Resistance Band Exercises: Get a Full-Body Workout With Just Resistance Bands

Muscles worked: Glutes, hamstrings, core, lower back, and hip adductors

Benefits: “Bodyweight glute bridges are already good for blasting your core and building lower-body muscles, but adding a resistance band around your knees helps improve hip mobility and strength, too,” says Caine Wilkes, OLY, USAW-L1.

How to do it: 

1. Lie supine (on your back) on the ground (or on one of the best exercise mats) with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, arms extended at your sides, palms pressed into the floor, and a resistance band wrapped around your thighs, just above your knees.
2. Thrust your hips upward, keeping your shoulders and upper back pressed into the floor. Push your knees outward as you move to fight against the resistance band.
3. Continue until your body forms a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.
4. Squeeze your glutes at the top, then slowly lower your torso back to the floor.
5. Repeat for reps.

How to do it: 

1. Get on all fours and wrap a resistance band around your upper back and shoulders.
2. Hold the other end of the resistance band loop in your hands and push the band into the floor as you get into your push-up position.
3. Slowly bend your elbows, keeping them tucked into your torso, to lower yourself down.
4. Continue until your chest lightly touches the floor.
5. Push yourself back up by extending your elbows.
6. Repeat for reps.

Muscles worked: Rectus and transversus abdominis, obliques, hip flexors and adductors

Benefits: According to the American Council on Exercise¹, the bicycle crunch is the best exercise for strengthening the rectus abdominis and ranks second best in terms of oblique activation. Throwing a mini-band around your feet makes that killer movement even deadlier by providing further activation to your core, quads, and hip flexors.

How to do it: 

1. Lie on your back and place a mini-band around your feet.
2. Lift your legs off the floor and clasp your fingers behind your head.
3. Drive your left knee toward your chest, bringing the right elbow across the body to meet it. Keep your right leg extended.
4. Extend the left leg as you drive your right knee toward your chest, meeting it with your left elbow across the body.
5. Continue alternating sides until you complete the desired number of repetitions.

Muscles worked: Shoulders, glutes, core

Benefits: “The wood chop exercise is excellent,” says Caine. “It’s a functional movement, so it helps build better biomechanics that translates to other exercises and movement patterns, that hits muscle groups throughout the entire body, builds anti-rotational strength, core strength and stability, and, the best part, you can do it with a resistance band!”

How to do it: 

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart with a looped resistance band beneath your right foot.
2. Grip the other end of the band with a mixed grip—left hand underhand, right hand overhand.
3. Raise both arms over your left shoulder, keeping your elbows extended, core tight, and glutes engaged.
4. Swing your arms across your body toward your right hip.
5. Repeat for reps, then position the resistance band beneath your left foot and do your next set swinging from your right shoulder to left hip.

Muscles worked: Glutes, hip adductors, core

Benefits: Wrapping a mini-band around your legs and stepping sideways seems unassuming, but this simple movement provides major activation to your glutes and hips. The result is an increase in strength and mobility in your hips, plus an overall greater range of motion.

How to do it: 

1. Wrap a mini-band around your thighs and bend your knees slightly.
2. Take one small step to the side, fighting against the resistance of the band.
3. Continue for distance or until you complete the desired number of repetitions.
4. Repeat the set on your other side.

Muscles worked: Traps, rhomboids, posterior delts, biceps, triceps, forearms

Benefits: The band pull-apart is another simple move that stretches and strengthens the chest, arms, and shoulders while practicing scapular movement, including retraction and protraction. You can use it to build muscle and strength or as a warm-up exercise before a heavy chest day.

How to do it: 

1. Hold a resistance band in front of your chest with your arms nearly fully extended.
2. Pull the band apart until it’s lightly touching your upper body.
3. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the end of the movement.
4. Slowly return your arms to the starting position.
5. Repeat for reps.

Muscles worked: Pectorals, anterior delts, triceps

Benefits: “There are some unique benefits associated with the band chest press,” says Caine. “Like the regular bench or chest press, you’ll receive muscle activation in the chest and triceps. The elastic tension also increases your stability and core engagement while improving your movement efficiency.”

How to do it: 

1. Anchor your resistance band slightly below chest height.
2. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, your back to the anchor point, your elbows bent, and the resistance band held with both hands.
3. Step forward until you feel tension in the band.
4. Press the band forward until your elbows are nearly fully extended.
5. Squeeze your pecs, then slowly return your arms to the starting position.
6. Repeat for reps.

Muscles worked: Biceps, forearms, anterior delts

Benefits: Biceps curls and resistance bands are a match made in heaven. Because the variable resistance is most intense at the top of your curl when the bicep is fully contracted, you’ll get a fantastic pump!

How to do it: 

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart with the elastic band held down by both feet.
2. Hold the other side of the band with your arms extended and your palms facing up.
3. Bend your elbows to curl the band toward your shoulders.
4. Squeeze your biceps at the top, then slowly lower the band back down.
5. Repeat as needed.

Muscles worked: Triceps, shoulders, chest, lats, forearms

Benefits: Few exercises target the triceps with as much intensity as the triceps extension, so it’s crucial to incorporate the band triceps exercise in any resistance band workout involving the arms or full-body activation.

