18 Resistance Band Exercises For A Healthier Physique

We exist in a world where maintaining a healthy diet and a proper physical well being is not something on our mind all the time. We often do fail to stick to a proper diet and a proper exercise routine that could help improve our overall physical well being. The resistance band exercises are one of the best forms of exercise that one can indulge in.

Depending on the part of the body that you want to tone down, there are varieties of resistance band workout that one can opt for. There are specific types that target the core, shoulders, upper body, lower body and even the back as well.

In here, we are going to walk you through some of the best resistance band exercises that you can opt for to boost your overall well being for the better.

Best Resistance Band Exercise For Full Body

While we did mention before that there are an abundance of resistance band exercises available that one can opt for, we want to make it easier for you to choose the one best suitable for you. To make it easier, we have sub-divided them into parts, focusing on the area of the body that they target around.

Let us take a look at each one of them, shall we?

For the Upper Body

Finding suitable exercises with resistance bands for the upper body isn’t rocket science. You can easily get your hands on quite a lot of them. We have segregated the best ones in the lot for you to go through that will help in shaping up your upper body.

1. Resistance Band Bicep Curl

Targets: Biceps and Forearms

How to do?

• Stand straight placing both the feet on the resistance band
• Hold each end of the band in each hand, extending your arm and then keeping the palms facing forward
• Gradually, without extra exertion, curl your hands towards the direction of your shoulders
• Ensure to keep your elbows tight to your sides only
• Slowly, return your hands back to the initial position

How many times?

• Do 5-10 reps at one go

2. Resistance Band Chest Fly

Targets: Forearms, Shoulders, Chest, Pectorals

How to do?

• Find someone secure behind yourself. It could be a gymnasium rod or even a wall. Loop the resistance band through it
• Grab each of ends of the handles of the band and spread your arms towards your back to resemble a “T”
• Keep one of your feet slightly in front of the other so that the stance is staggered. Stand far enough forward to ensure that there is enough tension in the band. This is where you initially start the exercise
• Pull on the bands to bring the held handles to the front of your body. Make sure that  your arms are straight with a slight fold in the area of the elbows
• Gradually extend your arms back out in the initial position again. Don’t rush through this step and release the bands very slowly

How many times?

• 5-10 reps at a stretch

3. Resistance Band bent Over Row

Targets: Biceps, Shoulders, Lower back

How to do?

• Much like with Bicep curl, stand straight with your feet placed on the resistance band. Stand hip-width apart.
• Hold onto each of the end of the resistance band by your side, ensuring that the palms face towards each other
• Bend your knees at a slight angle and hunch forward at the hips. Make sure that during this, your arms and back are straight
• Bring a slight bend to your elbow to gradually pull the band towards your chest. Keep your elbows at a proximal distance to your body
• Then again straighten out your arms and bring them back to the initial position

How many times?

• 4-8 reps at one go

4. Resistance Band Chest Press

Targets: Pectoral muscles, Shoulder muscles, Chest, Forearms, Biceps

How to do?

• Loop the resistance bands through something stable and stout behind you
• Grab on each end of the handle of the band and then hold your arms straight at your side ensuring that your elbows are bent at 90 degrees
• Stand with one of the feet slightly forward than the other hand to have a stable and staggered stance.
• Press down on the handles in the forward direction until your hands meet in the front of the body
• Once done, gradually retract the arms back to the initial position, ensuring not to let the band spring back in a rush

How many times?

• 4-8 reps at one go

5. Resistance Bands Good Morning

Targets: Lower back, Forearms, Glutes, Groin, Hamstrings and Hip Flexors

How to do?

• Place both of your feet on the resistance band, ensuring that it is hip-width apart. Hold each end of the band in either hand
• Bring forth a soft bend to the knees and bend forward at your hips ensuring that you push back your butt slightly at the same time
• When your torso is parallel to the floor, that’s where you stop bending
• Again, drive your hips forward and gradually return back to your original position again

How many times?

