruited in many ab exercises, but the lower abs are only heavily activated when the hips and lower body are involved in a given movement. The bicycle crunch achieves this increased muscle activation through repetitive leg movement.

The twisting motion of the torso also activates the oblique muscles, which are strongly recruited during rotational movements. Because it maximizes activation of several different ab muscles, the bicycle crunch is a very comprehensive bodyweight ab exercise.

Muscles Worked by the Bicycle Crunch

Most ab exercises, as expected, train your abs. The bicycle crunch kicks it up a notch by involving rotational movement which also recruits the obliques on the sides of your abs.

Abdominals

Your abdominals, or rectus abdominis, run along the front of your torso from the bottom of your chest to your hips. The abdominals are technically one single muscle with various muscle insertions, which means the muscle needs to be trained with a variety of movements for complete development. (3)

Muscular person standing outdoors flexing ab muscles
Credit: Dragon Images / Shutterstock

Essentially, movements focused on curling the trunk with a stable lower body will emphasize the “upper” portion of the abs while movements that emphasize curling the hips with a stable upper body, such as a reverse crunch, are more effective at recruiting the “lower” section of the muscle.

Obliques

The obliques are a pair of muscles on either side of your abdominals, near your hips. Your obliques primarily work to rotate your torso, as well as resist rotation. The oblique muscles are also activated side side flexion — bringing your shoulder closer to your hip in a sideways motion.

During the bicycle crunch, your obliques are strongly recruited as your torso twists in the direction of your approaching leg. So-called “love handles” are typically body fat that your genetics have decided to store near your oblique muscles. Contrary to popular myth, training your oblique muscles will not create love handles.

How to Program the Bicycle Crunch

As an efficient ab exercise, the bicycle crunch can find a home in any well-planned ab workout. Here are a few guidelines to get even more benefit.

Unweighted, Moderate to High Repetition

The nature of the bicycle crunch movement doesn’t lend itself to adding external resistance. Wearing a weighted vest can impede torso rotation and adding leg weights will excessively fatigue your smaller hip flexor muscles before targeting your ab muscles.

To get the most out of the exercise, use only your body weight as resistance and focus on achieving a strong muscular contraction with each repetition. Try completing two to four sets of 10 to 20 repetitions. Count once to each side as a side rep — left leg to right shoulder followed by right leg to left shoulder would be one single repetition, not two.

Bodyweight Circuit

Because the only “equipment” required to do the bicycle crunch is a clear section of floor, the exercise makes an efficient addition to a bodyweight exercise circuit (technically a workout complex, if all the exercises are bodyweight-only). For a quick and effective conditioning workout, try the following for three to five total circuits.

  • Reverse Lunge — 10 reps per leg
  • Push-up — 15 reps
  • Bicycle crunch — 20 reps

Bicycle Crunch Variations

Whether you’ve mastered the bicycle crunch or need another complete core-building exercise to complement it, here are some of the most similar movements.

Hanging Scissor Kick

The scissor kick is a hanging leg raise variation. It involves dynamic action, alternating your legs with each repetition. Even though your upper body isn’t actively involved in performing a crunch, you can still benefit from a cross-body movement — especially if you “angle” your kick slightly toward your opposite shoulder.

YouTube Video

Don’t let your grip strength limit performance. If necessary, use lifting straps to secure yourself to the overhead bar. The exercise can also be done with your elbows supported at a “Captain’s chair” knee raise station.

Cable Woodchop

The cable woodchop, specifically the high-to-low variation, strongly recruits your obliques with stabilization assistance from your abdominals. Your lower body provides a stable base, while pivoting on your feet creates a strong transfer of power for greater athletic carryover.

YouTube Video

The low-to-high woodchop variation could be used for variety, but may excessively recruit your shoulder muscles. The low-to-high movement also requires less ab and oblique involvement in exchange for more lower and upper back activation.

Dead Bug

The dead bug may have one of the most visually descriptive exercise names of all time, but it’s also an underrated movement for core strength. It appears similar to be a “slow motion bicycle crunch” due to the cross-body movement and arm/leg coordination.

YouTube Video

One key to getting the most from the dead bug is to keep your lower back flat on the ground. If your lower back arches, you significantly reduce the core strength benefits. To stay focused on your lower back position, be sure to move slowly and deliberately, unlike the often more fast-paced bicycle crunch.

FAQs

Will doing the bicycle crunch every day give me a six-pack?

Sorry, but no. Doing any kind of ab exercise will not, on its own, give you a defined set of abs. However, it can be one part of the process. For maximum results, you need to pair ab training with a well-designed program that trains your entire body.
More importantly, you need to be following a calorie-controlled nutrition plan that’s designed to burn fat. You can train all you want and follow the “perfect” fat loss workout, but without a strict diet, you won’t see the results you’re after.

How many ab exercises should I do in each workout?

This depends on your overall training program. If you have one workout per week dedicated to training abs, you might be able to fit in four of five exercises — preferably targeting a range of different movements and muscle sections.
If you’re adding abs into a larger session like a shoulder workout or arm day, one or two exercises should be plenty. Because the bicycle crunch works your entire abs and obliques in one-go, it’s an excellent choice for this approach.

