This might come as a surprise to some, you don’t always need to use a lot of equipment or weight to make exercises challenging and effective. Here are 5 resistance band exercises that will humble you! While these exercises are great for home workouts, they can also be done at the gym. I bet you haven’t seen many of these exercises before!
#1) Long Lever Copenhagen Plank Lift-Offs + Band Resisted Isometric Psoas March
This exercise strengthens the adductors and hip flexors, improves lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder and scapular stability.
Coaching Tips:
- Place a resistance band around your feet.
- Fully extend your leg and place your ankle and foot on a stable elevated surface.
- Get into a side plank position from your forearm and ankle/foot. Your shoulder should be above your elbow.
- If this fully extended position bothers your knee/any other part of your body, opt for the bent knee variation (your knee should be bent to 90 degrees, and your knee, lower leg and foot should be on the surface).
- On the side closest to the floor, bring your knee and thigh in towards your body. For the duration of the exercise, keep your knee and thigh relatively close to your body. Do not allow your leg to get pulled away from your body.
- 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 use your adductors and press your body away from the surface and towards the ceiling. Pause in the top position for 1-2 seconds, then return to the starting position with complete control.
- The movement during the lowering will be relatively minimal. Do not perform the “lowering” by sinking into your shoulder (see point below).
- For the duration of the exercise, push away from the floor/towards the ceiling and protract your shoulder blade (move it 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 position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or hips to rotate.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine).
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#2) Single Leg Hamstring Slide-Outs + Band Resisted Isometric Psoas March
This exercise strengthens the hip flexors, posterior chain muscles, and improves lumbo-pelvic stability.
Coaching Tips:
- Place a resistance band around your feet.
- Lie on the floor, and place the back of your foot on a towel/slider. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.
- On one side, bring your knee and thigh in towards your body. For the duration of the exercise, keep your knee and thigh relatively close to your body. At the very least, your thigh should remain in a vertical position. Do not allow your leg to get pulled forward.
- On the other side, in the starting position your shin should be in a vertical position. Keep your arms on the floor, and point your forearms towards the ceiling. Aim to use as little support from your upper body as possible.
- Take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).
- Extend your hips by pressing through the back of your foot and squeezing your glutes, NOT by arching your lower back and flaring your ribcage. In the top position, your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to knee.
- Before each rep of the slide-outs, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes (on the planted side).
- Now slowly extend your leg and slide your foot forward. Use your hamstrings to control the movement. Once you hit your end range (a range where you are able to maintain proper form), contract your hamstrings (perform a hamstring curl) and return your lower body to the top/starting 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 position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, or hips to excessively collapse.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes on the planted side.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#3) Foot Elevated Band Resisted Leg Extensions + Band Resisted Isometric Psoas March
This exercise strengthens the hip flexors and quadriceps, improves lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder and scapular stability.
Coaching Tips:
- Place a resistance band around your feet. Hold a long resistance band in your hands, and loop the band behind your knees. There should be resistance in the band for 100% of the exercise.
- Elevate your forefoot on a bench, or other stable surface. On the other side, bring your knee and thigh in towards your body. For the duration of the exercise, keep your knee and thigh relatively close to your body.
- Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position. Start so your thighs are relatively vertical, knees are bent, and are several inches above the floor.
- Your hands should be approximately 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), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).
- Now use your quadriceps and extend your leg.
- Pause for a count when your leg is fully extended and really contract your quadriceps. Do not let your knee hyperextend, and make sure the movement is smooth and controlled.
- Return to the starting position with complete control. Stop when your knee is just above the floor, and thigh is in a relatively vertical position.
- 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, 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.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine).
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
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#4) Single Leg Band Resisted Isometric Deadlift + Band Resisted Hip Circles
This deceptively tough exercise strengthens the posterior chain muscles, the muscles in the lower leg and foot, and improves lumbo-pelvic stability.
Coaching Tips:
- Put your forefoot on a slider/towel. This side should serve purely as a kickstand of support.
- Loop a small resistance band around your ankles (or knees), rest a long resistance band under the mid to back portion of your foot, and hold the band in both hands. There should be a significant amount of resistance in this long band.
- On the planted side, maintain 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.
- Get into a RDL position by hinging/pushing your hips backwards. Pretend a rope is pulling your hips backwards or that you are trying to press your hips back against a wall. Maintain this position for the duration of the exercise.
- While remaining in the hip hinge position, perform relatively circular slides with the side that is on the towel/slider.
- The challenging part…aside from this moving leg, the rest of your body should remain in a fixed position for the duration of the exercise.
- For the duration of the exercise, on the planted side, 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 position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or hips to rotate.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and contract your posterior chain muscles (on the planted side).
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#5) Half Kneeling Band Resisted Isometric Hamstring Curl
This deceptively tough exercise strengthens the hamstrings isometrically.
Coaching Tips:
- Attach a band around a secure surface, and loop the band around the back of your ankle.
- Get into a half kneeling position. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Lightly rest your hands against a wall/surface.
- On the front foot, maintain 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.
- Perform a hamstring curl, and hold in the “curl” position for the target amount of time.
- 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 position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, hips to rotate, or hip to drop on one side.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine).
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
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