5 Awesome Resistance Band Exercises

Over the past few weeks I’ve been doing all of my workouts at home. I have been having so much fun, and have found my workouts tough and effective. Bodyweight training is NO joke, and it’s definitely NOT boring!!

This week I am sharing 5 awesome resistance band exercises. I think you’ll be surprised by how tough these “home workout” exercises are.

#1) Step-Downs + Band Resistance

This exercise strengthens the lower body, and improves balance.

Coaching Tips:

Stand on a coffee table, chair, or other stable elevated surface. ⁣⁣The surface should be high enough so you can achieve your full depth during the step down. ⁣

Place a resistance band over your upper traps, and under your mid foot. There should be resistance in the band for as close to 100% of the exercise as possible, but you will likely notice the most resistance during the initial component of the lowering, and at the very top during the lockout.⁣

⁣Stand on one foot, and have a slight bend in your knee. As for the non-working leg, keep it straight and close to the midline of your body. Contract your quads and glutes on this side.

⁣⁣Form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your foot, and the base of your big and baby toes. ⁣⁣Pretend you are suctioning your foot to the surface.

⁣⁣Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection). ⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣Now perform a single leg step-down and go to a depth that allows you to maintain proper form, then push back up and return to the starting position.⁣⁣ Ideally, stop before your foot touches the floor, but lightly touch the floor if you need some assistance.⁣

Exhale after you have pressed away and are approaching the top position.⁣⁣⁣

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate. ⁣⁣⁣

Do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot. ⁣⁣

#2) Single Leg Foot Elevated Hip Lifts + Band Resisted Isometric Psoas March

This exercise, which combines a single leg hip lift and a band resisted isometric psoas march, strengthens the posterior chain muscles and psoas muscles, and improves lumbo-pelvic stability. To note, having the foot pressing forward against a couch (having no support underneath) versus having the heel pressing down on a surface and being supported slightly alters how the muscles are being targeted. I think you’ll notice a difference.

Coaching Tips:

Place a resistance band around your midfeet.

Lie on your back on the floor. Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position.

Bend your knee, and place the back of your foot against a couch or wall. Make sure your knee is in line with your foot.

On the other side, perform a psoas march and bring your knee in towards your body. For the duration of the exercise, use your psoas muscles and keep your leg in this position.

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection).

Now extend your hips by driving through the back portion of your foot and squeezing your glutes and hamstrings, NOT by arching your lower back and flaring your ribcage. This is extremely important. In the top position, your body should form a straight line from your knee to shoulders.

When you get to the top position, hold for a count or more and really squeeze your glutes.

Return to the starting position in a controlled manner.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position, and should move as a single unit. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend or round, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate. Your torso and hips should remain square to the ceiling.

Do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot.

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

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#3) Superman Band Pull-Aparts

This exercise improves shoulder and scapular controlled mobility, and strengthens the posterior core musculature.

Coaching Tips:

Hold onto a resistance band in each hand. You will not need to use much resistance to make this exercise both challenging and effective.

Lie in a prone position on the floor. Set your body so it is in a straight line from the top/back of your head to heels, tuck your chin, and keep your neck in a neutral position.

Keep your legs fully extended, and lift your lower legs and feet off the floor, and lift your head, shoulders, and upper chest off the floor. Keep your body in this position by using your posterior core muscles and glutes.

In the starting position, your arms and hands should be several inches above the floor, with your arms in a fully extended and overhead position.

Lightly press your tongue against the roof of your mouth (behind your upper front teeth). This subtle trick can make keeping your head and neck from collapsing much easier.

While keeping your arms fully extended, use the muscles around your shoulder blades and perform a band pull-apart. When you do, your torso and arms should roughly form a t shape. Now perform the reverse movements with control and return your arms to the starting position.

Do not perform the pull-apart by hyperextending your lower back and flaring your ribcage, shrugging your shoulders, or bending your elbows or wrists.

Do not keep your shoulder blades pinned. They are meant to move.

