10 Exercises to Try with a Resistance Band

Resistance bands are the ultimate workout equipment for your home gym. They’re portable, take up barely any space, and can give you a killer workout. 

Add a resistance band to your favorite bodyweight exercises and use them to work your muscles in a way you thought only bulky machines could. Here are 10 resistance band exercises to try today.

Bicep Curls

You’ve probably done a bicep curl before, normally with free weights. This time, try them using a resistance band.

• Start standing about hip-width apart in the middle of your resistance band with both feet. 
• Grab the handles or the ends of the band. 
• Keep your elbows close to your ribs, activate your biceps, slowly bring your fists toward your shoulders and back down again.

Glute Bridge

You’ll need a looped resistance band for this exercise. You can also tie a regular resistance band together by the ends.

• Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart with your knees facing the sky 
• Loop the resistance band around your thighs, just above your knees.
• With your hands on the floor by your sides, press into your heels, squeezing your glutes and abs to lift your hips up toward the sky.
• Be sure to press out against the resistance band to prevent your knees from falling in toward each other.
• Hold briefly at the top before slowly releasing down to the starting position.

Bent-Over or Upright Row

To do a bent-over row using a resistance band:

• Start standing about hip-width apart in the middle of your resistance band with both feet.
• Hinge at the hips and bend over slightly, keeping a small bend in your knees.
• Grab the handles or ends of the bands, palms facing in toward your body.
• Pull your fists toward your chest, elbows toward the sky, with your forearms skimming your side body the entire time. 
• Slowly lower your hands to release.

For an upright row with a resistance band:

• Start in the same position but remain standing upright.
• Grab the handles or ends of the band, but this time, criss-cross them so the band forms an X in front of you.
• With your palms facing you, keep your shoulders down and lift your elbows to bring your hands in line with your shoulders.
• Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top and slowly release.

Glute Kick-Back

You’ll get those legs burning with this home gym exercise.

• Start on all-fours with your wrists underneath your shoulders and your knees right below your hips 
• Hold each end of the resistance band in each hand and loop the bottom around your left arch..
• Keeping your hips and shoulders steady, push against the band and slowly extend your left foot toward the wall behind you, straightening it as much as you can.
• Then, slowly bring your foot back into the starting position before switching sides.

Lateral Lunge

Again, this exercise requires a looped resistance band or one that’s tied together by the ends.

• Start standing with your feet hip-width apart and the resistance band looped around each ankle or just above your knee. Just be sure that the band isn’t directly on your knee! 
• Keeping your hips, knees, and toes facing forward, take a large step to the right with your right leg, bending the knee and hinging your hips forward slightly, keeping the left leg straight.
• Push off the right leg to return to your starting position.

Lat Pulldown

Lat pulldowns can be done with a resistance band in various ways using a sturdy wall hook or beam. But for this exercise, all you need is the band itself.

• Start standing and hold the handles or each end of the band. You may need to double up the band for more resistance.
• Reach the right arm straight above your head without locking your elbow.
• Hold the left arm out to the side at a 90-degree angle with your elbow in line with your shoulder and your fist facing the sky.
• Keep the right arm still as you pull your left elbow down toward your hip while squeezing your shoulder blades together.
• Repeat on the other side.

Lying or Standing Lateral Leg Raise

You can do lateral leg raises with a resistance band either lying down or standing up. You’ll also need your band to be tied at the ends or looped.

• Start either lying down on your side or standing with your feet hip-width apart with your resistance band looped at about calf-level.
• If lying down, keep both legs straight, lifting your top leg toward the sky, keeping your knees and hips facing forward.
• If standing, lift one leg to the side, keeping it straight with your knees and hips facing forward.
• In both cases, lift your leg as high as possible until your back starts to arch then slowly lower it back to the starting position.

Squat

This one’s a classic exercise made better with a resistance band. You’ll also need to tie the ends of your resistance band together or get a looped resistance band for this one.

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and the resistance band looped around your ankles or thighs. Again, it’s incredibly important not to loop the band around your knees!
• Bend your knees as if you’re about to sit in a chair with your abs engaged, chest lifted, and back flat.
• Come back up to standing by pushing into your heels and straightening your knees.

Single Arm Tricep Extension

Beware - this one’s a burner!

• With your left hand on your hip, loop the resistance band under your left armpit, taking hold of both ends with your right hand. 
• Lift your right elbow to form a 90-degree angle with your forearm over your head, wrist facing the left wall.
• Slowly straighten your right elbow, pulling on the resistance band and activating your tricep before slowly returning to the starting position.

Pull-Apart

For this exercise, any kind of resistance band will do.

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding each end of the band in your hands.
• Keeping your arms straight, lift them up in front of you until your wrists are in line with your shoulders, palms face down.
• Squeeze your shoulder blades together and attempt to pull the band apart as your pull your wrists to the side and back, keeping your arms straight the entire time. 
• Slowly come back to the starting position.

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Get creative! What’s your favorite exercise to do with a resistance band?

For the ultimate resistance band workout, try the Redge Fit Portable Gym Machine, perfect for your home gym. Powered by resistance bands, this tool allows you to perform over 100 workouts with just one bar. 

Sound too good to be true? See for yourself!