TheraBand resistance bands are color-coded so you can tell, at a glance, how much resistance a band provides. The colors run in a fixed order from lightest to heaviest: Tan, Yellow, Red, Green, Blue, Black, Silver, and Gold. That is eight levels in the full band system, and each step up delivers a predictable, measured increase in pull force. If you have ever stared at a drawer full of colored bands and wondered which one to hand a client, the color is your answer key.
There is one catch that most color charts skip, and it matters for both accuracy and clinical dosing: a TheraBand color is not a fixed number of pounds. The resistance you feel depends on how far the band is stretched. A band rated at 4.6 pounds is only 4.6 pounds at a specific amount of stretch. This guide gives you the complete, primary-sourced resistance chart in both pounds and kilograms, explains the color order, shows why stretch changes everything, and walks through how occupational therapy practitioners actually choose and progress a color.
The table below lists every TheraBand color with its measured pull force at two standard amounts of stretch: 100% elongation (the band stretched to double its resting length) and 200% elongation (stretched to triple its resting length). The values come from TheraBand's official force chart, published by the manufacturer, Performance Health. Both pounds and kilograms are shown because clinicians document loads in either unit.
| Color | Order | Force at 100% Elongation | Force at 200% Elongation | Increase vs. Previous Color |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tan | 1 (lightest) | 2.4 lb (1.1 kg) | 3.4 lb (1.5 kg) | - |
| Yellow | 2 | 3.0 lb (1.3 kg) | 4.3 lb (2.0 kg) | +25% |
| Red | 3 | 3.7 lb (1.7 kg) | 5.5 lb (2.5 kg) | +25% |
| Green | 4 | 4.6 lb (2.1 kg) | 6.7 lb (3.0 kg) | +25% |
| Blue | 5 | 5.8 lb (2.6 kg) | 8.6 lb (3.9 kg) | +25% |
| Black | 6 | 7.3 lb (3.3 kg) | 10.2 lb (4.6 kg) | +25% |
| Silver | 7 | 10.2 lb (4.6 kg) | 15.3 lb (6.9 kg) | +40% |
| Gold | 8 (heaviest) | 14.2 lb (6.5 kg) | 21.3 lb (9.5 kg) | +40% |
These are typical values for the standard TheraBand elastic bands and tubing; the manufacturer notes that not every product line is offered in every color. Independent laboratory work confirms the underlying pattern: a 2016 study in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science measured all eight bands and found statistically significant differences in tension between the colors (every pair except tan and yellow), so the color code reliably tracks real, distinguishable force levels (Uchida et al., 2016).
Quick read of the chart: pick the row for your color, then read the force at the stretch you actually plan to use. If your exercise only stretches the band to about double its length, use the 100% column. If it stretches to roughly triple, use the 200% column.
TheraBand organizes its colors into what the manufacturer calls a progressive resistance system, sometimes shown as a color pyramid. Memorizing the order is the fastest way to work with the bands, because moving one color to the right always means more resistance. From lightest to heaviest, the sequence is:
A word of caution about the "which color for which body part" charts you will see elsewhere: color choice is driven by the individual's strength and the specific exercise, not by a fixed muscle-to-color rule. A frail client may need Tan for a bicep curl, while an athlete may need Blue for the same movement. Treat the notes above as typical starting points, not prescriptions.
Heads up: the number of levels depends on the product line, not the color system. The full band range has all eight colors, but the TheraBand CLX (Consecutive Loops) line is offered in seven levels and omits Tan, starting at Yellow. Always check the specific product before assuming a color exists in it.
This is the single most misunderstood point about elastic resistance, and getting it right is what separates a useful chart from a misleading one. An elastic band is not a dumbbell. A dumbbell weighs the same no matter what you do with it. A band produces more force the further you stretch it, and almost none when it is slack.
The manufacturer quantifies this with a concept called percent elongation: how far the band is stretched beyond its resting length, expressed as a percentage. If you take a band and stretch it to double its resting length, that is 100% elongation. Stretch it to triple its resting length, and that is 200% elongation. Because force rises with stretch, every resistance value has to be tied to a specific elongation to mean anything.
Here is a worked example using Green. At 100% elongation, a Green band produces 4.6 pounds of force. Stretch that same Green band further, to 200% elongation, and the resistance climbs to 6.7 pounds. Same band, same color, very different load, all depending on how far it is stretched. This is why the chart above lists two columns rather than one, and why "a Green band is 4.6 pounds" is only half a sentence. The percent-elongation method is also how researchers standardize elastic resistance in the lab; Uchida and colleagues defined elongation as the change in length divided by the initial length and measured each color across ten stretch levels for exactly this reason.
The practical takeaway: a band's resting length changes the force at a given absolute stretch, so keeping the amount of stretch consistent from session to session is how you keep the load honest. If a client uses a longer starting length, they will reach a given elongation at a longer overall length, but the force at that elongation stays the same.
