April 29, 2024

10 Resistance Band Exercises to Build Total-Body Strength

We know how much space kettlebells and dumbbells may take in your home. But the truth is you do not need a whole lot of fancy equipment to obtain the most from your at-home workout. Resistance bands are space-efficient, highly portable, and they’re great for every level of fitness. Given that they rely on your bodyweight for resistance, they’re extremely flexible and can make the simplest workout extra tough.

There are a variety of resistance bands available, however the three most popular types are looped resistance bands, rubber band tubes with handles and mini bands. Looped resistance bands, which basically look like a huge rubber band, are commonly used in advanced powerlifting and sports performance workouts to do lifts like the barbell squat and the bench press. Elastic tubes are thin, cylinder-shaped tools with handles at each end and are used for strength exercises, from bicep curls to shoulder raises. Mini bands are small, flat, looped elastic bands, typically placed above the knees or ankles for mobility and stability work, or included in an engaged warm-up.

How much resistance you’ll get is determined by the stiffness from the band and how far it’s stretched. Exercise equipment manufacturers will probably range from the amount of resistance each band has, however in general, the wider or longer a band is, the more resistance it’s.

If you’ve one, two or the 3 kinds of bands, you are in luck. We have 10 resistance band exercises to help you build strength and stability – right where you are.

1. Band Pull Apart

Targets: Chest, triceps, rhomboids (shoulders)
How to: Stand together with your feet shoulder-width apart and head facing forward (a). Hold a resistance band before you together with your arms extended straight out. There should be 4-6 inches of band left in the ends where your grip stops (b). Pull the band apart by bringing your neck together so that the band touches your chest (c). Slowly return to the starting position by bringing your arms back down in-front you at eye level. This move should be done slowly and under control. Repeat for 8-10 reps (d). You can use a therapy band for this exercise, if strength bands are too difficult.

2. Upright Row

Targets: Shoulders
How to: Stand with the band beneath your feet, shoulder-width apart. Shoulders should be back, spine straight and head facing forward (a). Contain the the surface of the band with a pronated (overhand) grip, hands close together and arms straight down before your body. This is the starting position (b). Lift your hands towards toward ceiling, raising them to about chin height, and keep both your hands near to the body. Your elbows should point to your sides as well as your forearms parallel towards the floor (c). Return the bands back to the starting position (d). Repeat for 8-10 reps.

3. Bicep Curl

Targets: Biceps
How to: Stand up tall with feet shoulder-width apart, band looped beneath your feet (a). Grab the top of the band using a supinated (underhand) grip with hands beyond hips and arms extended lower. This is the starting position (b). Lift this guitar rock band to about chin height with your arms bent right into a curl and elbows pointing towards the floor (c). Then, bring the band back down to the starting position with control. That’s one rep (d). Repeat for 8-10 reps.

For an intensified pump: Set a timer for 30 seconds and do as numerous reps as you possibly can. You are able to sacrifice full-range of motion towards the end when you get tired, in favor of flushing more blood towards the biceps.

4. Push-Up with Band

Targets: Chest, triceps, shoulders
How to: Lay flat in your stomach together with your legs straight behind you and toes tucked. Put the resistance band behind you therefore it is lying across your mid-back. Then, contain the band with your hands so that each thumb is inside each end of the loop. Both hands shoulder-width apart, and arms are at your sides together with your elbows bent (a). Do a push-up from the band to full extension, keeping the butt back in a straight line. (b). Then, slowly bring the body back down to the ground (c). Repeat for 8-10 reps.

5. Lateral Band Walk

Targets: Hips, glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings
How to: Place the resistance band around your ankles and get right into a squat position together with your thighs parallel down and feet slightly wider than hip-distance apart (a). Step out to the left (laterally) against the band, residing in the squat position with your hands in front you in an athletic stance (b). Alternate sides and key to your right from the band (c). Step out five times on each side (d). To improve the problem of this exercise and obtain a nice shoulder stretch, too, do the same exercise with your hands and arms extended overhead (e). Repeat for 8-10 reps.

6. Plank Jack

Targets: Abs, glutes
How to: Put the resistance band around your ankles and get into push-up position with your hands shoulder-width apart, and hips lifted and aligned together with your back (a). Jack both legs out to your sides before you feel a stretch in your core and glutes (b). Bring your legs back to the starting position. This move ought to be done quickly to keep tension within the core all the time. Keep core tight through the motion (c). Do 8-10 reps.

7. Lying Glute Bridge With Adduction

Targets: Abs, glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings
How to: Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the ground, a few inches from your butt. Put the resistance band just below knees (a). Press right into a bridge by raising your hips and butt started pushing them as high as possible towards ceiling. Keep the shoulders anchored to the floor, so that they produce a diagonal line to your knees (b). Now, push against the band to split up your legs until you feel a stretch in your glutes (c). Return legs back to center then restore down to ground (d). Repeat for 8-10 reps.

8. Resistance Band Front Raise

Targets: Front delts
How to: Get up on the surface of the resistance band with your feet shoulder-width apart while holding one handle in every hand with an overhand grip (a). Keeping the shoulders back and spine straight, bring both handles as much as eye level by extending shoulders straight to the sides (b). (c). Slowly bring the handles back down with control (d). Repeat for 8-10 reps.

9. Resistance Band Bent-Over Lateral Raise

Targets: Deltoids
How to: Stand with your feet hip-distance apart on top of the resistance band, hinging slightly forward. Keep your gaze on the floor. Hold bands having a neutral (palms facing each other) grip and arms straight at your sides (a). Raise both arms for the ceiling until your arms reach shoulder height (b). Bring the bands back down towards the starting position. Elbows could be slightly bent throughout this motion (c). Repeat for 8-10 reps.

10. Squat to Press

Targets: Full Body
How to: Stand on the surface of the resistance band with feet hip-distance apart. Hold the handles with an overhand grip as well as your arms at shoulder-level, like you are going to press them up overhead (a). Drop into a squat so that your knees are almost directly over your toes and thighs are parallel towards the floor. Make sure to keep the hands by your shoulders (b). Slowly reach standing, pressing the handles up overhead until your arms are fully extended (c). Bring your arms to shoulder-height (d). Repeat the exercise in a single fluid motion: Squat, and then press up (e). Do 8-10 reps.