References

  1. Sarti, M. A., Monfort, M., Fuster, M. A., & Villaplana, L. A. (1996). Muscle activity in upper and lower rectus abdominus during abdominal exercises. Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation, 77(12), 1293–1297. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0003-9993(96)90195-1
  2. Smrcina, Z., Woelfel, S., & Burcal, C. (2022). A Systematic Review of the Effectiveness of Core Stability Exercises in Patients with Non-Specific Low Back Pain. International journal of sports physical therapy, 17(5), 766–774. https://doi.org/10.26603/001c.37251
  3. Escamilla, R. F., Lewis, C., Bell, D., Bramblet, G., Daffron, J., Lambert, S., Pecson, A., Imamura, R., Paulos, L., & Andrews, J. R. (2010). Core muscle activation during Swiss ball and traditional abdominal exercises. The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapy, 40(5), 265–276. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2010.3073

Featured Image: Ground Picture / Shutterstock

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Empty medical examination room prepared for the next patientI pretty much don’t like doctors. Some of my best friends are doctors, but they know how I feel. I have a real issue with the way modern medicine operates.

A few people you know have a nice, heart-warming medical story to tell you. On the other hand, everyone you know has a bad medical story to tell. Here is one of my many. I’m almost embarrassed to tell it because I didn’t follow my gut and do what I felt was best for myself and ended up paying for it as a result.

I see a general practitioner once a year to do routine blood work and just check in, but mostly just to shoot the shit, since he was my triathlon training partner for years. In 2017, this GP started to express worry about my climbing PSA (prostate stimulating antigen) numbers. When I say climbing, I mean they had gone from 3.5/4 to 5 over the prior two years. Standard of care would suggest that once a man’s PSA gets above 4, his physician suggests visiting a specialist to investigate the possibility of prostate cancer. Mind you, I had had common benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) for the prior 15 years, was asymptomatic, and totally unconcerned.

I had no issues with excessive urination (at night or otherwise). Sexual function was great. No blood in the urine or pain when I peed. Nothing other than a slightly elevated number.

Also, I have written extensively about how bad the PSA test was in predicting cancer in healthy men. For example, 70% of men who have a PSA score of between 4 and 10 do not have prostate cancer. So I knew better. Nevertheless, I heeded the advice of my GP and visited a highly recommended urologist as my PSA was now close to 6. The specialist recommended a prostate biopsy. Knowing what I know about prostate biopsies, I declined, stating that I had zero symptoms and that I was aware that the PSA test was a poor marker and basically walked out of the office kinda pissed at how quickly this invasive procedure was recommended.

If you don’t know, in a prostate biopsy the doctor basically goes in through your anus and pokes what amounts to a hollow knitting needle through your rectum 14 times to take core samples of the prostate. There is a clean out process in advance, similar to that used in preparing for a colonoscopy. Like most medical procedures it is somewhat barbaric when you think about it. Suffice it to say the prostate biopsy isn’t just “something you do,” but that’s how it’s treated.

My GP suggested I see another specialist, so I did, this time recommended by my good friend who was director of surgery at a major Los Angeles hospital. The second one said, “I think we should do a prostate biopsy.” I asked if there was anything we could do that was noninvasive, and he suggested an MRI, so I said “Okay, let’s try that!” I did the MRI, and the result came back “4 out of 5 suspicious for something.” Extremely precise language, right? By this time, I had contacted yet another urologist who read the same radiology report and said “We should probably do a biopsy.” WTF.

At this point, despite my intuition and inclination to avoid what was probably an unnecessary prostate biopsy, but also not wanting to be like Steve Jobs waiting to the last minute and then trying to chase pancreatic cancer away with carrot juice, I acceded. We scheduled the biopsy.

The morning of my biopsy, my new, third, urologist said, “By the way, I read the radiology report and I would not have given it a 4 out of 5 suspicious for something, I would have given it a 3 out of 5.” I said, “What does that mean?” He said, “It means we wouldn’t be doing a biopsy today; we would be engaging in watchful waiting. But, you’re here, you’re all cleaned out, so let’s just do the biopsy so we will know.”

He did the biopsy, and as I was leaving I asked him if there was anything else we needed to do. He said, “No, just take the antibiotics my office gave you.” I said I’d called his office, and they said they “don’t do that anymore.” He shrugged his shoulders, and said, “OK, here is a prescription to pick up on your way home.”

I take the antibiotics and two days later, at the end of a long day of hosting an event at our house in Malibu, I started to feel lightheaded. I thought perhaps it was a result of not having eaten all day and so I took a ketone supplement which usually helps in these situations, started to feel better, and then went to bed. I woke up in the middle of the night with a fever and night sweats. I tried ignoring them to get back to sleep but couldn’t. Something was seriously wrong.