How to do it: 

1. Position your resistance band beneath your right foot, holding the handles with both hands behind your head and your elbows fully bent.
2. Step forward with your left foot to enter a staggered stance.
3. Extend your elbows, keeping your upper arms stationary.
4. Continue until you reach the overhead lockout position.
5. Squeeze your triceps, then slowly bend your elbows to return to the starting position.
6. Repeat for reps.

Muscles worked: Traps, delts, triceps, chest, core

Benefits: “Overhead presses are a staple in my strength training routine,” says Caine. “They’re crucial for developing all-purpose upper-body strength, muscle, and power, but they also help teach good movement mechanics that translates to weightlifting and everyday life.”

How to do it: 

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, back flat, chest up, and core tight. Your resistance band should be positioned beneath both feet.
2. Hold the other end of your elastic band with your hands at shoulder height, your palms facing the ceiling, and your elbows stacked beneath your wrists.
3. Press the band toward the ceiling until your elbows are nearly fully locked out.
4. Squeeze your shoulders and upper back at the top.
5. Slowly lower the band back down with control.
6. Repeat for reps.

Muscles worked: Delts, traps, serratus anterior

Benefits: Using a resistance band for your lateral raises provides the same isolation activation in the deltoids (with some minor activation to a few surrounding muscle groups). However, it generally feels easier due to the difference in the resistance type. So, you can really rack up the reps!

How to do it: 

1. Stand with your resistance band pinned to the floor by your feet. 
2. Hold the handles with your palms facing you and your arms at your sides.
3. Pull the resistance band upward and outward, keeping your elbows extended.
4. Continue until you reach approximately shoulder height.
5. Squeeze your delts, then slowly return to the starting position.
6. Repeat for reps.

Muscles worked: Quads, glutes, hamstrings, hip adductors, core

Benefits: Band squats serve as a perfect middle step for beginners who are ready to move on from bodyweight squats but not quite ready to tackle the barbell back squat. According to the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research², band squats “may…improve sprinting, [change of direction] ability, and jump explosiveness” when used during your warm-up.

How to do it: 

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and a resistance band positioned beneath them. Loop the other end over your head and across your shoulders and upper back or hold each end at shoulder height if using a band with handles.
2. Push your hips back, bend your knees, and lower yourself into a squat position.
3. Continue until your thighs are nearly parallel with the floor.
4. Pause, then drive through your heels to stand.
5. Squeeze your glutes at the top and bring your hips to full extension.
6. Repeat for reps.

Muscles worked: Glutes, hamstrings, lower back, core, calves, and upper back

Benefits: “The good morning exercise is incredible for stretching and strengthening the glutes and hamstrings, but it’s also excellent for practicing your hip hinge,” says Caine. “Like the band squat, adding an elastic band is perfect if you’re ready to move on from the bodyweight good morning but not quite ready to work with a barbell.”

How to do it: 

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and a resistance band positioned beneath them. Loop the other end over your head and across your shoulders and upper back.
2. Push your hips back and lower your chest toward the floor, keeping your back straight and your legs mostly extended except for a slight bend in your knees.
3. Continue until you feel a strong stretch in your hamstrings.
4. Pause, then reverse the movement and bring your hips forward.
5. Squeeze your glutes at the top and bring your hips to full extension.
6. Repeat for reps.

Muscles worked: Glutes, hamstrings, calves, and core

Benefits: Band kickbacks are for more than building your backside; they also train your hamstrings without having to flex your knee. That’s a major plus for people who have to work around knee issues, including pain, weakness, or preexisting injuries.

How to do it: 

1. Secure a mini-band around your ankles and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. You can also loop your band around a squat rack if one is available.
2. Place your hands on the wall (or rack support) in front of you for stability.
3. “Kick” your right foot back without bending your knee.
4. Continue until you feel a strong contraction in your glutes and hamstrings.
5. Squeeze, then slowly return to the starting position.
6. Repeat the movement with your left foot.
7. Continue alternating sides until you finish the set.

Muscles worked: Latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, traps, erector spinae, biceps, triceps, core

Benefits: The seated row is one of the more common back exercises, so you’re probably in luck if you endeavor to do this back-building staple at any commercial gym in the country. Not everyone has room for a cable machine in their home gym, but thanks to resistance bands, you don’t need one to do your seated rows at home!

How to do it: 

1. Sit on the floor with your legs fully extended in front of you.
2. Wrap a resistance band around your feet and lean forward to grip the handles.
3. Pull the handles towards your body, leading with your elbows.
4. Continue until your elbows pass your torso and your shoulder blades pinch together.
5. Squeeze the contraction, then slowly guide the handles back to the start.
6. Repeat for reps.

Muscles worked: Lats, biceps, traps, delts, pecs, rhomboids, serratus anterior, core

Benefits: “Pull-ups are among the best bodyweight exercises at your disposal, but the problem is they’re exceedingly difficult,” says Caine. “That’s where the band pull-up comes in. It gives you some assistance to help you develop the required muscles and practice the movement.”

How to do it: 

1. Wrap a resistance band around a pull-up bar and make sure it’s secure.
2. Grip the pull-up bar using an overhand grip and step one foot into the loop of the resistance band, dropping into a supported dead hang.
3. Pull yourself up toward the bar. The band will assist your movement.
4. Continue until your chin passes over the bar.
5. Pause, then lower yourself back down with control.
6. Repeat for reps.