The gluteus maximusthe largest muscle in your glutesgets the most love when it comes to butt exercises, but doing more exercises that involve abductionmoving your legs away from the midlinecan help you target the smaller muscles. ", Versatility is another big benefit of resistance band exercises. Act like youre sitting back into a chair, and then drill down through the heels to stand back up. "Stand on your resistance band," Mahoney says. If you need to modify it, do one arm at a time instead of both. Add weights and youll see results even faster. Put the right hand through the band in an open-face position to start. 10 Best Resistance Band Exercises to Tone Your Legs and Fire up Your Glutes in 2022. "The smooth and constant tension is much better for your joints and even helps strengthen your joints, the more you use them.". Also, three days a week well be aiming for 20 minutes of interval cardio. This works your core, shoulders, arms, gluteus medius, thighs and hamstrings. If youre looking for a way to tone your muscles and get a more defined look without expensive equipment, resistance bands are for you. How to do fire hydrants: Place a resistance band just above your knee and get into tabletop position with your hips directly over your knees and your shoulders over your wrists. The use of this website means that you accept the confidentiality regulations and the conditions of service. Return to the starting position and repeat on the opposite side. If you want to ensure a symmetrical workout, resistance bands have your back (and core, and armsyou get the gist). This variation of kickbacks fires up your glutes while tightening your core. You can use resistance bands to target every major muscle group. Tuck your elbows into your rib cage with a 90-degree bend at the elbow. Reps: 15 to 20 reps for two to three rounds. "Holding the resistance bands, bring your hands up to shoulder height with your elbows out to the side," Mahoney says. STRONG with Betina Gozo: Total-Body Fitness In Under 20 Minutes. Standing on top of your band with your feet hip width apart, hold one handle of the band in each hand. Bend the elbows at a 90 degree angle so that your arms are parallel to the ground. Repeat 10 times. You can order online or pick them up at Dicks Sporting Goods, Walmart or Target. Be sure to tighten your core so your upper body stays stable. Work against the resistance of the band to drive your knees out. Press the band up over your head, extending both arms fully. Resistance bands are great because you can bring them with you anywhere, and there are varying degrees to make it more challenging, or scale it back, says Betina Gozo, Nike master trainer and creator of STRONG with Betina Gozo: Total-Body Fitness In Under 20 Minutes. Join us on the START Today Facebook group for daily tips and motivation, to connect with others following the plan, and to get real-time advice from trainer Stephanie Mansour! Using your left hand, press the band to your chest. You can really feel your glutes working. Stand with your feet hip-distance apart and extend your arms out in front of you. Open the legs to put tension on the band, and lower the feet toward the ground. You can leave about 2-3 fingers width space from your knee down to the top of the band for reference. While keeping your hips lifted and driving your knees out against the resistance of the band, kick your left foot out in front of you and place it back down to the ground. The tension that the band adds can be felt on the eccentric and concentric movement as you push the leg out and as you pull the leg back to center. If you're sick of doing squats, these standing glute kickbacks are a great way to fire up your posterior. This is one rep. Continue for 10 reps before alternating sides. Reach the arms forward and then bend the elbows and bring the arms toward your chest as you squeeze your upper back. Hold the bands on outside of your forearms with the palms face up and your elbows hugging in towards your side body. Keeping your upper arms glued to your sides, pull the band up toward your shoulders into a bicep curl, then release back to the starting position. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Step one foot forward and the other foot back behind you into a high lunge. Tightening your glutes and pelvic muscles, press your hips up toward the ceiling and pulse your hips up and down, never letting your butt touch the ground. To do a core kick, sit on a mat and wrap your resistance band around one foot and hold the ends with both hands. Strength training is often thought of as a means of improving athletic performance or gaining muscle mass. Press straight back with the hands to engage the triceps. Target your shoulders and abs with a lateral shoulder raise supported by your handy resistance band. Repeat 10 times. Your official excuse to add "OOD" (ahem, out of doors) to your cal. Extend the left leg and curl up toward the right knee, and then switch. Hold onto the ends of the band with one hand on each side. Hold the handles at shoulder height. Read our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions. Repeat 10 times and then switch to the right side. Put your hands on your hips to feel the muscles working, Gozo says. Band Positioning: On top of the left shoe and on the bottom of the right shoe, Banded Criss-Cross with band around top of shoes. Mix it up each time and give different exercises a try. Resistance bands may look flimsy, but don't be fooled: They can help you build some serious muscle. Keeping your heels on the ground, lift your hips up toward the ceiling, forming a straight line with your body from your knees to your shoulders. Repeat 10 times and then switch sides. "Stand