Resistance bands are a great workout tool for building muscle and adding resistance to simple movements!
Sometimes we don’t want to buy dumbbells, or travel with them, so resistance bands allow us to still get in a great workout without the bulky equipment! I will say, equipment is not always necessary.
You can definitely get in a great workout without having to bring equipment on the road, or spend money on it at all!
This resistance band workout routine is going to be a timed circuit to keep you moving the entire time and work every muscle group!
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The beauty of these workouts is that you do not have to count reps.
You just focus on the exercise and your form; you perform each exercise for 30 seconds and then rest for 15 seconds between each!
Another great thing about timed circuits is that you know exactly how long the workout is going to be.
With resistance training or circuit training, the workout takes as long as you are doing the exercises and reps. So if you are lifting heavier or moving slower, it is going to take longer.
But with timed circuit, you know you are getting in and out in a matter of 18-25 minutes (or whatever your workout length is).
So really, a timed circuit is ideal if you are short on time. It makes you keep moving the entire time.
The resistance band workout…
4 Rounds: :30 seconds of work, :15 seconds of rest
• Static front lunge with step back
• Penguin walk
• Squat
• Burpee over band
• Band punches
Feel the burn on this exercise! The hold on the front leg is going to keep it in a “shortened” or contracted position. This means the blood flow to the muscle will increase because the muscle is never relaxing. So…get ready for a major burn!
Form: Place the band under one foot and hold the handles. Staying in a bench position you are going to lunge back with the leg that is not standing on the band and then come back to center. Complete 15 seconds on each foot, remembering to stay in a bent knee position the entire time. Free foot lunges back, steps together, lunges back, steps together etc.
Modification: Lessen the resistance on the band or omit. You can always stand up to give your legs a rest and then go straight back into it.
This is a great exercise to work the outer/inner thighs and glutes. The resistance on the band is what will keep the glutes working through the entire range of motion, as well as target the inner thighs as you step out. Simple exercise that any beginner to advanced exerciser can do, without too much strain.
Form: Stand on the band with both feet and hold the handles up at your shoulders. Keep a wide stance as you waddle around keeping tension on the band. This is going to work the outsides and insides of the thighs as well as your shoulders. Make sure you keep moving around side to side, circles whatever, but tension on the band stays the same the whole time, really make sure your feet are pressed into the sides.
Modification: Hold the band at your sides for less resistance.
The most basic, fundamental exercise there is! Just be sure you have your heels locked into the floor and you are driving with those heels. People tend to start bending over as they get tired, but make sure your chest stays up and the hips drop towards the floor.
Form: Step on the band with both feet (shoulder width apart) and hold the handles at your shoulders. You are going to perform squats as fas as you can. Weight stays in your heels, core tight, chest up and back flat! Make sure you are getting low enough into that squat to make it count, at least parallel!
Modification: Resistance of the band determines difficulty, but you can also move quicker to make things more challenging and increase your heart rate!
Lots of intensity, lots of muscles work, and always a lot of sweat. Burpees look different for everyone, but the best part is that there are so many modifications to cater to each person. Maybe you take the jump out, maybe you elevate your hands. Whatever you have to do to get started. And once you have your starting point, you know the next modification you can move to as you get better!
Form: Lay your band on the floor and stand to one side of it. You are going to perform a burpee, and your jump is going to be jumping over the band. BURPEE: FLAT PALMS, is what I need you to remember. Hands to the floor, jump your feet back (into a pushup position, don’t let your hips sag), jump your feet back in and then jump up. Your core is tight through the entire motion and you want to make sure you are not cheating….aka using only fingertips or not standing all the way up.
Modification: To make things harder you can lay your chest completely on the ground during your burpee. To make things easier you can step back into plank and step back in, or elevate your hands on something so you do not go all the way down to the floor.
This exercise is definitely going to work muscles you didn’t know you had. Forcing you to resist in both directions is going to allow the muscle to really get fatigued, which means more calories burned and more muscle to be built! Just be sure you control the motion in both directions.
Form: Stand on the band and hold the handles in both hands. Get into an athletic stance (knees slightly bent and chest up) you are going to alternate punching forward. Make sure you are getting full extension when you punch forward and you are controlling the movement both out and in! You want to move as quickly as possible to tire your arms and raise your heart rate!
Modification: Decrease the resistance on the band to make things easier, increase resistance on the band to make things harder.
Check out this blog post for a great warm up and cool down with your resistance band! ALWAYS make sure you are priming your body for exercise (warming up) and finishing things off by slowly the heart rate properly and stretching out to make sure you decrease muscle soreness and help with recovery!
