Best Resistance Band Exercises: Finding the Perfect Resistance Band Exercises for You
When you think of getting in shape or working out, resistance band exercises typically aren’t the first thing that most people think of. It is usually some form of weightlifting, cardio, bodyweight exercises, etc. And while all of these types of fitness are great, resistance band exercises offer a lot as well, and this list of the best resistance band exercises will help to highlight this.
This list of the best resistance band exercises will highlight 25 different resistance band exercises that you can add to your fitness routine. Whether you are looking for resistance band exercises for a specific muscle group, explosiveness, rehab, etc., you can find what you need from this list.
One of the best things that they do is protect your joints while also allowing you to push yourself. So rather than putting a heavyweight over top of you, you can use a resistance band to strengthen and tone your muscles. They also allow you to be able to isolate specific muscles and muscle groups and will help improve your sticking point. The reason a resistance band is able to do this is because as it gets tighter, it becomes more difficult.
Probably the best perk of resistance bands is that they can be used pretty much anywhere. Whether it is as a home exercise tool, an add-on at the gym, or used when traveling, resistance bands are an excellent workout tool. And, the more resistance band exercises you know, the more valuable your resistance bands become. So take advantage of all of these different resistance bands exercises and start being able to workout whenever and pretty much wherever you would like.
Are you interested in more fitness-related content? Make sure that you visit our list of the best fitness websites, the best TRX exercises, and the best workout videos.
Top 25 Resistance Band Exercises:
1. Resistance Band Bicep Curl Exercise
Primary Muscles Worked: Biceps
Difficulty Level: Beginner
Tips: Don’t rock backward (keep your body straight up and down) and control your arm speed.
Variations: Resistance Band Single-Arm Bicep Curl Exercise, Resistance Band Negative Bicep Curl Exercise
About Resistance Band Exercise: This resistance band exercise is going to allow you to highlight and isolate your bicep muscles. When doing this exercise, you will be able to lock in on toning and strengthening each bicep.
As you do the exercise, make sure to focus on nice and controlled movements, pinching your biceps at the top, and not leaning backward as you execute the lift. You can also do this exercise with a nice steady movement, at a slower pace, or as a negative (slowing letting the bands go back down each time).
2. Resistance Band Tricep Push Down Exercise
Primary Muscles Worked: Triceps and Chest
Difficulty Level: Beginner
Tips: Keep your back straight and isolate your tricep muscles – you should only be bending at the elbow.
Variations: Resistance Band Single-Arm Tricep Push Down Exercise, Resistance Band Negative Tricep Push Down Exercise
About Resistance Band Exercise: This exercise is the counterpart of the previous bicep exercise and is going to focus on the backside of your arms, the tricep muscle. It is also an isolated exercise, meaning you are focusing primarily on one muscle at a time, which will allow you to work on your tricep definition and strength.
As you are executing the movement, make sure that you are not overly bending at the waist. You want the only movement to be at your elbows as you press the resistance band down and then allow it back up.
Recommended Types of Resistance Bands
There are a number of different types of resistance bands to choose from and that will allow you to work on different things. Several of them can be used as multipurpose bands, but some serve a special purpose. So if you are still looking at which type of resistance bands you should get, here are three different types of resistance bands that you may want to consider.
Also, as a note, just because one of the videos shows a specific type of resistance band in it, doesn’t mean you might not be able to use another type of band. So feel free to sub in different bands and get creative with some of the different exercise variations.
3. Anchor Hold Resistance Bands
Price: $39.99
About Resistance Bands: These resistance bands are going to allow you to hook them to an anchor point to work on a number of different exercises. They also come with a variety of handles, straps, and resistance levels. This set of resistance bands is going to allow you access to a large number of different resistance exercises. Also, even, though, it comes with a lot of different bands, it can be stored and carried easily.
4. Loop Exercise Bands
Price: $11.95
About Resistance Bands: This type of resistance band is going to be more for lower body type exercises like lunges, lateral walks, and so on. They are great for toning and developing muscle definition, as well as working on stability muscles. Also, if you ever have any type of ankle rehab, they are great for working ankle strength as well.
5. Exercise Resistance Bands
Price: $24.99
About Resistance Bands: The final set of resistance bands are going to be a little bit more heavy-duty. They are great for working on a variety of different resistance band exercises, but also for assisting different weighted exercises and bodyweight exercises like pull-ups.