For the duration of the exercise, your body should remain in a straight(ish) line from the top/back of your head to heels (the superman position is a slightly curved shape). Do not allow your lower back to excessively hyperextend (there will be some extension), ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate.

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace), and contract your glutes. In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

#4) Single Leg Towel Slide Deadlifts + Band Resistance

This exercise strengthens the posterior chain muscles, and is also a great option if you are learning how to do single leg deadlifts.

Coaching Tips:

Loop a resistance band under the mid to back portion of your foot, and hold the band in both hands. There should be resistance in the band for 100% of the exercise, and the resistance should be even on both sides.

Adopt your preferred stance. Place one foot on a towel. Keep the leg that is on this side fully extended, and close to the midline of your body. Contract your glutes and quads on this side.

Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position.

Form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your foot, and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your foot should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor.

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection).

Now hinge/push your hips backwards. As you are doing so, slide your other foot back on the towel (you should be on the forefoot when you do). Pretend a rope is pulling your hips backwards or that you are trying to press your hips back against a wall. Do not perform the movement by squatting, rounding or arching your back, dropping your chest towards the floor, or a combination of the above.

When you reach your full range, engage your posterior chain muscles and press your body away from the floor and back to the starting position. Lower does not mean better if your form deteriorates. Go to a range where you can maintain proper form.

Perform the lockout by squeezing your glutes and hamstrings and extend your hips, and extend your knee.

Exhale after you have pressed away from the floor and are approaching the top position.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate.

Do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot.

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#5) Negative 1.5 Rep Push-Ups + Band Resistance

This exercise strengthens the chest, shoulders, and triceps, and improves lumbo-pelvic stability. In this exercise you will use a negative 1.5 rep tempo, which I will describe below.

Coaching Tips:

Place a resistance band under your hands, and so it is resting just below your shoulder blade area. Make sure that the band does not interfere with the movement of your shoulder blades. While I prefer to put the band between my thumbs and second fingers, figure out what band placement works and feels best for you.

Choose a resistance that allows you to use proper form at all times. There should be resistance in as close to 100% of the exercise as possible. That being said, the resistance will likely be the most challenging during the initial part of the eccentric component, and as you are returning to the top position of the push-up, and are locking out.

Get into a plank position from your hands and feet. Set your body so it is in a straight line from the top/back of your head to heels, tuck your chin, and keep your neck in a neutral position.

While maintaining the same body positioning, gaze directly down to a spot on the floor. For the duration of the exercise, your eyes should remain fixed on this spot.

Adopt your preferred foot width. You may place your feet so they are together, shoulder width apart, or somewhere in between.

Position your hands so they are shoulder width apart or slightly wider. Figure out what hand width and positioning works and feels best for you.

At the top of the push-up, your shoulders, elbows and wrists should be in a relatively stacked position.

Your weight should be evenly distributed throughout your full hands and fingers, not just at the base of your hands/wrists. Pretend you are trying to spread your full hands and fingers to the floor.

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection), and squeeze your glutes.

Lightly press your tongue against the roof of your mouth (behind your upper front teeth). This subtle trick can make keeping your head and neck from collapsing much easier.

Descend into the push-up and retract your shoulder blades. Think about lightly drawing your shoulder blades together and towards your spine as you are performing the eccentric component, but do not overdo this movement. Imagine you are pulling or “rowing” your body down to the floor. Do not just drop down.

Aim to lower yourself down in 3-5 seconds. Once you reach the bottom position of the push-up, press halfway up, then return to the bottom position, and then finally press up to the top/starting position. This is one rep.

In the bottom position, your elbows should be positioned over your wrists, and forearms in a vertical position. Do not allow your elbows to flare out. In the bottom position, your body and upper arms should resemble an “arrow,” not a “T”.

When you are pressing your body away from the floor and are returning to the top position (and also when you are pressing halfway up), protract your shoulder blades. Think about spreading your shoulder blades apart and moving them away from your spine and around your ribcage. Do not keep them pinned.

For the duration of the exercise, your body should remain in a straight line from the top/back of your head to heels. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, hips to collapse or pike, or neck to collapse.