Rubberbanditz: some love & a giveaway.

by

Dizclaimer: Yes, FTC, once upon a time I did receive a set of Rubberbanditz for free. More than the free bands, however, Im compelled to disclose this company has a special place in my heart. For the reasons detailed below and just because they are good people. Great people.


OK, there’s a bit of back-story to this review/giveaway, People.

Take a seat, I shall try to keep the yammerings to a minimum, but I really want to share.

The owner of Rubberbanditz , Ari, initiallyreached out to me when I was mired in a bit of blogging-malaise.

I was over reviewing products & firmly ensconced (once again) in the steaming sh*tpile Id created.

I almost deleted his email without reading (Im nothing if not honest!) but for some reason I opened it & was entirely blown away.

The owner of the company’s message was clear, concise, humorous, and personalized.

It was evident he’d read MizFit prior to contacting me, knew the types of products I reviewed, and actually had one of these products to offer.

(It’s sad how rare these kinds of emails are.  Im pitched on everything from diet pills to fancy books about crafting.)

Still, being the curmudgeon I temporarily was, I tried to say no the the review.

He was tenacious and in such a funny & amazingly genuine way I finally relented and said yes.

Not surprisingly, I’m glad that I did.

What did I like about Rubberbanditz?

  • They are entirely as represented. Sturdy, easy to use, & come with a FANTASTIC workout guide for all levels.  In addition, should a band break within a year of purchase Rubberbanditz will replace for free.
  • They’re portable and inexpensive. As a mom whose best laid workout plans are frequently derailed by a Tornado I appreciate having a way to strength train at home.  The price-piece speaks for itself.  While you can purchase the bands separately the basic package. 39.99 is, in my opinion, a deal!  You get bands, a door strap, hand grips, an exercise dvd, an exercise book, & a travel bag.
  • They aren’t intimidating. When my parents started resistance training they were intimidated by free-weights & machines (not to mention the gym).  While it’s important to focus on form when using Rubberbanditz–-one reason I love the inclusion of an exercise DVD–-it’s also a perfect introduction into the concept of resistance training using something with which we’re all already familiar.**
  • The company does community outreach. This fact is really important to me both as a reviewer and a consumer. It speaks volumes, in my opinion, about a company & the people who run it.  Rubberbanditz uses a portion of its proceeds to set up exercise band gyms in the developing world & help promote personal health & hygiene on a grassroots level (can you tell the owner served in the Peace Corps?).
  • They are a green company. Any returned bands are donated for use in arts & crafts projects AND the exercise manual may be downloaded (for 5% off purchase price) instead of received as hard copy.

What didn’t I enjoy about my Rubberbanditz experience (Im reaching here, People, as my entire experience from first contact to product was stellar)?

  • They should update their blog more. Or perhaps I should update less?
  • Im not featured on their testimonial page. Whats that? I never sent one in? Oh. Please to disregard…

Bottom line is I love resistance bands (for all the reasons detailed above) & I adored these & Rubberbanditz as a whole.

And yes.

Here’s where you cease the skimmage & can enter to win your own Rubberbanditz basic band package as pictured below:


How might you use the bands should you be lucky enough to win?

Be honest. Be creative. Be silly. Be snarky. Be blunt.

Please to hit us all up in the comments.

USA only

Dont wanna wait to see if youve won? Please to purchase. For every kit sold before 1.1.11 Rubberbanditz is donating one to Carolina For Kibera.

Winner announced 12.20.10

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Comments

  1. I would use them to workout at home all the mornings I am too lazy to go to the gym, even though it is right upstairs

  9. No need to enter me, but they DO look like fun. I love when a product is what it purports to be.

    And shame on them for not printing a testimonial from you on their packaging! Would it have been so difficult? I mean, once they got past the part that they didn’t have a testimonial from you. Sheesh.

  10. I’m a new reader and wow your readers adore you.

    I would love to win these because I need resistance bands and seem to get too confused by the options to ever make the purchase.

    🙂

  11. I’d turn them into one of those bandage dresses everyone in Hollywood seemed to be wearing recently!

    Wait… that’s not the point, is it?

    These look really cool, and they’d be a great fun way for me to workout without worrying so much about the Toddlerette getting in the way. I could give her one too and she’d undoubtedly wear it on her head. 🙂

  12. This is exactly what I’ve been looking for! I need to get back to weight training, but the best gym is 30 minutes away, and that just isn’t in my schedule! I’ve been wanting to do something at home, and this is it!

  13. I would actually use them for my girls. They are swimmers and realize they need to build up their shoulder strength. I think bands would be the perfect way to start. They did some light weights in the summer, but honestly, with swim practice and homework there is not time to get to the gym also. Bands at home would be a great alternative!