Finally at 4:00 o’clock in the morning I drove myself to the emergency room at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica. Within minutes, I was informed that I was in full blown sepsis and it was a good thing I had come in when I had.  “If it had been another couple hours you might not be here.”

Sepsis is the unofficial third leading cause of death in the United States after cancer and heart disease. It’s not a trifling thing, nor is it uncommon. Clearly, I had sustained an infection from the prostate biopsy (which, when you consider the process of taking a prostate biopsy, isn’t all that surprising). I spent three days in the hospital on a nonspecific antibiotic IV while they tried to identify the exact regimen I needed for the next week.

And then, to top it off, I get a call a few days later from the doctor’s office. Results came back negative, just as I knew they’d be. It was all for nothing, I didn’t have prostate cancer, and now I have a compromised (scarred) prostate. The medical system took a healthy asymptomatic guy with a common male condition known as BPH, nearly killed him and left him with a less-than-healthy prostate. Happens all the time.

The worst part is that these kinds of near misses rarely make the headlines or the statistics. We only hear about the fatal mistakes. We hear about when people die from medical mistakes, which is quite common. We don’t hear about the times where someone almost died or “only” ended up with a debilitating condition for their troubles.

Every day, countless individuals put their faith in doctors and the medical industry as the all-knowing, omnipotent force that can fix their problems. But here’s the bold, unvarnished truth: doctors and the medical industry aren’t always the answer for everything. Now, don’t get me wrong—doctors are fantastic when it comes to certain things. If you’ve been in a car accident and you’re bleeding out, you sure as hell want to be rushed to the ER, where a team of medical professionals will work their magic. If you have a bone sticking out of your leg, you’re not going to treat it with magnesium oil and a carnivore diet. And if you have full-blown sepsis going down you want a doctor to stick you on IV antibiotics.

This isn’t a post giving medical advice. It’s just telling a story, a story that’s all too common. I blame myself for forgetting to listen to my own intuition—intuition, by the way, that has been informed by decades of research and experimentation.

Have you ever had a great medical experience? How about a bad one, like mine? Let me know in the comment section.

Primal Kitchen Hollandaise

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It’s the day after your workout, and your muscles are sore and easily fatigued. You search the internet for something that can help support your recovery and come across branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs).

Amino acids are the foundational building blocks for the macronutrient we all know and love: protein. There are twenty amino acids in total, with nine considered essential – meaning that we have to consume them since our body does not naturally make them. Three of the essential amino acids are the BCAAs l-leucine, l-isoleucine, and l-valine, which are called branch-chain amino acids due to their molecular structure.

Research has shown that adequate BCAA intake can possibly decrease the risk of developing cancer and diabetes, increase muscle mass, decrease muscle fatigue, and reduce muscle soreness. (1)(2) If you are tired of searching for the best branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) to bolster your fitness routine, look no further. In this review, we’ll dig deeper into BCAAs, discuss our top eight picks, and leave you well-informed to make the best decision.

Medical disclaimer: This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. For health advice, contact a licensed healthcare provider.

Our Top Picks for the Best BCAA Supplements

Best BCAAs for Women: Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine


Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine

  • Number of servings: 30
  • Price per serving: $1.33
  • Amount of BCAAs per serving: Eight grams
  • Calories per serving: Less than 40
  • Flavors: Blue Raspberry, Sour Green Apple, Strawberry Lemonade, Tropical Punch 
  • Third-party tested: Analytical Resource Laboratories Certified; Elite Manufacturing & Packaging Third-Party Tested


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Pros

  • Easily and thoroughly mixes into a variety of liquids – very soluble 
  • No artificial sweeteners, colors, or artificial flavors 
  • Each scoop has research-backed clinical doses of BCAAs

Cons

  • Some reviewers report the flavor is more tart than other BCAA supplements they’ve tried

When you search “Best BCAA for women,” you’ll be inundated with a long list of supplement products, but we have deemed Transparent Labs’ BCAA Glutamine supplement powder the best BCAA powder for our female strength trainers due to the addition of unique ingredients like l-glutamine. You’ll find an impressive five grams of glutamine per scoop of this BCAA powder, which can help your concentration and performance in the gym. One research study investigation found that female basketball players who supplemented with l-glutamine improved their reaction time and goal-shooting accuracy. (3)

Raise your hand if you’ve dealt with annoying skin issues (I’m raising mine by the way). Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine contains coconut water that has been linked to skin health improvement, a nice bonus for us female gym-goers who want to keep our complexions looking bright and healthy. (4)

This third-party verified product has nothing to hide. The company prides itself on delivering a product that is 100% natural – we did some digging and this BCAA supplement is as natural as they come. There aren’t any artificial sweeteners, dyes, or preservatives.

“Transparent” is a great name for this company, as the amounts of every ingredient are listed on the label. It can be difficult to find products that list every ingredient used, right down to the milligram. When you review the supplement label, you’ll see that Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine offers four grams of leucine and two grams each of valine and isoleucine, totaling an incredible eight grams of BCAAs per scoop. This is a higher amount than most other BCAA supplements currently offer.