on your resistance band using one anchor point (your left or right foot) and perform a bicep curl," Saltos says. If you're a newbie who wants to give resistance band exercises a try, keep reading to learn the benefits of it, nine beginner-friendly moves, and tips on how to make the most out of your practice. This highly-rated set boasts a 4.5-star average rating from more than 77,200 reviews on Amazon. Keep your feet pressing together as you open your top knee up away from your bottom knee as if youre opening up a clam shell. Lie on your right side on a yoga mat and bend your knees. Fit Simplify Resistance Loop Exercise Bands, Expert shopping: Best exercise face masks, The best walking and running shoes, according to the experts, New Balance launches first-ever exercise face mask, What experts want you to know about vertical climbers, Coronavirus shopping: A new breathable mask, Back to basics: Your one-month treadmill workout, 10 core exercises that are better for your back (and body) than crunches, A 10-minute cardio workout you can do at home, 5 exercises that will strengthen your back and reduce pain, 5 complex exercises that will give you a full-body workout. Shift your weight so that you are standing on your right leg. Resistance bands are particularly useful for lower body workouts, including the legs and glutes, because they force you to move with better form and produce power from the right muscles, Gozo says. In a slight squat position with your feet hip-width apart, jump both feet out toward opposite sides of the room and then back together. Lying down on your back, wrap the band around your upper thighs. Get into the same positioning as above, and instead of reaching your leg back behind you, reach the right leg out to the side. Repeat this 10 times, and then switch sides or move onto the next exercise. This works the medial deltoid, rear deltoid, scapula, and biceps. Your body is one of your most powerful strength training tools. Instead of jumping the feet away from each other and then back in, simply tap with right foot out to the right and back to center, and then tap with the left foot out to the left and back to center. Gain lean muscle mass, improve athletic performance and reduce your risk of injury with this easy-to-follow plan. IE 11 is not supported. Even before you kick your foot behind you, be sure to tighten your glutes and press the opposite foot firmly on the ground to help you balance. Here, you want to step your feet out and in wide enough so that the band stays taut throughout the entire time. While many people tend to jump right into an intense cardio routine this time of year, strength training is actually a smart place to start to see the results youre looking for. Squeeze your shoulder blades together, pulling the band out to the sides as high as your shoulders. The next exercises are performed lying down on your side. Keep your hands on the floor or under your butt and your legs straight. Split up your exercises however youd like. Engaging your glutes and outer thighs, lift your left knee out to the side without shifting your hips. Switch your grip, grabbing the handles from underneath so that your palms are facing forward, away from you. Instead of performing a jumping jack with your hands moving over your head, perform one with your hands moving in front of you. Come into plank position with your shoulders over your wrists and your feet as wide as your hips. This fire hydrant exercise activates the gluteus medius and minimus by moving against the resistance of the band. Keeping your weight in your heels, firmly press them down on the ground to stand back up. Slowly lower the back down onto the ground vertebrae by vertebrae and then repeat for 10 times. How to do tabletop glute kickbacks: Place a resistance band around the arches of your feet and get into tabletop position with your hips directly over your knees and shoulders over your wrists. Repeat as fast as you can for one minute. 4 Mistakes That Are Causing You to Waste Money on Skin-Care Serums, According to an Esthetician, These Are the Best Anti-Chafing Denim ShortsAccording to Some Very Happy Reviewers. Repeat this for 10 taps to each side. Make sure its open as thick as possible without any curling so that it doesnt feel uncomfortable on your skin if youre wearing capris or shorts. Then, lean forward, hold onto band with the right hand. NBC News BETTER is obsessed with finding easier, healthier and smarter ways to live. How you choose to get it done is up to you: You can do all three circuits on the same day, or do lower body one day and upper body and abs the next. While it might look simple, your inner and outer thighs will feel the burn with this resistance band exercise. Reach the legs up toward the ceiling and then lower down to a 45-degree angle. To work on your quads, while standing, put your resistance band around one foot. Start by standing up straight on your resistance band. Then, pull the right hand with the band up toward the shoulder into a bicep curl, and release down. "They come in a variety of lengths, difficultieslight, medium, heavy, extra-heavycolors, and shapes," says NASM-certified personal trainer Danny Saltos. Place your feet open just as wide as your shoulders. "Bring your knee in towards your chest and then press out for 30 seconds. Ive devised this 31-day resistance band routine to strengthen the upper body, lower body and core, plus give you a cardio workout, too. Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you and your back straight. Repeat 10 times to each side. Wrap the resistance band around the bottom of your feet, holding one handle in each hand. It's important to keep your head in line with your spine and the elbows stable.". Then tap the left foot to the left and feel the tension on the band, and then bring it back to center. Squeezing your glutes and core, kick your left foot directly behind you, forming a straight line from your heel to the top of your head. Keeping good posture, pull the ends of the band toward your chest. The best way to do this is to squat down and step your right foot a little more forward than your left. Bring your left knee back to the starting position. Then, press the right leg up so that its at a 90 degree angle, and then press up through the foot to work the glute and hamstring of the right leg. "You can also do exercises for time, which is a great way to challenge your muscular endurance. While this exercise primarily works your lower body, it's important to press your hands down on the ground to keep your shoulders in place. Then repeat to the left. From measuring cubes to drink dispensers, 35 clever kitchen gadgets for easy meals. How to: Step inside the band with both feet, and wiggle the band with your fingers up around your shin bones directly underneath your knee. Fold the band in half, holding one side in each hand. Repeat 10 times. Get More Strength Training Exercises With Our New Workout DVD! Maintain tension on the band throughout the whole exercise. Bend the front knee at almost a 90-degree angle and keep a slight bend in the back knee as well. Make sure there is a little bit of tension on the band from this position; you dont want any slack. A quick Google search can help with that. Sign up for our newsletter and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. However, if you want to work out six days a week for a shorter amount of time, you can do that too. Join her complimentary health and weight-losschallenge and follow her for daily inspiration onInstagram and in hernew app. Firmly on team resistance bands? Come up onto your toes into a plank position. Plus, research shows that engaging in elastic band resistance training improves balance, gait function and flexibility and may induce greater neuromuscular fatigue than exercises with isometric contractions. "Resistance band exercises are very much like traditional weight-bearing exercises, except that they have an anchor point and therefore engage more of the body with each exercise," says Floery Mahoney, founder of Board30, a fitness studio franchise that provides a full-body resistance band workout. Press your right foot firmly on the ground to help keep your body stable. Prevention participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Working against the band, squeeze your glutes and thigh muscles to press your left thigh out as wide as you can. To introduce you to resistance band workouts, weve devised a total-body workout plan thatll strengthen your core, tighten your glutes and add definition to your arms. Remember, this is just a sample of how you can structure your workouts. Golan loves that resistance bands are super light and portable, so you can use them anytime, anywhere, unlike dumbbells. To do it, grab your resistance band and take a seat on the ground. You don't need weights or a rowing machine to get your back row on either. There are endless excuses for not exercising: time, space and money being the most common barriers people point to. ", Keep your resistance band training interesting by experimenting and finding what feels good. Wrap the resistance band around both legs just above your knees. Alternate legs, kicking up and down. She hosts Step It Up with Steph on PBS. Select is editorially independent. Lying down on your right side with your left leg behind you and your feet in the strap, pulse the right leg up 10 times. Start in the same position as the last exercise, with one foot forward, standing on top of the band, and the other foot back behind you. Bring the band around your upper thighs. "You can work your glutes, quads, chest, back, arms, and abs, all with a good set of bands. This will really burn the hamstrings and the glutes. Bring your left foot slightly in, keeping tension on the band, and continuing to side step to the right like this for 10 steps. If youre okay spending a bit more, consider this five-piece set from Rosapoar, which earned a 4.7-star average rating from more than 1,350 reviews on Amazon. Repeat 10 times. How to: On your hands and knees, put your hands through the band and place it on the outsides of your wrists. Repeat with the other leg." With stronger muscles, you decrease your chance of injury on a day-to-day basis, which is something we can all benefit from. Want to make sure you're using the right muscles? Day 6: Lower Body & Upper Body & Abs & Cardio, Day 15: Lower Body & Abs & Cardio & Try Advanced Sequence, Day 19: Lower Body & Cardio & Try Advanced Sequence, Day 25: Lower Body & Upper Body & Advanced Sequence. Take a deep breath in, and then exhale as you pull your navel in toward your spine, and tilt your pelvis so that your hips are coming close to your ribs. Hold it in front of your chest with your hands as wide as your shoulders, letting the handles dangle. (If the resistance of the band is too much for you to control and your arm is pulled back down in the other direction, the band is too heavy.). Do as many as possible for one minute. How to do a lateral band walk: Place a resistance band around your ankles and stand with your feet hip-distance apart with a slight bend in the knees. Lie on your right side with your right hip and right leg on the ground, and your left leg stacked on top. From your hands and knees, pull your navel in toward your spine. Repeat this 10 times, making sure to pull the naval in toward the spine and press the low back into the ground. Unlike dumbbells and