• 4-8 reps at one go

6. Resistance Band Lat Pulldown

Targets: Lats, Biceps, Middle Back, Shoulders

How to do?

• Through a rod above you, loop the resistance band around it
• Make sure that you are standing with a foot slightly forward than the other one
• Hold onto each end of the band with either hand
• Stretching the bands extend your arms towards the ceiling in a diagonal stance. Ensure that while doing so, the core and the back are lighted and slightly inclined in the forward direction
• Then, bring your hands down and out around to the shoulder height and hold this stance for a moment ensuring to squeeze in your back and the shoulders tightly
• Gradually, bring back your arms in the initial position

How many times?

• 5 reps at one go

For the Lower Body

With the upper body resistance band exercises done and dusted, it is time that we discuss about some of the best ones that are best targeted towards the lower half of the body and to keep that in shape.

Let us take a look at some of them, shall we?

7. Resistance Band Glute Kick Back

Targets: Glutes, Hip muscles partially

How to do?

• Start with the position of being on your hands and knees
• Loop one end of the resistance band through your left ankle and the other one through the arch of the right foot
• Being in that position, lift up your left leg and stretch it straight behind you, forcing the pressure against the resistance of the band. Try and ensure that you straighten out your leg as much as possible
• Once done, bring the leg back to the initial position. Do the same with the right leg next

How many times?

• 5 reps with alternate legs

8. Resistance Band Lateral Lunge

Targets: Side of the glutes, Thighs, Butt/Hips

How to do?

• Loop a resistance band either through your ankles or around your knees, as per your preference.
• Keep your stance straight with your legs together and ensure to hold your hands together in front of your chest or even place them around your chest
• Start by pushing your right leg to the right ensuring to take around a 2 feet stretch against the resistance
• When your right foot is about to hit the ground, slightly hinge forward at the hips and slightly push your butt back followed by bending your right knee to gradually lower around into a lunge position
• Hold that stance for a second or so and then return the leg back to the initial position
• Repeat the same thing with the other leg as well

How many times?

• 3-4 reps with each leg

9. Resistance Band Glute Bridge

Targets: Hips, Butt, Thighs, Groin

How to do?

• On a yoga mat, lie down on your back, keeping your hands by the side of your body making sure that your knees are bent and feet flat on the floor hip-width apart.
• Take a resistance band and loop it around your thighs, placing them just above the knees. This is where the initial position is in
• Put in force and pressure squeezing in through your glutes and the abs ensuring to push through the heels to lift your hips a few inches off the floor. Make sure that you have enough tension around the band so the knees don’t end up collapsing
• Gradually, bring your hips down little by little to the initial position

How many times?

• 5-10 reps

10. Resistance Band Kneeling Crunches

Targets: Biceps, Forearms, Shoulders, Hips, Thighs

How to do?

• Through a metal bar or anchor, loop the resistance band through it.
• Place a yoga mat on the ground and kneel down on the floor ensuring that you have your back to the band. Reaching over your shoulders, grab onto each side of the band with either hand. Make sure to keep your hands rested in front of your shoulders.
• Pull-on the band while simultaneously pushing your torso in the forward direction, making sure that you are crunching down against the resistance
• All the while, ensure that your arms and legs are still and the force and pressure altogether is coming from just the core of the body
• Bring your torso back to the initial position that you started out with. Be very slow and gradual with releasing the band on top

How many times?

• 3-6 reps

For the back

With the upper body resistance band exercises sorted and with the lower body resistance band exercises sorted, it is finally time to bring forth better ways to do these exercises to tone down the back and make the back muscles more active and stretched.

There are quite a few that we would like to delve into and share some of the easy ways in which you can easily master them without any kind of issues at all.

Let us take a look at some of them, shall we?

11. Resistance Band Bent Over Row

Targets: Lower back, biceps, shoulders

How to do?