  14. This is exactly what I need!!!! I’ve been running, but really need to start doing some strength training. I have a couple of free weights – but I think something like this would really help me out.

  15. My gym opens at 5:30am. Believe it or not, that’s not always early enough for me, and I’m all antsy to do something in my living room before it’s time to go. These would keep me busy!

  17. Both Josh and I would LOVE these bands. He’d use them as a part of his P90 workout and I would use them when I don’t feel like making the trip to the gym!

  18. LOVE this!!!!!!!!!!! So cool! I could find more ways to use these as you well know Carla.. some I best not write about here… yes, I am older but not dead! 😉

    Wish I had them right ow.. off to jury duty & we know about all the waiting & sitting & waiting… me, I am going to be doing some standing & stretching & butt work! 🙂 Those bands would have been perfect!

  19. Oh yay – an alternative to the gym at 5am! (LOVE my gym – just not so fond of going outside at 5am this time of year!) And the kid lacrosse players could/should use them, too! It takes muscles to whack other kids with sticks!!

  21. I would really love me some resistance bands! With the active and curious toddler, hand weights have become a total liability around the house. I could use these without fear of him getting hurt, and maybe interest him in using them with me!

  22. I don’t strength train and I should. Winning the bands would be the kick in the pants I need to get going. The look easy to store and can even travel with me. Huge bonus!

  23. Oh, these would be perfect for me! I travel for work and these would be just what I need to stow in my carry-on. I’m working on getting the last 15 pounds off (I’ve already lost 105), and with some travel coming up I’m looking for anything that can help me stay on track!

  24. Right now I’d use them to tie up the kids who have been singing the 12 days of Christmas for about the past 20 minutes. Do they come in pink? They’d look good in pink. 😉

  29. Oooo I’ve been meaning to get resistance bands since i travel for work and they’d be great to bring with me.

    Also they do sound like an amazing company, excellent choice for a review/giveaway!

  30. Aside from using them as intended, they might also be used in a number of creative ways by my four year old. His last go at the workout gear was an attempt to launch his tricycle down the hallway using a jump rope and light resistance tubing.

  31. I am currently staying in my brother’s basement (long story). Every piece of exercise equipment I have is in storage 100 miles away – and in the back behind furniture so I can’t reach it!

    I would use these to get back in shape so I can snag the 90 year old billionaire with no dependents and a heart condition I’m looking for 😉

  32. Hear my plea: I live way up north, in the middle of nowhere. The nearest gym is miles away, at the bottom of a hill that is icy and dangerous, and that’s on a good day. I’ve been working out with soup cans in a sock and old text books, and I don’t even have the soup cans anymore because my boyfriend ate the soup. My boyfriend ate my workout equipment! I’m begging you, pleading with you, I’m down on my knees… please please please MzFit, I need some legit workout gear!

  34. Well, the first use that came to mind is NOT something I can post on your PG-13 rated blog! Once I got my mind out of the gutter, I realized that these would be awesome to get back my upper body strength and tone, as I’ve sadly neglected those parts in favor of my legs.

  35. Dear, Wonderful MizFit,
    Hear my plea. I live waaay up north, miles from the nearest actual town. That actual town has a gym, but it’s small, it’s crowded, and the roads to get there are like an icy Olympic luge run… and that’s AFTER the plows come through. To make do, I workout in my living room, using old textbooks, and soup cans in a sock. Well, I used to–we ate the soup, so now I don’t even have that. That’s right, my workout equipment became dinner! So, please, I’m down on my knees, I would love some legitimate workout gear!

  36. I would use them to get rid of the bat wings I call arms – it doesn’t matter what size I am I still have my size 22 arms… Since my buzzillion chatarangas aren’t helping per chance these will!

  39. Ooh. Trying to up my physical activity to twice a day. This would be perfect to have at home and use in the evenings. Or on days like today when I gave up going to the gym at 5:30am because I busted my ass on the way out the door in the snow.

  40. Are these long enough -strong enough- that I could use for assisted pull-ups?

    And-WOW-I love that these bands come with handles, a door attachment, snaps, etc. Makes them much more versatile.

  41. My body needed a rest from hardcore-ish strength training for a bit, but now it says it’s ready again! So I’d use them to whip my muscles back into fighting (not really) shape!

  42. I would totally use it for some awesome new stretches that have made it so I can run again without hip pain. I’m currently attempting them without these sort of bands, but it is difficult. 🙂

  43. I would use it at night after the kids go to bed. And, it looks like it would make an awesome slingshot. 🙂

  44. I love resistance bands. Love to superset with free weights workouts at the gym. Would great to have a set at home! 😉

  45. Honestly, I love using resistance bands, but the room at my gym where the bands are is always crowded. So many fit people to compete with is intimidating. So I try to use the weight machines, but I don’t like them as much.

    If I win the bands, it means I can use them at home!