Furthermore, Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine offers clinically effective doses of each individual amino acid. For example, evidence-based research supports the daily consumption of at least 2.5 grams of leucine for improved muscle function and grip strength. (5)

Best BCAAs for Men: Jacked Factory BCAA Powder


Jacked Factory BCAA Powder

  • Number of servings: 30
  • Price per serving: $0.60 to $0.67
  • Amount of BCAAs per serving: Six grams 
  • Calories per serving: Less than 30
  • Flavors: Blue Raspberry, Fruit Punch, Unflavored
  • Third-party tested: cGMP-certified


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Pros

  • Made in the USA in a cGMP-certified facility
  • Manufactured without fillers, artificial food dyes, or added sugars
  • Very affordable compared to other powders on the market

Cons

  • Many reviewers are unhappy with the unflavored option and report it as difficult to drink

If you are looking for a cGMP-certified BCAA product made in the good ole USA, we’ve got you covered. While Jacked Factory’s BCAA powder does have artificial sweetening from sucralose, it also holds another ingredient that is gaining attention for its substantial health benefits: spirulina. This algae plays a role in oxidative stress reduction and acts as an anti-inflammatory. (6) These two physiological roles are linked to potentially decreasing the risk of developing cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. (6) This is important for men to keep in mind since they are more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes and obesity, in particular, than their female counterparts. (7)

Another advantage that men who strength train will be happy to hear is that spirulina also has been positively correlated with treating and reducing muscle cramps. (6) It’s a no-brainer why users are pleased with how quickly their bodies respond to this BCAA supplement and its ingredient combination.

Do we get bonus points if we tell you that the Jacked Factory BCAA Powder is one of the most affordable branched-chain amino acid products we’ve reviewed? For only 60 to 67 cents a scoop on Amazon, you will get three grams of leucine, 1.5 grams of valine, and 1.5 grams of iso-leucine.

RELATED: Best Collagen Supplements for Men, Women, Weight Loss, and More

Best Tasting BCAAs: Cellucor Alpha Amino


Cellucor Alpha Amino

  • Number of servings: 30
  • Price per serving: $0.93
  • Amount of BCAAs per serving: 5 grams 
  • Calories per serving: Less than 25
  • Flavors: Fruit Punch, Icy Blue Razz, Watermelon
  • Third-party tested: Not at the time of this writing


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Pros

  • Low-carbohydrate choice with zero sugar added
  • Made with an electrolyte blend 
  • The majority of users report easy digestibility

Cons

  • Manufactured with artificial sweeteners and artificial food dyes 
  • Contains phenylalanine – avoid this product if you have phenylketonuria

You’ll find that this supplement is limited to only three flavors. However, you won’t want to put down what Cellucor Alpha Amino brings to the table. We’re big fans of the watermelon flavor. It mixes easily with plain water, so you don’t have to worry about adding any extra calories. This powder is not offered in an unflavored option, which may be an issue for those who like to mix their BCAA and flavored post-workout recovery shake.

Cellucor Alpha Amino has artificial sweeteners and food dyes, so you may want to avoid it if you’re sensitive to these ingredients. However, it does offer a potent electrolyte blend to aid in your exercise recovery by preventing dehydration and muscle cramping.

A portion of this BCAA powder is made up of betaine. Betaine consumption is correlated with improved endurance, body composition, and muscle mass. (8) It is also known for naturally lowering homocysteine levels in the body. (8) Homocysteine is an amino acid that is linked to the development of blood clots and heart disease, and its levels tend to increase during acute and high-volume exercises. (9)

In addition to tasting great, this supplement offers support for your workout with a proprietary blend of 14 different amino acids. One of the amino acids you’ll find in it is citrulline. Citrulline increases the production of ATP in your muscles while you perform aerobic exercises. (10)

So what does that mean for you? Increased ATP production leads to decreased lactic acid settling into your muscles, which means you could have a smoother recovery if you supplement with this product. (10) The price is a reasonable $27.99 per tub of 30 servings. For those who subscribe, you can save an additional 30% and get free shipping.

Best BCAAs for Muscle Growth: Huge Supplements BCAA


Huge Supplements BCAA

  • Number of servings: 25
  • Price per serving: $1.60
  • Amount of BCAAs per serving: Eight grams 
  • Calories per serving: Less than 40
  • Flavors: Bomb Popsicle, Kiwi Blueberry, Sour Grape, Watermelon Lemonade 
  • Third-party tested: cGMP-certified


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Pros

  • Contains a variety of non-essential and essential amino acids 
  • Made in the USA in a cGMP-certified facility
  • Manufactured in an FDA-regulated facility

Cons

  • Many reviews commented that Huge’s customer service department was lacking in professionalism 
  • Sweetened artificially with sucralose

You may have heard of the 2:1:1 ratio for BCAA. But why is it important? Studies have found that having double the amount of leucine than isoleucine and valine can help support the rate at which your muscles recover. (11) In comparison to isoleucine and valine, leucine provides a higher anabolic effect for protein synthesis and therefore supports muscle growth. (11) If you are looking to bulk, consider Huge Supplements BCAAs for your muscle growth needs. Its formula supports this clinically-based dose ratio with a whopping eight grams of BCAAs per scoop.