6. Resistance Band Shoulder Press Exercise
Primary Muscles Worked: Shoulders, Upper Back, Biceps
Difficulty Level: Beginner
Tips: Get full extension on the pressing motion and keep your core tight.
Variations: Resistance Band Single-Arm Shoulder Press Exercise, Resistance Band Negative Shoulder Press Exercise, Resistance Band Arnold Press Exercise
About Resistance Band Exercise: The resistance band shoulder press exercise is what is called a compound exercise, which means that it is going to work on several different muscles at the same time.
The primary muscles that it will develop are your shoulders, but it is also going to work on your upper back, shoulders, etc. When doing this exercise, keep your core tight, palms facing upwards, and then press vertically all the way up for a full extension.
7. Resistance Band Tricep Extension Exercise
Primary Muscles Worked: Triceps
Difficulty Level: Beginner
Tips: Make sure that you get full extension each time and keep your triceps isolated.
Variations: Resistance Band Single-Arm Tricep Extension Exercise, Resistance Band Negative Tricep Extension Exercise, Resistance Band Tricep Kickback Exercise
About Resistance Band Exercise: This exercise is very similar to the tricep pushdown exercise (listed above), but it will work your tricep muscles from a slightly different angle. The key is making sure that you are controlling your movements and then making sure you are getting a full extension on each rep. This will make sure that you are developing long, lean, and muscular triceps.
8. Resistance Band Squats Exercise
Primary Muscles Worked: Quads, Glutes
Difficulty Level: Beginner
Tips: Keep your core tight and your weight over your heels.
Variations: Resistance Band Negative Squats Exercise, Resistance Band Explosive Squats Exercise
About Resistance Band Exercise: The resistance band squats exercise is perfect for toning and developing your lower half. This is the same exercise as a bodyweight squat, but now you are adding some resistance to increase the difficulty of the exercise. As you do this exercise, really focus on keeping your weight on your heels, your core tight, and then getting a full range of motion on each repetition.
9. Resistance Band Bent-Over Row Exercise
Primary Muscles Worked: Lats, Traps, Biceps, Shoulders
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
Tips: Have nice and controlled movements, keep your core tight, and bend your knees slightly bent.
Variations: Resistance Band Standing Row Exercise, Resistance Band Negative Bent-Over Row Exercise
About Resistance Band Exercise: This is an excellent resistance band exercise for developing a strong and lean back. As you are doing the exercise, really focus on keeping your core tight and pinching your shoulder blades in the back. This will allow you to really isolate the different back muscles for a better workout.
Also, to mix up the angle of the exercise, consider hooking the resistance band to something sturdy rather than standing on it. It will essentially be the same exercise, just executed at a different angle, which will allow you to work your muscles that much more.
10. Resistance Band Glute Bridge Exercise
Primary Muscles Worked: Glutes, Hamstrings
Difficulty Level: Beginner
Tips: Find the correct distance for your feet and squeeze your glutes together at the top.
Variations: Resistance Band Single-Leg Glute Bridge Exercise, Resistance Band Glute Bridge Hold Exercise
About Resistance Band Exercise: If you are looking to tone and strengthen your glutes, this is the resistance band exercise for you. This exercise can be done without a resistance band, but by adding that extra resistance, you will really be able to challenge yourself.
Along with this being great for your glutes and hamstrings, it is also an excellent exercise for stability and protecting your lower back. The more strength you have in your hip and waist area, the more you will be able to protect your back. This is a very simple exercise to execute as well, but it is critical that you focus on a full upward hip drive and pinch your glutes together at the top.
11. Resistance Band Lateral Band Walk Exercise
Primary Muscles Worked: Outer Thighs, Glutes
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
Tips: Don’t bring your feet all the way together when you step (keep the resistance band taut), bend slightly at the knees, and keep your core tight.
Variations: Resistance Band Forward Band Walk Exercise
About Resistance Band Exercise: This is another excellent exercise for your hips and being able to help protect your lower back. Outside of that, though, it is also great for toning as well. With the correct form, you will also be able to lock in on toning your thighs and glutes.
When doing this exercise, it is going to be critical that you lock in on your form. The better your form is, the more you will get out of it. So really focus on sitting down in an athletic stance, keeping your core tight, and then having nice and controlled steps.
12. Resistance Band Shoulder Raise Exercise
Primary Muscles Worked: Shoulders
Difficulty Level: Beginner
Tips: Keep your arms straight and your movements nice and controlled.