The jumps between colors are not random. TheraBand designed the sequence so that each step is a consistent percentage heavier than the one before it. According to the manufacturer's published progression, the increase is 25% per step through the clinical range and 40% for the two advanced colors:
This is useful clinically because it turns a color change into a rough dose change. Moving a client from Red to Green is roughly a 25% increase in load, which is a reasonable progression step for many people. Jumping from Black to Silver is closer to a 40% increase, which is a much bigger leap and should be made carefully. Knowing the percentages helps you decide whether the next color is a gentle nudge or a large step, and whether you might need an intermediate strategy such as changing the exercise or the elongation instead of the color.
There is no universal "correct" color, because the right resistance is the one that challenges a specific person doing a specific movement. Both occupational therapy practitioners and other rehab professionals use a repetition-based method to land on the right band rather than guessing from a chart.
A widely used starting rule, consistent with general resistance-training guidance, is to select a resistance that lets the person complete roughly 8 to 12 repetitions with good form to the point of fatigue. If they can breeze past 12 reps, the band is too light; if they cannot reach 8 with control, it is too heavy. The American College of Sports Medicine's progression guidelines describe this progressive-overload approach and recommend small load increases once a person can comfortably exceed their target repetitions.
When someone consistently completes their reps too easily, that is the cue to progress. Because each color step is a known percentage heavier, moving up one color is often the cleanest way to add load. Elastic bands are a legitimate strengthening tool for this purpose: a systematic review and meta-analysis found that training with elastic resistance produces strength gains similar to conventional weights, so progressing color by color is a sound way to build strength over time.
The evidence base is especially relevant for the populations OTs serve. A randomized controlled trial in long-term care found that an elastic-band program significantly improved hand grip strength, balance, and daily-living function in older adults. Progressive resistive hand exercise likewise improves grip strength in people with hand osteoarthritis, and elastic resistance training has produced measurable functional gains even in chronic stroke survivors. In short, the color you choose should be light enough to allow clean, controlled repetitions and heavy enough to fatigue the target muscles in your rep range, then progressed as the person gets stronger. General strength-training guidance from MedlinePlus reinforces doing muscle-strengthening activity at least two days per week.
TheraBand elastic resistance comes in several formats, and the good news is that the color code is consistent across most of them. The main options are:
The important detail for clinicians is that flat bands and tubing are charted on the same color scale. TheraBand's official force chart is titled for the "Band/Tubing Color," meaning a Green band and Green tubing sit at the same point on the resistance progression. That lets you switch formats, for example from a flat band to handled tubing, without relearning the color code. The CLX line is the main exception to the eight-color rule, since it drops Tan and starts at Yellow.
Standard TheraBand bands and tubing are made of natural rubber latex. For anyone with a latex allergy or sensitivity, that is a real safety concern, and it comes up often in clinical settings. TheraBand addresses this with a separate non-latex (latex-free) line that is not made with natural rubber latex and uses the same color-coded resistance progression, so you can keep the familiar color code while avoiding latex.
Latex allergy can develop from repeated exposure to proteins in natural rubber latex through skin contact or inhalation, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. If a client reports any latex reaction, or if you are working in an environment where latex exposure is restricted, reach for the latex-free version rather than the standard bands.
Elastic bands are low-risk when handled well, but a band that snaps under tension can cause injury, so a few habits are worth building in:
Pro tip: keep a low-resistance band such as Tan or Yellow on hand even for stronger clients. It is ideal for warm-ups, small intrinsic hand muscles, and testing a new movement pattern before adding load.
Each color represents a different level of resistance. The colors follow a fixed progression from lightest to heaviest, so once you know the order you can select or increase resistance simply by changing the color.
Tan, Yellow, Red, Green, Blue, Black, Silver, Gold. Tan is the lightest and Gold is the heaviest, with eight levels in the full band system.
Gold is the strongest, at about 14.2 pounds of force at 100% elongation. Tan is the weakest, at about 2.4 pounds at the same stretch.
At 100% elongation (double the resting length): Tan 2.4 lb, Yellow 3.0 lb, Red 3.7 lb, Green 4.6 lb, Blue 5.8 lb, Black 7.3 lb, Silver 10.2 lb, and Gold 14.2 lb. Remember that these numbers only apply at that specific stretch; the force rises if you stretch the band further.
Green is stronger than Red. In order, Red comes third and Green comes fourth, so Green provides roughly 25% more resistance than Red at the same elongation.
Pick the color that lets you complete about 8 to 12 controlled repetitions of your exercise to the point of fatigue. If the reps are too easy, move up a color; if you cannot reach 8 with good form, move down.
Progress when the current color no longer fatigues the muscle within your target repetitions. Because each step is about 25% heavier (or 40% for Silver and Gold), moving up one color is a built-in way to add load.
Yes. The latex-free line uses the same color-coding as standard bands, and flat bands and tubing share the same color-to-force scale. The main exception is the CLX line, which omits Tan.