• Start by placing both of your feet on the resistance band keeping your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Bend down slightly at the knees and then bring your hips forward
• Hold onto each of the handles ensuring that they are facing the direction outside of the knee
• With the bent elbow, pull the resistance band towards your hips, ensuring that your elbows form a 90-degree angle with your elbows

How many times?

• 10-12 reps

12. Resistance Band Pull Apart

Targets: Middle back, Forearm, Shoulders

How to do?

• Stand straight and hold a resistance band in front of your with your arms outstretched in front of you ensuring that your palms are facing up
• Retract your shoulders gradually and stretch the band in the process to spread them apart
• Use your rear delts to do this instead of your arms
• Bring yourself back to the initial position and start again

How many times?

• 10-12 reps

13. Resistance Band Seated Row

Targets: Arms, Shoulder, Lower back

How to do?

• Start by sitting on a yoga mat and ensuring that you have your legs folded slightly at your knees
• Tie one end of the resistance band to a sturdy pole or metal bar and hold the other end of the band with both of your hands
• Ensure that you are sitting with a straight posture
• Bend your elbow slightly and gradually pull the band towards the core of your body, simultaneously squeezing your shoulder blades in the meanwhile
• Return back to the initial position again gradually

How many times?

• 8-10 reps

14. Resistance band Lying Pullover

Targets: Pec, Lat, Upper back

How to do?

• Anchor one end of the resistance band to something stable at a lower position behind your head
• Lie down on your back and hold onto the other end of the resistance band
• Meanwhile, stretch your arms overhead with your elbows slightly bent
• Bring the band towards your knees and then retract back to the starting position again

How many times?

• 8-10 reps

For the shoulders

Using resistance band exercises for shoulders are quite common. They are very effective in putting your resistance band workout routine to a good use and effectively bring forth better stretchability in the muscles.

Let us take a look at some of the shoulder resistance band exercises, shall we?

15. Resistance Band Overhead press

Targets: Shoulders

How to do?

• Start by standing straight with your feet shoulder width apart. Ensure that you have placed both of your feet on the resistance band
• Next, hold each end of the band with either hand and keep the same just outside of your shoulders
• Start by stretching the band directly over your shoulders ensuring that your arms are straight
• Once done, bring back your arms and resume everything back to the initial position

How many times?

• 8-10 reps

16. Resistance Band Upright Row

Targets: Shoulders, Biceps, Forearms

How to do?

• Position your feet on top of the resistance band, trapping it in place, ensure that you are standing shoulder width apart
• Grip each of the handles with either hands and ensure that your palms are facing each other just in front of your thighs
• Carefully stretch and pull the band to the shoulder level ensuring to keep your elbows in a “V” position
• Once done, carefully lower back down to the initial position

How many times?

• 10-12 reps

17. Resistance Band Bent-Over Rear Delt Fly

Targets: Shoulders, Rear deltoids

How to do?

• Loop the resistance band under your feet and hold the end of the same with either hands
• Slightly bend forward from the waist, ensuring that you keep your back straight
• Raise your arms straight to the side ensuring that the resistance band reaches the shoulder levels
• Gradually lower it back to the initial position

How many times?

• 10-12 reps

18. Resistance Band Lateral Raise

Targets: Shoulders

How to do?

• Stand with both of your feet in the centre of the resistance band, ensuring that you have yourself stood shoulder-width apart
• Hold onto each end of the band in either hand
• Slightly bend your elbows and raise your arms out to the side up till the level of the shoulders
• Once done, gradually bring it back down to the initial position

How many times?

• 10-12 reps

There are several full body resistance band exercises available that you can master and do on a daily basis. They are targeted to make your body healthier and fitter like never before. If you are looking for resistance band exercise for core, chances are that we have covered them all here.

The resistance band exercises in general are quite amazing to adhere to. If you have been struggling time and time to achieve a good physique, you are definitely in for a ride right now with the list of exercises that we have mentioned above.