Huge Supplements’ BCAA powder is USA-manufactured and cGMP-certified, so you can rest assured that you won’t be unintentionally supplementing with ingredients on a banned list for sports. Electrolytes, however, are ingredients you will want onboard for workout recovery. Huge Supplements BCAAs will provide you with 40 milligrams of potassium and 80 milligrams of sodium. This blend may help you stay hydrated since both electrolytes work together to maintain your body’s fluid status.

RELATED: Best Mass Gainers for Bulking Up Fast

Best BCAAs for Recovery: XWERKS Motion


XWERKS Motion

  • Number of servings: 30 
  • Price per serving: $1.63
  • Amount of BCAAs per serving: Three grams 
  • Calories per serving: Less than 130
  • Flavors: Raspberry Lemonade 
  • Third-party tested: Not at the time of this writing


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Pros

  • The ingredient “cluster dextrin” is relatively specific to XWERKS Motion and is backed by clinical research studies 
  • Gluten-free and dairy-free 
  • Shipping is always free

Cons

  • Contains a low amount of BCAAs per serving compared to other supplements on the market 
  • Limited flavor options

If you like the flavor of raspberry lemonade, you’re in luck! Despite its limitation to only one flavor, XWERKS Motion is our top pick for boosting your recovery. You’ll get three grams of BCAAs per scoop. This is relatively low compared to other BCAA supplements in this review. However, XWERKS Motion offers a blend of ingredients that work together to help boost your workout, which other supplements don’t offer.

For example, this supplement provides 28 grams of carbohydrates per serving, with 25 grams being sourced from cluster dextrin. This type of carb digests easily to hit your bloodstream faster. (12) It can help boost your post-workout recovery by repleting glucose stores that you naturally lose during exercise, prolonging the onset of fatigue, and decreasing the cortisol (stress) hormone response. (12)

XWERKS Motion also contains magnesium, which helps your muscles relax after working out. The more you exercise, the more you increase your body’s need for magnesium. XWERKS Motion has you covered by providing 35 milligrams of this electrolyte per scoop.

Best BCAAs for Weight Loss: MyProtein Essential BCAA 2:1:1


MyProtein Buy Essential BCAA 2:1:1 Powder

Number of servings: 31 to 125

Price per serving: $0.44 to $0.55

Amount of BCAAs per serving: Four grams 

Calories per serving: Less than 30 

Flavors: Blue Raspberry, Gummy Fish, Peach Rings, Rainbow Sherbert, Snow Cone, Watermelon 

Third-party tested: ALS Quality Party Accredited, Labdoor Standard Certified, LGC Sport Science Tested, European SPecialist Sport Nutrition Alliance Member, 5-Star Environmental Health Office Rated


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Pros

  • Created with ingredients you can trust – does not contain prohibited substances for athletes 
  • Products are delivered in an eco-friendly compostable box 
  • Many users report this product as very soluble and easy to mix

Cons

  • Made with artificial dyes, gum fillers, and the artificial sweetener sucralose
  • Some users struggled with the artificially sweet taste of this product

If you are looking to lose weight, dietary supplements such as BCAA powders may help. MyProtein’s Essential BCAA 2:1:1 powder has less than 40 calories and only three grams of carbs per scoop. Because of these nutritional facts, we highly recommend it for those who are looking to lose weight through calorie reduction.

Do not let the candy-like flavors fool you into thinking that this product is packed with sugar. It contains sucralose and gum fillers, but this is what allows it to remain low in calories and carbs. Several research studies have discovered a high correlation between the consumption of amino acid metabolites, such as BCAAs, and improved insulin sensitivity. (13) As insulin sensitivity improves, the likelihood of weight maintenance from fat loss increases, along with a reduced risk of obesity. (14)

We really like that this powder comes in a variety of options: 0.5-pound, 1.1-pound, and 2.2-pound bags. This makes shopping more convenient if you like to bulk buy and it is also a feature that is not as common in other BCAA powders.

You might find that this product is difficult to reseal after opening it, as it comes in a bag versus a tub. If you struggle with keeping it closed (and therefore keeping it fresh and free of contamination), consider transferring its contents into a container with a sealed lid for more convenience.

Best BCAAs Powder: Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine


Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine

  • Number of servings: 30
  • Price per serving: $1.33
  • Amount of BCAAs per serving: Eight grams
  • Calories per serving: Less than 40
  • Flavors: Blue Raspberry, Sour Green Apple, Strawberry Lemonade, Tropical Punch 
  • Third-party tested: Analytical Resource Laboratories Certified; Elite Manufacturing & Packaging Third-Party Tested


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Pros

  • Gluten-free and non-GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) 
  • Created without the use of artificial preservatives 
  • Contains 1.5 grams of vitamin C as ascorbic acid, five grams of glutamine, and one gram of coconut water powder per scoop
  • Vegan-friendly

Cons

  • Some users remark that the smell of the powder can be overwhelming if not cut well with liquid

You are not having déjà vu – we do have this product listed twice in this review. That should attest to why we have deemed it the best BCAA powder out there. It can not only contribute to the creation of protein in the cells, delayed fatigue, and quick muscle recovery, but you can also trust that it is 100% natural.