Variations: Resistance Band Thumbs-Up Shoulder Raise Exercise, Resistance Band Alternating Single-Arm Shoulder Raise Exercise
About Resistance Band Exercise: The resistance band shoulder raise exercise is great for isolating your shoulder muscles. With the shoulder press (listed above), you are incorporating multiple muscle groups, but with this exercise, it is all about isolating the shoulders.
Because of this, it is important to make sure that you are controlling your movements and then also using the correct amount of resistance. As you execute this exercise, really lock in on keeping your arms straight, having a full range of motion, and then controlling your arm speed on the way up and the way down.
13. Resistance Band Lateral Shoulder Raise Exercise
Primary Muscles Worked: Shoulders, Traps
Difficulty Level: Beginner
Tips: Control your arm speed and keep your arms straight.
Variations: Resistance Band Thumbs-Up Lateral Shoulder Raises Exercise (same exercise but with thumbs facing towards the ceiling)
About Resistance Band Exercise: This is pretty much the exact same exercise as the previously listed shoulder raise, but this exercise is going to be out to the side. And while it has the same basic movements as the front shoulder raise, the lateral shoulder raise is going to work your shoulder muscles from a different angle.
Along with your shoulders, it will also work your traps as a secondary muscle group. To execute this exercise correctly, keep your arms straight, control your arm speed, and then make sure you are getting all the way up on each repetition.
14. Resistance Band Kneeling Crunch Exercise
Primary Muscles Worked: Abs
Difficulty Level: Beginner
Tips: Keep your core tight the whole time and work on a full range of motion as you go up and down.
Variations: Resistance Band Kneeling Oblique Crunch Exercise
About Resistance Band Exercise: When it comes to working on abs, resistance bands are an excellent tool. This resistance band ab exercise is called the kneeling crunch and will really allow you to tone and strengthen your abs. You have most likely done crunches where you are lying on your back before.
While this exercise is going to be the same idea, but instead, you will be on your knees and using the resistance band instead of gravity to challenge you. When doing kneeling crunches, really focus on a full range of motion and making sure that you are using your abs to do the work on each repetition.
15. Resistance Band Woodchopper Exercise
Primary Muscles Worked: Obliques, Abs
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
Tips: Keep your core tight and control the speed of your rotation.
Variations: Resistance Band Woodchopper Exercise (Up to Down)
About Resistance Band Exercise: Another excellent core exercise, the resistance band woodchopper exercise, is going to focus more on the obliques. It will still focus on your abs, but adding in the twist is going to really help to develop your obliques. When doing woodchoppers, make sure that you are using your core to do the work.
The better your technique is, the more you will get from this exercise. Also, you can adjust the angle of the exercise to work your core from different angles. So instead of having the resistance band on the floor, you could have it hooked above you, or even right in front of you for a straight-across lateral movement.
16. Resistance Band Reverse Crunch Exercise
Primary Muscles Worked: Abs
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
Tips: Keep your weight back and your core tight.
Variations: Resistance Band Reverse Crunch Twist
About Resistance Band Exercise: The great thing about working on abs is that there are so many different exercises that you can choose from. This will not only help you be able to tone your abs better, but it will also allow you to keep your ab workouts from getting boring. This reverse crunch exercise is going to have you lay on the floor, but instead of bringing your upper body up and forward (like a traditional crunch), it will have you bring your feet back towards you instead.
This will help to work your lower abs in a slightly different way than some of the other crunch variations. When doing the exercise, the better you are able to draw your feet up in a controlled motion, the more you will get from the exercise.
17. Resistance Band Pull Apart Exercise
Primary Muscles Worked: Traps, Back, Shoulders
Difficulty Level: Beginner
Tips: Keep your arms straight and pinch your shoulder blades together when you bring your hands back.
Variations: Resistance Band Palms Up Band Pull Apart Exercise
About Resistance Band Exercise: This is an excellent upper back exercise that will allow you to really target specific muscles in your back. Also, being able to easily adjust the width of your hands on the resistance band will allow you to be able to increase or decrease the difficulty of the exercise. When doing the exercise, it is critical that you are using your back muscles to do the work and not your arms. This is an excellent exercise, but it is one that must be executed properly to be effective.
18. Resistance Band Lying Pullover Exercise
Primary Muscles Worked: Chest, Back, Triceps
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
Tips: Keep your arms straight and keep the resistance band taut the whole time.
