5 Band Exercises For Building Full Body Strength!

As the holidays are fast approaching, I want to give you some awesome strengthening options if you are away and don’t have access to a gym or your regular home training set-up!

Here are 5 band exercises that are challenging, entertaining, and will deliver top results!

Do 2-4 rounds of this circuit. Or you can do the exercises as supersets (pair two exercises), or do the exercises individually. Do what works and feels best for you.

Here is another article where I share 5 band exercises for strengthening the glutes and hamstrings!

#1) Rear Foot Elevated Band Resisted RDLs/Deadlifts

This exercise strengthens the posterior chain muscles.

Coaching Tips:

Elevate your back foot on a stable surface. Figure out what stride length works and feels best for you. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked/level position.

Hold a long band in either hand, and place the band under the mid to back portion of your front foot. There should be resistance in the band for 100% of the exercise, and the resistance should be even on both sides.

On the foot of the front leg, keep your weight centered over the middle of your foot the entire time. Your heel and the base of your big and baby toes should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor.

Be on the forefoot/top of your back foot. Your front leg should be performing most of the work, and the back leg should serve as a kickstand of support.

Keep your arms rigid, and pretend you are crushing oranges in your armpits.

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).

Now hinge/push your hips backwards. Pretend a rope is pulling your hips backwards or that you are trying to press your hips back against a wall.

When you are hinging, pretend you are “pulling” your body back/down with your posterior chain muscles. Don’t just mindlessly drop down.

Do not relax or lose tension when you are in the bottom position.

When you reach your full range, engage/use your posterior chain muscles and press your body away from the floor and back to the top/starting position. Use a range where you can maintain proper form.

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

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knees to fall inside or outside of your feet.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked/level position.

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

Do 2-4 sets of 8-15 reps per side.

#2) Band Resisted Push-Ups

As I talk about all the time, a properly executed push-up is a moving plank! Push-ups strengthen the shoulders, chest, and triceps, improve lumbo-pelvic stability (think core), and shoulder and scapular controlled mobility.

In this variation, the ante has been upped as you will also use band resistance! If you cannot yet do push-ups from the floor, opt for the hands elevated variation, and with no band resistance.

Coaching Tips:

Get into a plank position from your hands and feet.

Place a band so it is under your hands, and is sitting just below your shoulder blades. Aim to have resistance in the band for 100% of the exercise, but you’ll notice most of the resistance towards the top of the push-up when you are completing the rep, and at the beginning of the lowering component.

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.

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), lightly close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt like you would during a dead bug, and squeeze/flex your glutes.

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

In the bottom position, your elbows should be positioned over your wrists, and forearms in a vertical position.

Do not allow your elbows to excessively point out. In the bottom position, your body and arms should resemble an “arrow,” not a “T”.

Once your upper arms are approximately parallel (or slightly closer) to the floor, press up and return to the top/starting position.

When you are pressing your body away from the floor and are returning to the top position, 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.

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

Do 2-4 sets of 8-15+ reps.

#3) Band Resisted Step-Downs

This exercise strengthens the quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, and the muscles in the lower leg and foot. Make sure you can do these well using bodyweight before you add any band resistance.

Coaching Tips:

Stand on a box, step, bench, or other stable elevated surface.

Place a band so it is sitting on your upper traps (not your neck), and is under the mid to back portion of your foot. There should be resistance in the band for 100% of the exercise.

Stand on one foot, and have a slight bend in your knee. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked/level position.

As for the non-working leg, keep it straight and close to the midline of your body. Contract your quadriceps and glutes on this side.

Keep your weight centered over the middle of your foot the entire time. Your heel and the base of your big and baby toes should remain in contact with the surface for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your surface to the floor.

Extend both of your arms so they are chest height, make fists, and generate tension in your upper body. If you are holding weights, keep your arms rigid, by your sides (or at chest height as a counterbalance) and pretend you are crushing oranges in your armpits.

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).

Now perform a step-down and slowly lower to a range that allows you to maintain proper form.

Once you hit your end range, press away from the surface and return to the top/starting position.

When you are performing the step-downs, pretend you are “pulling” your body down with your leg. Don’t just mindlessly drop down.

Do not relax or lose tension when you are in the bottom position.

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked/level position.

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

Do 2-4 sets of 6-12 reps per side.

Build full body strength, mobility, and athleticism using just a band and your bodyweight! No gym required! For beginners to intermediates in terms of training experience and ability.

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#4) Band Resisted Mountain Climbers

This exercise strengthens the hip flexors, improves lumbo-pelvic stability (think core), and shoulder and scapular stability. If you don’t have access to a surface where you can slide, you can perform the movements by stepping. The same key points in form apply.

To note, the goal here is not making oneself exhausted. Many people perform mountain climbers incorrectly and just go through the motions in an attempt to chase exhaustion. If you try this here you will be humbled very quickly.

Coaching Tips:

Place a resistance band around your feet, and place your feet on sliders/towels. You might also be able to do this using socks.

Get into a plank position from your hands and feet. Your body should be in a straight(ish) line from your head to heels.

Place your hands so they are underneath your shoulders. Spread your fingers, and pretend you are suctioning or screwing your 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), lightly close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt like you would during a dead bug, and squeeze/flex your glutes on the planted side.

While remaining in the plank position, perform 3 quick but controlled ‘’jogs/strides.’’ On the third stride, pause in the top position for a count (when your knee is underneath your body). This sequence is one rep.

For the duration of the exercise, press your body away from the floor/towards the ceiling and protract your shoulder blades (spread them apart and move them away from your spine and around your ribcage). Do not mindlessly hang out.

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your shoulder blades or shoulders to elevate towards your ears. Keep your shoulder blades down/depressed. Imagine you are sliding your shoulder blades down towards your heels.

For the duration of the exercise, your body should remain in a straight(ish) line from your head to heels.

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

Do 2-4 sets of 5-8 reps per side. 1 rep = 3 strides/jogs

#5) Band Resisted Leg Extensions From Bear Crawl

This exercise strengthens the quadriceps, improves shoulder and scapular stability, and lumbo-pelvic stability (think core).⁣⁣⁣

Coaching Tips:

Hold a resistance band under your hands, and loop the band behind your knees. There should be resistance in the band for 100% of the exercise.

Get into a bear crawl position. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked/level position.

Start so your thighs are relatively vertical, knees are bent, and are several inches above the floor. Your hands should be roughly below your shoulders, or slightly ahead. Figure out what works and feels best for you.

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), lightly close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt like you would during a dead bug, and squeeze/flex your glutes.

Now use your quadriceps and extend/straighten your knees.

Pause for a count when your knees are fully extended and really contract/flex your quadriceps. Do not let your knees hyperextend, and make sure the movement is smooth and controlled.

Return to the starting position with complete control. Stop when your knees are just above the floor, and thighs are in a relatively vertical position.

For the duration of the exercise, press your body away from the floor and protract your shoulder blades (spread them apart and move them away from your spine and around your ribcage). Do not mindlessly hang out.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked/level position.

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

Do 2-4 sets of 10-15 reps.

Build full body strength, mobility, and athleticism with mostly dumbbells and some bands. For ‘’experienced’’ beginners to intermediates in terms of training experience and ability, and also coaches. You should have 3-6 months minimum of strength training experience (my recommendation). Home workout friendly, and great for gym workouts!

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