  46. I’d use them to strengthen my core! And then once my core is strong, I’d use the banditz to whip my husband into shape 😉

  47. I would use these ALL the time. In my tiny shoebox of an apartment, the doors could be used, the chairs, the couch – everything. It would be awesome.

    I looked to buy some directly but the shipping here is insane. Put me down and I’ll figure out a family member in the US to receive them for me and send them on cheaper.

  48. I have a teenager and he can be unruly – so I would definitely keep them handy for times of teen angst.

    But aside from that, I’m picturing using two with handles, anchoring on the door & doing OODLES of cool stuff – like they’re rings (yes – hunky men gymnast type rings) >> Body weight type rows, rear delt flies, chest press, shoulder/wood chop) – it would be like having my very own rings AND a cable machine!

    And let us not forget that EVERYTHING can be compound – you know how I love working my lower & upper body at the same time. It makes resistance training cardio-ish!

    Eek – I’m just giddy!

  49. I started full body strength training last June for the first time ever in a gym and fell in love w/ the results. My body was amazing and strong as I finally reached not only my goal weight but my lowest size ever as an adult.

    My routine was derailed when I started treatment for a blood disease I have back in August and haven’t had the ability to get back to the gym since then. I’ve been dying to start an at home strength training program (until I get complete strength to get back to the gym) but haven’t had the motivation or equipment to do so.

    These bands would be perfect! I had thought about them but didn’t think they would be very effective until noting that you recommend them 🙂 They would get good use over here for sure!

  50. Boyfriend and I are constantly being derailed by plans with the kids/dogs eating stability balls/work running late/and well…our own bedroom workouts…ahem…

    So these would be FREAKING AWESOME to be able to carry in our bags and use at lunch hour or between work appointments etc.

    Seriously.

  51. I would use one to tie the 1-year old and 4-year old together so I could use one of the others to get in some much needed resistence training. Hmmm, might have to tie the husband/father in with the kidlets for better parental supervision…

  52. Heh. When I first saw your tweet I thought they were an off-shoot of Silly Bandz or fun band-aids for little kids. I guess since strength training is not happening in this house (unless you count using little people as resistance) they would be fabulous to have! 🙂

  54. PSS… So many connections…. I took my son to Guatemala for Spring Break one year (cuz that’s the kind of mom I am). I’ve been to organic farms in El Salvador & Panama. And yes, I work in sustainable agriculture myself. So a traveling, spanish speaking, greenie I am – I could be Rubberbanditz sibling 😉

  55. I love the picture on their website of the guy laying on the couch and using the rubberbanditz…not gonna lie, probably the first thing I’d try out! Seriously, I love at-home workout tools!

  57. I would use them to get stronger because I’m in the circus. I’m a base in pyramid acro, so I need to be strong to hold up the kids!

  59. I never really had much interest in these until one day my son showed me all the ways you can use them. Holy smokes there amazing. Now I would really love to win a set because he took his with him to college.

  60. I’d hang them from the ceiling and attempt graceful aerobatic movements.
    I would wrap them strategicly into a risque outfit and wear it to a lady Gaga show.
    I would use them to make large sling shots to catapult squash at my nosey neighbors’ house.
    I would wear them around my neck around town and stop to say to people “Oh these? These are my weights, I’m pretty much a bad ass.”
    AND
    I would use them as an alternative to free weights for people new to weight lifting. I’m sssssssssslowly building my home gym and these would make for an awesome addition.

  61. Terrific alternative to free weights when I am too Lazy to go to the gym in the morning…So who made mornings so early anyway???

  62. Human slingshot, yeah! Seriously though, I would love to have a resistance training program that could travel with me without selling a kidney for airline luggage fees! But the slingshot… 😉

  64. I have enough bands to keep me gagged and tied by a gaggle of small children for years (hmm… my life? yes?) so don’t enter me in the giveaway but I do want to say how versatile and wonderful I think bands are! Esp. for a home worker-outer. And I love that Rubberbanditz will replace them for free if they break – I’m afraid I’ve snapped more than one in my time. Ouch.

  65. I would love these to use working with my training clients! Sadly, the studio I recently started to work at has some bands, but they are all thin, old, not-really-much-resistance-left-in-them bands. It’s hard for me to convince clients to invest in bands for home/travel when the ones I have to show/teach them don’t do much. :/

  66. After several unsuccessful attempts to get in shape, I am doing my Wii Zumba daily. That leaves a great trail of sweat, but no weight training. I have every video and weight imaginable, but no rubberbanditz. How can that be? Besides, I don’t like the gym I joined and never go to, and its going to cost me like $100 to quit. I wont be able to afford a set of Rubberbanditz after I quit the gym.
    In need of some self love I think

  67. Oh, I would absolutely Jump with Joy to receive these !!! And I can proudly say I just started jumping after Multiple Sclerosis took away the ability for many years. The disability makes it too difficult for me to drive to the gym. My endurance is limited so I workout in 10 to 20 min. segments to build strength off and on during the day. I love the colors, It would help me to keep my womanly curves, improve my strength and endurance. I could use it laying down on the days I am very weak or hooked to a chair or even the door !!! It has so many uses that I can’t wait to get the set. Please Hurry and send it !!! I am doing the Happy Dance.