A huge benefit of Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine is its solubility. This non-GMO product is gluten-free and has a blend of unique ingredients that aid in hydration during and after your workout. Each scoop has 1,000 milligrams of coconut water, which is made from a blend that contains the electrolytes potassium, sodium, and manganese.

Specific to this powder is the addition of 1,500 milligrams of vitamin C in every scoop. Vitamin C plays an important role in metabolism and reducing oxidative stress, which can lead to organ and cell damage. There are gaps in research regarding the relationship between vitamin C and resistance training. However, there is evidence to support that exercisers who have low vitamin C intake positively benefit from supplementing with vitamin C. As they bring their vitamin C levels back to within normal levels, they could see an improvement in exercise performance and overall body fatigue. (15)

Although many flavor options are available, some reviewers have found that this powder can be too sour. BCAA Glutamine users have also commented that the smell can sometimes be overwhelming prior to cutting this powder with liquid. This is likely due to Transparent Labs’ reliance on natural sweeteners over artificial sweeteners like sucralose. But honestly, we had to look pretty hard to find any cons about this product.

Best Pre-Workout With BCAAs: Kaged Pre-Kaged


Kaged Pre-Kaged

  • Number of servings: 20
  • Price per serving: $2.25
  • Amount of BCAAs per serving: 6.5 grams
  • Calories per serving: Less than 40 
  • Flavors: Berry Blast, Cherry Bomb, Fruit Punch, Grape, Krisp Apple, Orange Krush, Pink Lemonade
  • Third-party tested: Informed Choice Certified


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Pros

  • Variety of flavor options
  • Contains Spectra Total ORAC Blend and is manufactured with a special blend of other beneficial ingredients not offered by other BCAA powders on the market 
  • High mixability and easily dissolves in many types of liquids 
  • Vegan and vegetarian lifestyle friendly 
  • Informed Sport Certified

Cons

  • More expensive than most other BCAA supplements

Kaged Pre-Kaged may be one of the most expensive products we’ve reviewed. However, we’ve ranked this supplement as the best pre-workout with BCAAs because the quality lives up to its price. The Kaged brand has a fantastic reputation for ensuring its ingredients are tested for purity. They work hard to make sure their products are acceptable for athletes, gluten-free, and non-GMO. Their supplement fact label may be lengthy, but it is packed full of patented ingredients that can help boost your workout.

Per scoop, you’ll get a combination of B vitamins, six grams of BCAAs, 6.5 grams of citrulline, 1.6 grams of beta-alanine, 2.5 grams of betaine, 500 milligrams of coconut water, and 1.5 grams of creatine hydrochloride. Other ingredients that really set this supplement apart are the Spectra Total ORAC Blend, taurine, and tyrosine.

Let’s look harder at two of its ingredients:

  • Creatine hydrochloride: a molecule that can improve lean muscle mass and relative strength and reduce post-workout recovery time. One study found that supplementing with creatine hydrochloride for seven days led to a statistically significant increase in participant strength and endurance. Creatine hydrochloride can also be easier to absorb and digest compared to creatine monohydrate. (16)
  • Spectra Total ORAC Blend: an antioxidative blend of 29 herbs, fruits, and vegetables. The superfoods present in this blend have been linked to building immunity, increasing energy, and improving workout performance. (17)

It’s impressive how overwhelmingly positive reviews are for their flavor, especially when you take into consideration that each scoop has only one gram of sugar and no artificial sweeteners or flavors. Our only issue with this product is how expensive it is compared to others on the market. If you have the money to spend on it though, this high-quality product won’t disappoint.

How We Chose the Best BCAA Supplements

We understand that everyone is different and there are multiple factors to consider before buying dietary supplements. That’s why we strive to provide you with honest, fact-checked reviews to help you make an informed decision about what branched chain amino acid powder will best fit your lifestyle.

In compiling the list above, we selected products with high-quality ingredients and effective doses of BCAAs, so you don’t have to worry that any of them are unsafe. We chose BCAA supplements with a range of prices to fit as many budgets as possible. Since everyone has different reasons for taking BCAAs, we also included options suitable for a variety of goals. Whether you’re looking for support in muscle building, weight loss, or workout recovery, you can find a BCAA supplement above that best fits your needs.

What To Look For When Buying BCAAs

Here at Breaking Muscle, we are accustomed to people having different preferences – especially when it comes to products we ingest. To that effect, we researched the following for each powder: calories, cost, third-party testing, and product formulation. Let’s dive into each of these below.

Formulation

Unlike other dietary supplements, such as the top creatine supplements, BCAA powders tend to have multiple ingredients. The nutrition label is important to review prior to purchase, especially if you have food allergies or intolerances or take medications that certain ingredients may interfere with. Check the product reviews above for mentions of phenylalanine, gluten, soy, and dairy, if there is a specific ingredient you can’t have.