Variations: Resistance Band Negative Lying Pullover Exercise
About Resistance Band Exercise: Typically, when thinking about doing the pullover exercise, you are thinking about going to the gym, or at least having a bunch of home exercise equipment in order to execute it. But with one small resistance band and something to hook it to, you are able to use this exercise pretty much anywhere.
When doing this exercise, you want to make sure that you are keeping your arms straight, back flat against the ground, and then getting a full range of motion on each repetition. By locking in on all of these keys, you will really be able to maximize this resistance band exercise.
19. Resistance Band Push Up Exercise
Primary Muscles Worked: Chest, Triceps, Shoulders
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
Tips: Keep your back straight, core tight, and control your body speed.
Variations: Resistance Band Negative Resistance Band Up Exercise
About Resistance Band Exercise: There are so many different push-up variations that you can do, but one of the best ones is with a resistance band. It is going to be the same form as a traditional push-up, but now you are going to add some resistance to make it that much more challenging.
This is going to really help with developing your strength, and then when you go back to traditional push-ups, they will be that much easier for you. As you execute this exercise, make sure that you are locking in on keeping your body in a straight line, your core tight, and then having a full range of motion on each repetition.
20. Resistance Band Standing Chest Press Exercise
Primary Muscles Worked: Chest, Triceps, Shoulders
Difficulty Level: Beginner
Tips: Keep your core tight, control your arm speed, and squeeze your pecs together as you push out.
Variations: Resistance Band Negative Standing Chest Press Exercise
About Resistance Band Exercise: Another excellent chest exercise, this resistance band exercise, is going to allow you to work on your chest, triceps, and shoulders. It is similar to a bench press motion, but instead of lying down on a bench, it will be standing up.
The movements are still the same, though, as you will need to push your hands forward, pinch your chest as you extended out, and then control your speed coming back in. Another important key is making sure that you are keeping your core tight as you execute the exercise.
21. Resistance Band Chest Fly Exercise
Primary Muscles Worked: Chest
Difficulty Level: Beginner
Tips: Bring your arms out wide and keep them straight, pinch your pecs together as you bring your hands in.
Variations: Resistance Band Negative Chest Fly Exercise, Resistance Band Decline Chest Fly Exercise, Resistance Band Incline Chest Fly Exercise
About Resistance Band Exercise: Chest flys are perfect for isolating your pectoral muscles and really toning them. And typically, this would mean having to go go to the gym and using dumbbells or a machine. With a resistance band, though, you can execute this exercise pretty much anywhere. When doing this exercise, it is going to be key that you keep your arms straight, have a full range of motion, and then squeeze your pecs together as you complete each repetition.
22. Resistance Band Glute Kick-Back Exercise
Primary Muscles Worked: Glutes, Hamstrings
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
Tips: Keep your back straight, core tight, and extend your leg all the way out on the kickback.
Variations: Resistance Band Glute Kick-Back Hold Exercise
About Resistance Band Exercise: This exercise is going to be perfect for developing your glute muscles. As you complete each repetition, you will really be able to tone and develop your glutes and hamstrings. This is also an isolation exercise, so you are really going to be able to focus on these specific areas. For maximum results, make sure you are getting full extension and executing a slight pause at the top.
23. Resistance Band Lateral Lunge Exercise
Primary Muscles Worked: Quads, Glutes
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
Tips: Stay balanced, put all your weight on the leg you are lunging out with, sit down, and drop your hips.
Variations: Resistance Band Lateral Lunge Hold Exercise
About Resistance Band Exercise: Lunges are an excellent way to strengthen and tone your legs on their own. Now add in a resistance band, and they are even that much better for you. This lateral lunge exercise is going to force you to lunge out against the resistance of the band, lower yourself down, and then bring yourself back in. All of this will help to focus on a variety of different strength and toning factors that will add a ton of benefit to your lower body.
24. Resistance Band Close-Grip Shoulder Pull Exercise
Primary Muscles Worked: Shoulders, Traps
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
Tips: Hold and pinch at the top, control your arm speed, and keep your hands in close to each other.
Variations: Resistance Band Negative Close-Grip Should Pull Exercise
About Resistance Band Exercise: When working out, it is important to have the proper balance between push-based and pull-based exercises. A pushed-based exercise would be a push-up, shoulder press, etc. This exercise (as it states in the name) is a pull-based exercise and will help to make sure that this ratio is being met.