  68. I would use Rubberbanditz for when the weather is too poor to drive to the gym – I can just do strength training at home.

  71. I can’t win and want to!
    Girl, you could sell me anything LOL because I know when you vouch for something I will love it too.

    Janet

  73. I am so with you, Miz.

    It is about the product and the brand.

    I love what they do.

    Thanks for pointing them out.

  74. No snarkiness or much creativity here except I would get to do some resistance training at home. Just had a baby 3 months ago and it has been a challenge time wise in getting a work out in. For now I have only been doing card (I have an elliptical), but I really miss my toned and defined muscles. I need resistance exercise in a bad way. NOW GIVE ME THOSE RUBBERBANDITZ! LOL!

  75. I’m a Canuck so count me out.
    I still want to say – this looks like a great company.
    I like the idea of being able to work out at home or wherever. I worry about when my grad student gym membership runs out…this is definitely an option for what to do then 🙂

  77. OOOOOh I would use them for the C boy’s ingury to get his stretching done one his shoulder. For me I would use them to get toned on my butt or hips or tummy I would figure out some way. Then I would send them to my faraway boy in South Africa so he could get in shape and run another 5K with me when he returns and so that he would gain muscle strenght and be safe from being wrestled to pieces by the C boy since he has a had a few years getting flabby. Yep they would be well used at my house thats for dang sure. By the way thanks for all the tips that you put out there.

  78. I need to stretch more and incorporate more resistance training into my routine, especially since I am recovering from an injury. And yet, I always try to get out of the gym prior to completing the full routine. And so, if I had these sitting in front of me by the TV in my living room, I would no longer have my bag of excuses to pull from to stop me!

  79. I have outgrown my girly 5 pound weights and don’t have the money or space to get more beefy weights. Bands = Solution. 🙂

  81. I think it’s the universe telling you that I should have these bands. Why? Because this morning I decided “today is the day”. No more waiting, no more excuses. And what do I stumble upon when poking around in the cyber world? – your site and this post. I am so inspired, I could dance. OK, I will dance. Plus Ari is a bit dreamy you will kick my ass (mentally) daily, and I need that.

    • “Ari is a bit dreamy” (was supposed to be written as strike through text.) For real – my grammar is much better than that.

  82. I’ll go with honest. I’m a new mom. I’m going back to school in a month. I’m going back to work in three.

    How am I going to balance the enormous workload I’ve signed myself up for? I have no idea, but I know working out will help my stress levels and keep me going during nightmare times like finals week.

    Anything that can make working out easier to do in my free time – at home – would make the difference between a regular workout vs fitting it in *maybe* once a week. Rubberbanditz looks like it could be a great resource for a busy, overachieving person such as myself.

  83. Honestly? I’d probably use them to rubberband my Italian to his chair when I go away for the weekend so he doesn’t fall down and get stuck for 7 or 8 hours on end while I’m calling leaving messages that are yelling at him for not answering his phone,only to find out after having friends go over to check on him that he’d been on the floor since the morning. (Ooops!)
    Or resistance training for the both of us. (He’ll resist using them and I’ll make him do it with me!)

  84. I actually think these would work when I go overseas. Since women can’t really be seen running outside and there are converter issues with taking dvds, the bands would be perfect. Otherwise I try to do yoga but no real weight workout.

  85. I would use the Rubberbanditz to work out at home (in front of the TV!) and would definitely bring them in my suitcase when traveling to work out in the hotel room! Thanks!

  86. Just spotted this post, and I’m right there with you! First heard from Ari about a year ago. After receiving so many emails from marketers suggesting my blog would be a perfect fit for the newest acai berry slimming eye gel or electro ab tasseled roller sled pants, it was such a breath of fresh air to get one from a guy who actually knew what my blog was about. Three cheers for his hard work, his endearing promotional vid, and his simple, versatile product. (leave me out of the prize pool, I already got ’em!)

  88. Hmmmm, I thought this was something for your hair and since I have super short hair I didn’t think I could enter.

    color me wrong.

    I’d pull them cause you know that’s what you do.

  89. I will use the rubberbanditz to become a better me. I am a 22 year old girl who has never really felt like a “girl.”. I have been overweight for most of my life and I feel because of that have not gotten to experience neighbor young. I am on a mission to make myself into a more healthy person.

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