You may also want to look for additional ingredients that may be a driving factor in reaching your overall health and fitness goals, such as glutamine, citrulline, certain vitamins and minerals, and antioxidants.

Price

The cost of any product plays a huge role in your decision-making. The supplements above range from $14 to $45 dollars. You’ll find that more expensive products tend to have more scrutiny in their ingredient selection process, hold certifications regarding purity standards, and have a wider array of ingredients that are meant to bolster your workout recovery.

Keep in mind that many of these products offer options for subscribing and saving, bulk ordering, and first-time customer coupons. If there is a product listed above that you would love to try, check out their website to see if the brand offers affordable options.

Calories

Not everyone has the same fitness goals. You may be looking to lose body weight, gain lean muscle mass, or maintain your current weight. Most BCAA products have less than 40 calories per scoop. However, some BCAA supplements, such as XWERKS Motion, have added carbs that can increase the overall calorie total per scoop.

Integrity

Dietary supplements are not FDA-regulated. One of the best ways to verify product integrity is to determine if it has undergone third-party testing for credibility and ingredient purity. Because dietary supplements do not legally have to be regulated through the FDA, it is important to take third-party testing into consideration when choosing a supplement that will be the best fit for you. You’ll notice that some BCAA powders lack this third-party verification, though there are several, like Huge Supplements BCAAs, that have it.

Third-party testing shows that the manufacturer has taken extra steps to attest to their product’s credibility and ingredient purity. Ensuring your product is third-party verified is especially important for athletes who need to pay special attention to their supplement intake.

What Is the Difference Between BCAAs and Whey Protein?

BCAAs are more readily available from a variety of dietary sources, such as dairy, whole grains, poultry, beef, and plant-based proteins; whereas whey protein is milk derived. Whey protein is a complex molecule, whereas BCAAs are simple, foundational protein builders.

Let’s review a few basic differences between BCAAs and whey protein:

  • BCAAs have a lower caloric load.
  • Whey protein is considered a complete protein, while BCAAs are not.
  • BCAAs are exactly that — only three essential amino acids (valine, leucine, and isoleucine).
  • Whey protein contains both essential and non-essential amino acids. 
  • BCAA supplements have a lower protein load per scoop. 
  • Whey protein could lead to digestive issues due to it being sourced from dairy.
  • BCAA supplements may also lead to digestive issues if they contain artificial ingredients or dietary allergies that some people may be sensitive to.

That said, since BCAAs are typically used as a post-workout supplement, we recommend pairing them with one of the best whey protein powders to assist with muscle growth after your exercise. (18)

What Are the Possible Benefits of BCAAs?

Some of the many benefits of BCAAs include the following:

  • Delayed muscle fatigue and reduction in muscle soreness (1)
  • Increase in muscle mass and overall strength (1)
  • Decreased risk for the development of chronic conditions such as diabetes, cancer, liver cirrhosis, and chronic kidney disease (2)(19)
  • Promotion of wound healing and prevention of muscle wasting (19)
  • Increased recovery rate post-workout (11)

When Is the Best Time to Take BCAAs?

Research supports the ingestion of essential amino acids immediately after and up to two hours post-workout for an increased likelihood of muscle protein synthesis. (20)

Final Thoughts

BCAA’s may help with reducing post-workout muscle fatigue and soreness and improve your overall sports endurance and lean muscle mass. But if you Google “branched-chain amino acid powders,” your page will be flooded with over nine million results. To save you significant time narrowing down the options, we picked the best BCAA powders on the market. To simplify things further, we analyzed the options available for different situations you may encounter on your fitness journey.

Since there are extenuating circumstances for choosing the best BCAA powder for each individual, our goal is to provide you with the research needed to make the right decision. If you have conditions such as celiac disease, lactose intolerance, diabetes, or phenylketonuria, you will find that this review can help guide your decision with ease. If you are unsure of where to start with choosing a BCAA powder, just lean on this review to help lead the way to improved health or consider speaking to a registered dietitian nutritionist about it.

FAQs

What is the most effective BCAA?

There are three branched-chain amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. Of the three, leucine has been deemed the most effective for building muscle tissue. However, it works best with the support of isoleucine and valine. That’s one of the reasons you’ll find most BCAA powders are manufactured at a 2:1:1 ratio, with leucine having the highest content per scoop.

Are BCAAs actually effective?

Current evidence-based research does have conflicting outcomes regarding the effectiveness of BCAAs. Studies looking into the therapeutic use of BCAAs for muscle building and the prevention of chronic disease have had different outcomes. As do many experimental research studies. One thing to make note of is that studying these essential amino acids attracts a lot of attention due to their overwhelmingly possible positive side effects.

Is it OK to drink BCAAs every day?

It is okay to use BCAA powder daily if you are vigorously exercising daily for at least 20 minutes. However, research has linked the overconsumption of BCAAs to body weight gain due to reduced ingestion of an appropriate amount of other essential amino acids – namely tryptophan and threonine. (21) Like any dietary supplement, BCAA powders are not intended to serve as meal replacements or substitute consumption of a balanced amount of whole foods.