kettlebells, resistance bands put less pressure on the joints and can target small and large muscle groups at once. With your feet together, pull the bands apart. Hinge at your waist, leaning forward to a 45-degree angle, and let your arms reach down toward the floor. Repeat on the left side. Hold one handle in each hand. You can jump on any cardio machine, head outdoors, or walk or run in place in your living room for 1 minute slowly, and then 1 minute quickly for 20 minutes total. Pull your navel in toward your spine, and keep your back flat. For example, when performing a bicep curl, you are able to completely contract your arm and hold for a moment before lowering back to the starting position. She suggests adding these resistance bands to your collection: Not sure how to get started? Then bring it back to center. Take a deep breath in, and then exhale as you pull your navel in toward your spine, and tilt your pelvis so that your hips are coming close to your ribs. Repeat 10 times and then switch sides. Repeat 10 times on each side. With these resistance band leg lifts, you're also actively squeezing your thighs out to the sides. Glute bridges are an excellent way to strengthen the pelvic floor and open up the hips. From your hands and knees, pull your navel in toward your spine. Squeeze your glutes and maintain tension on the band by pressing your knees outward. Then press arms up over head with abduction against the bands, and then lower down to the start position. Press up into a plank position from your hands and knees. Repeat this 10 times. "Press both hands straight up from the shoulder." Lifting one leg at a time with a resistance band around your thighs offsets your balance and makes your glutes work harder to keep them lifted off the ground. Step on the band with both feet shoulder-width apart. Continue for 10 reps before switching sides. "Keep the foot with the resistance band in the air and lean back at a 45 degree," Mahoney says. Bring the band around your upper thighs. Engaging your outer thighs and slightly hinging at the hips, step your left foot to the side so your feet are now shoulder-distance apart. Then, curl the hands up toward your shoulders into a bicep curl, and lower back down. Take your squats up a notch by adding a resistance band into the mix for a killer resistance band glute workout. Remember to engage your core to keep your chest lifted as well. "Run the band over both feet as your anchor," Saltos says. All rights reserved. Remember that you only need to get in three workouts a week. Lie face up on a yoga mat with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. "You can slowly build up to 45 and 60 min workouts over the course of time. The external feedback of the resistance can help you adjust your stance or think about activating certain muscles to get the most out of the exercise, Gozo agrees. Repeat 10 times on each side. resistance band is pretty much all you need to recreate any piece of gym equipment. Now, lets take a look at the exercise bank we have for each category. Then pull the arms out to the side and up like wings as high as your shoulders with elbows still bent (you should have created a straight line from your shoulder to your elbow). Equipment: One medium to heavy resistance band and a yoga mat. Lying down on your back, bend your knees with your feet on the ground as wide as your hips. Use the right hand to press down against the band into a tricep extension, and then come back to the starting position. Release back down to the starting position and repeat 10 times. Once that becomes too easy for your body, you can increase to the next band at an increased resistance level (from light to medium, or medium to heavy). Working your inner and outer thigh muscles, the clamshell exercise forces you to move with control and focus on proper form. Lying down on your right side, prop yourself up with your right forearm on the ground on a 90 degree angle. "Some can even be bundled together in a small mesh bag. "Start by doing 30-minute workouts three times per week," Saltos says. Then, pulse the legs and the band out to the sides for 10 counts. Pick up her DVD for great at-home workouts every day. If the resistance is too much or not enough, you can then adjust as needed. With the band around your ankles, pull your navel in toward your spine and bend your knees so that your booty is reaching back. Repeat 10 times before switching sides. Bicycle the legs and criss cross your chest to work the internal and external obliques. "You can also incorporate cardio more easily than with weights," which are bulkier and more unwieldy. Open your knees just as wide as the hips, and make sure the knees are under the hips. Then bring the legs back up to center. With your feet hips-width apart, step on the center of the band with both feet. You can make this plan work for you and your schedule. This is working the inner thigh. Continue for 15 to 20 reps. For a more challenging variation, make it a single-leg glute bridge by lifting one leg off the ground. There are tons of companies who create resistance bands, and all of them will get the job done! "Using an anchor point that is about shoulder height (i.e., a fence, a sturdy poll, a door frame anchor), grab one handle in each hand and face away from the anchor point," Saltos says. When you jump your feet apart, release your hands back together, performing the opposite movement of a traditional jumping jack. Were breaking down the exercises into four categories: For the next month, you'll commit to working your lower body, upper body and abs three days a week. Your legs and butt will feel the burn. Now that you've mastered a bodyweight squat, you can bring up the intensity of this exercise by incorporating a resistance band. Lie face up on a yoga mat with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and arms by your sides. Complete three sets (12-15 reps) of each exercise you choose. "Lower [your arms] and repeat. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. This is one rep. As we mentioned earlier, hip abduction is a great way to target the smaller muscles in your glutes. Arielle Weg is the associate editor at Prevention and loves to share her favorite wellness and nutrition obsessions. Pick one of these at a time to try, or do them all at once when you feel physically ready. Before you start getting into reps, Mahoney recommends testing the level of the bands resistance first. Continue alternating sides for 15 to 20 reps. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and the resistance band around your ankles; bend your knees slightly. Then kick your right foot out and place it back down to the ground, pressing your left foot firmly on the ground. They are cheaper, more portable and more versatile than dumbbells. You may not be doing a ton of traveling at the moment, but when you do, resistance bands make a great companion. Return to the starting position and repeat 10 times. For each workout, youll pick any three exercises from each bank. Want more tips like these? Are you up for a 31-day challenge? Anchor the band under your front foot. For the lower body exercises you will utilize a resistance band loop. One of my favorite low-cost products to utilize for in-house glute, leg and arm workouts are resistance bands. Although these resistance band exercises are great for beginners, you should take it easy (and slowly) when you're first starting out. Repeat 10 times. Just be careful not to lift your hips too high to prevent overarching the low back. Squeeze your glutes throughout the move, holding your legs apart for a few seconds before returning the left leg to meet the right again. Pause for a moment at the top and then slowly bring your left thigh back to the starting position. Research shows that engaging in elastic band resistance training improves balance, gait function and flexibility and may induce greater neuromuscular fatigue than exercises with isometric contractions. Step the left leg back behind you and straighten the leg, reaching through the heel. "Using a staggered stance, press the resistance band out until your arms are locked out in full extension.". Hang the calendar on your fridge, or keep it in your purse or car, for easy reference. You literally need no other equipment (see versatility benefit, below). Plus, they offer a form of strength training that works your stabilizing muscles, which adds an additional core challenge. "This added resistance from the band mimics the same stimulus as using free weights or a cable machine," Saltos says. This total-body workout utilizes exercise bands to tone every muscle group and you only have to do it three days a week. ", The Beach Is My Happy Placeand Here Are 3 Science-Backed Reasons It Should Be Yours, Too. Give your shoulders some love with a resistance band shoulder press. The next two lower body exercises are performed on your hands and knees. IE 11 is not supported. To determine what that will be, perform a few of the exercises with different bands to find the one that you can stretch completely to the end of a move. Download your printable calendar here. "Hold on to the ends of the bands," Mahoney says. Lift your right knee toward your left hand until your knee touches the band. How to do glute kickbacks: Place a resistance band around your ankles and stand with your feet hip-distance apart. Repeat 10 times. This is your starting position. As you come up into the bridge position with your back off of the ground, hold it at the top. However, what makes bands different from dumbbells is that the tension remains on the muscles during the entire exercise, whereas with dumbbells there is a part of the exercise where the muscle is not working. How to do squats: Place a resistance band around your thighs, just above your knees. Repeat each side 10 times. "You can build muscle mass using resistance bands by increasing the tension and doing fewer reps," Mahoney says. As with any other style of exercise, Mahoney says watching your form is key. Your lower abs and stability get tested with this glute bridge exercise. ", Whether you're just starting to get into your fitness flow or you're a total fitness fanatic, resistance bands work great for folks at all fitness levels because they come in a range of resistances. We do recommend opting for a pack of exercise bands that includes a variety of different resistance levels so that you can gradually increase it as you get stronger. How to: Sitting down on the floor, wrap the band around your ankles and then press back onto your hands and knees. As Gozo previously said, think about driving your knees out to avoid them caving in. Then pull the left leg straight up away from the right leg, and lower it back down. Then bring the knees back up to the starting position, and repeat for 10 times. Lie on your back with the resistance band wrapped around the upper thighs. Rest your head on your right hand or on your right forearm, and place your left hand on your left hip. This works the gluteus medius (the muscle on the outside of the hip) and the thighs. This is a workout you can do in a small space in your house or hotel room, whenever you want, and it can be modified for any fitness level. For a modification, this can be done on your knees. Open the right leg out to the right side, and then bring it back toward center. The challenge here will be to keep your upper body and hips square and stable.