As you do this exercise, it is going to be critical that you keep the correct form and really focus on getting a full range of motion on each repetition. You might even want to consider adding a brief pause to the top of each repetition.
25. Resistance Band Lying Lateral Leg Raise Exercise
Primary Muscles Worked: Hips, Glutes
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
Tips: Keep your legs straight, raise your leg all the way up, control your leg speed on the way down.
Variations: Resistance Band Negative Lying Lateral Leg Raise
About Resistance Band Exercise: Whether it is playing sports or moving around in your everyday life, your hips and waist area can add stability to what you are doing, or be a liability if not properly strengthened. The more you can make sure you are focusing on strengthening your hips and improving flexibility, the more protected you will be when executing different movements.
So as you are executing this exercise, really lock in on your form and control your leg speed. The more you can focus on these areas, the more you will get from the exercise.
26. Resistance Band Single-Arm Isolated Curl Exercise
Primary Muscles Worked: Biceps
Difficulty Level: Beginner
Tips: Pinch your bicep as you complete each rep and control your arm speed as you go back out.
Variations: Resistance Band Bent-Over Single-Arm Isolated Curl Exercise
About Resistance Band Exercise: Being able to work a muscle from a variety of different angles is going to help with maximizing growth, strength, and definition. That is exactly what this bicep curl exercise is going to allow you to do. It will allow you to work your bicep muscle at a different angle and further develop it. When doing this exercise, really focus on good form and bring your fist as close to yourself as you can as you finish each repetition.
27. Resistance Band Half-Kneeling Archer Row Exercise
Primary Muscles Worked: Traps, Lats, Biceps
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
Tips: Control your arm speed, slightly rotate at your waist, and pinch your shoulder blade as you complete each rep.
Variations: Resistance Band Standing Archer Low Row (adjust the angle of the band so that it is low), Resistance Band Half-Kneeling Straight Archer Row (adjust the angle of the band so that it is right in front of you)
About Resistance Band Exercise: If you have ever seen an archer shoot a bow, you will quickly recognize why this exercise is called the archer row. It is the same motion that an archer would make to pull back a bowstring before loosing the arrow at their target.
Whether you are an archer or not, though, this is an excellent back exercise that will allow you to develop some serious strength and muscle definition. A big key when executing this exercise is making sure your form is correct, but also finishing each repetition all the way through. The more you can focus on these two areas, the more you will get from this exercise.
28. Resistance Band Reverse Fly Exercise
Primary Muscles Worked: Back, Traps, Shoulders
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
Tips: Keep your core tight, control your arm speed, and pinch your shoulder blades together at the top.
Variations: Resistance Band Standing Reverse Fly Exercise
About Resistance Band Exercise: This motion is going to be very similar to the chest fly resistance band exercise listed previously, but instead, it will be reversed. So rather than standing with your chest facing out, you will have your back facing out and your hands out in front of you. As you bring the bands back, you are going to be using your upper back and shoulders to execute the movement. To really challenge yourself, add a brief pause at the end of each repetition.
29. Resistance Band Squat to Overhead Press Exercise
Primary Muscles Worked: Quads, Glutes, Shoulders
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
Tips: Keep your weight on your heels as you squat and get full extension on your overhead press.
Variations: Overhead Resistance Band Squat Exercise
About Resistance Band Exercise: This resistance band exercise is going to combine two separate exercises into one. It will combine the squat and the shoulder press and have you do both in order. Doing this will not only challenge you but will also allow you to maximize time as well. The keys are, making sure you keep your weight on your heels, keeping your core tight, and then getting all the way up and down on each repetition.
Best Resistance Band Exercises Conclusion
The more you know how to use something, the more valuable it becomes. And that is exactly what this list has done for the resistance band. With all of these different exercises, your resistance band is now more valuable than ever. With one or a few different bands, you will be able to get in a full workout almost anywhere. It could be in the morning when you wake up, at the park on a nice day, or even while you are watching your favorite TV show.
The only bad thing about these resistance band exercises is that you no longer have the excuse of not being able to get to the gym because the gym is now wherever you want it to be!
If you really want to step up your home workouts, try adding in some yoga poses, Swiss ball exercises, and stretching. And if you want to look your best while working out, our list of the best activewear brands will have all of your fashion-fitness needs covered.
Did we leave any of your favorite resistance band exercises off of the list? If so, please feel free to share them below in the comments.