What are some of the best BCAA supplements?

The best BCAA supplement is going to depend on what your fitness goals are, any underlying medical concerns, and food allergies or intolerances. If we had to pick one, though, our personal favorite is Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine. A close runner-up is Kaged Pre-Kaged, though it’s a pre-workout with BCAAs and not a BCAA-only supplement.

What are the potential side effects of BCAAs?

Since valine and isoleucine can be converted into glucose, consuming BCAAs could lead to elevated glucose levels. Overconsumption of BCAAs can contribute to an increased risk of developing metabolic syndromes such as diabetes. This is due to the potential effect of BCAAs decreasing insulin sensitivity when consumed inappropriately. Some BCAA powder users may experience gastrointestinal discomfort if they ingest an ingredient that they do not tolerate. (22)

Research

  1. Nie C, He T, Zhang W, et al. Branched chain amino acids: beyond nutrition metabolism. Int J Mol Sci. 2018;19(4):954. doi: 10.3390/ijms19040954
  2. O’Connell TM. The complex role of branched chain amino acids in diabetes and cancer. Metabolites. 2013;3(4):931-945. doi: 10.3390/metabo3040931
  3. Coqueiro AY, Rogero MM, Tirapegui J. Glutamine as an anti-fatigue amino acid in sports nutrition. Nutrients. 2019;11(4):863. doi: 10.3390/nu11040863
  4. Fruit and pomace extracts: biological activity, potential applications and beneficial health effects: Coconut water: An essential health drink in both natural and fermented forms. Nova Science Publishers, Inc: Limbad MJ, Gutierrez-Maddox N, Hamid N; 2015. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Francesco-Gai-2/publication/271846985_Fruit_and_pomace_extracts_Applications_to_improve_the_safety_and_quality_of_meat_products/links/59e71ee70f7e9b13acac7fea/Fruit-and-pomace-extracts-Applications-to-improve-the-safety-and-quality-of-meat-products.pdf#page=161
  5. Plotkin DL, Delcastillo K, Van Every DW, et al. Isolated leucine and branched-chain amino acid supplementation for enhancing muscular strength and hypertrophy: a narrative review. IJSNEM. 2021;31(3):292-301. doi:10.1123/ijsnem.2020-0356
  6. Gogna S, Kaur J, Sharma K, et al. Spirulina – an edible cyanobacterium with potential therapeutic health benefits and toxicological consequences. JANA. 2022. doi: 10.1080/27697061.2022.2103852
  7. Kautzky-Willer A, Harreiter J, Pacini G. Sex and gender differences in risk, pathophysiology and complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Endocr Rev. 2016;37(3):278-316. doi:10.1210/er.2015-1137
  8. Cholewa JM, Wyszczelska-Rokiel M, Glowacki R, et al. Effects of betaine on body composition, performance, and homocysteine thiolactone. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2013;10(1):39. doi:10.1186/1550-2783-10-39
  9. Deminice R, Ribeiro DF, Frajacomo FT. The effects of acute exercise and exercise training on plasma homocysteine: a meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2016;11(3):e0151653. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0151653
  10. Bendahan D, Mattei JP, Ghattas B, et al. Citrulline/malate promotes aerobic energy production in human exercising muscle. BJSM. 2002;36:282-289.
  11. Waldron M, Whelan K, Jeffries O, et al. The effects of acute branched-chain amino acid supplementation on recovery from a single bout of hypertrophy exercise in resistance-trained athletes. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2017;42(6): 630-636. doi: 10.1139/apnm-2016-0569
  12. Wilburn D, Machek S, Ismaeel A. Highly branched cyclic dextrin and its ergogenic effects in athletes: a brief review. JEN. 2021;4(3). doi:10.53520/jen2021.103100
  13. Newgard CB. Interplay between lipids and branched-chain amino acids in development of insulin resistance. Cell Metab. 2012;15(5):606-614. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2012.01.024
  14. Clamp L, Hume D, Lambert E. et al. Enhanced insulin sensitivity in successful, long-term weight loss maintainers compared with matched controls with no weight loss history. Nutr Diabetes. 2017;7:282. doi: 10.1038/nutd.2017.31
  15. Evans LW, Omaye ST. Use of saliva biomarkers to monitor efficacy of vitamin c in exercise-induced oxidative stress. Antioxidants. 2017; 6(1):5. doi:10.3390/antiox6010005
  16. McDonough D. Oral creatine hydrochloride supplementation: acute effects on submaximal, intermittent bouts of bench press and vertical jump exercises. Boise State University Theses and Dissertations. 2017;1348. https://doi.org/10.18122/B2KX4Q
  17. Nemzer BV, Fink N, Fink B. New insights on effects of a dietary supplement on oxidative and nitrosative stress in humans. Food Sci Nutr. 2014;2(6):828-839. doi:10.1002/fsn3.178
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