Exercise Band Workout: 50 Full-Body Strength Exercises with Bands
This exercise band workout contains 50 full body exercises which you can do at home, in the gym or on the move.
Exercise bands are the perfect workout tool because they are easy to take with you anywhere and they are just as good as weights for doing strength exercises. Read this article to find out more about the advantages of bands over weights.
In this post we’re going to take a look at what are the best kind of exercise bands for working out, and get to the workout plan, which contains all the exercises you’ll ever need to know.
Let’s begin
Best exercise bands for strength workouts
The best kind of band for strength exercises is a resistance loop band, which is available in 5 resistance levels and is ideal for strength and fitness workouts:
The exercises in this workout plan are all done using this kind of band. For exercises using other types of bands, check out our full workout guides for:
Exercise Band Workout
These 50 resistance band exercises are arranged in the following order:
- Chest
- Back
- Arms & Shoulders
- Lower Body
- Core
- Advanced
Chest Exercises
Push Up
Sling the band around your back and hold each end of the loop in your hands while you perform push ups as normal.
Incline Chest Press
Get into a forward stance with one end of the loop underneath your back foot and holding the other end in front of your chest. Now push the band forward and upwards until your arms are straight.
Single Arm Chest Press
Attach the band at chest height and, facing away, stretch the band by pushing it forward with one arm. Stand further from the anchor point to make the exercise more difficult.
Single Arm Chest Fly
Anchor the band at chest height and, standing side on, pull the band horizontally across your body with your elbow slightly bent.
Assisted Dip
Hold each end of the loop onto the parallel bars and keep the band hooked underneath your knees. Now perform dips as normal but with the band making the exercise easier.
Resisted Dip
Same as the previous exercise except this time have the band looped over your shoulders, making the exercise more difficult by pulling your body downwards.
Back Exercises
Bent Over Row
Step on the center of the band and hold each end of the loop in your hands while bent forward. Be sure to keep your lower back slightly arched. Pull the band upwards as high as possible, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
Single Arm Row
Step into each end of the loop in a wide forward stance and hold the band in the center. Lean forward slightly with a straight back and rest your other hand on your knee. Now pull the band up as high as possible.
Standing Row
Fix the band at chest height and, standing square on, hold the end of the loop with arms straight in front of you and with some tension in the band. Pull the band in towards the centre of your chest.
Face Pull
With the band anchored slightly low down in front of you, pull the other end of the loop towards your face, lifting your elbows at the same time.
Pull Apart
Hold the band horizontally in front of you with arms straight. Now stretch the band apart without bending your arms. To make the exercise more difficult, hold the band with your hands closer together.
Reverse Fly
Step on the center of the band and lean forward to hold either end of the loop. Keeping your back straight and your arms slightly bent, stretch the band by lifting each end up as high as you can.
Assisted Pull Up
Loop the band onto the bar and step into the other end. Now perform pull ups with the band taking some of the weight off. See this video for a demonstration.
Lat Pull Down
Secure the band up high and, standing square on, pull it downwards in front of your body, keeping your arms straight. You should feel the exercise strongly in your lat muscles.
Arm & Shoulder Exercises
Shoulder Press
Step onto one end of the loop and hold the other end with both hands in front of your shoulder. Keeping your body straight, push the band up above your head until your arms are straight.
Front Raise
This time hold the band in front of your waist and, keeping your arms straight, lift it directly in front of you.
Lateral Raise
Step on the loop with one foot and hold the other end at your side. Keeping your arm straight, stretch the band up to your side until your hand is at head height.
Overhead Pull Apart
Start by holding the band directly above you with both arms straight and some tension in the band. Now lower your arms until they are horizontal and stretched as far apart as possible.
Rear Pull Apart
Hold the band horizontally behind you with straight arms, then pull it apart as far as possible without raising your shoulders.
Bicep Curls
Step on one end of the loop and hold the other end with one hand at waist height. Stretch the band band by curling your arm upwards, using your bicep muscle. You can also step on the band with both feet and use both hands to do the exercise.
Tricep Extension
Secure the band at waist height and hold the other end of the loop in front of you while leaning forward with knees bent and back straight. Pull the band backwards without moving your shoulder or upper arm.
Overhead Tricep Extension
Step on the loop and hold the other end with your hand behind your neck and upper arm vertical. Stretch the band up towards the ceiling while keeping your shoulder and upper arm immobile.
Shrug
Step on the band with feet shoulder width apart and holding each end of the loop. Pull the band by shrugging your shoulders up as high as possible.
Upright Row
Step into the loop, holding the other end in front of your waist. Now stretch the band by pulling it up directly in front of your body, at the same time lifting your elbows high.
Lower Body Exercises
Squat
To perform the exercise, hold one end of the resistance loop in front of you at shoulder height and step into the other end with your feet shoulder-width apart. Now perform squats, making sure to pay close attention to correct squat form.
Deadlift
Step into either end of the loop and stand with feet wide apart. Bending at the waist and knees and keeping your lower back straight, grasp the band and the center and pull it upwards to perform deadlifts. For this exercise it’s especially important to use correct form.
Resisted Lunge
Hold the loops at each end and step on the center of the band in a forward stance. Now perform resisted lunges while holding firmly onto each end of the band.
Squat Press
Stand inside the loop with feet shoulder width apart and hold the other end in front of your shoulders as shown. Now squat down and, as you rise, simultaneously push the band upwards in a shoulder press movement.
Stiff-Legged Deadlift
Stand on the center of the band, holding onto each end of the loop. Bend forward, unlocking your knees and making sure to keep your lower back slightly arched. Now pull the band up, using mainly your lower back and hamstring muscles.
Single Leg Deadlift
Same as the previous exercise except this time, when you bend forward, keep one leg in line with your trunk, allowing it to swing back and up. Try to lower your trunk and leg until they are horizontal, hold for a few seconds and then return. Repeat with the other leg.
Extended Deadlift
Secure one end of the loop at a point low down in front of you. Now hold the other end with both hands and with tension in the band. Keeping your lower back straight, bend down and forward and straighten your knees and waist to return to a standing position.
Seated Hamstring Curl
Sit on a bench or chair with the band looped around your ankles and secured at the other end. Pull the band by bending your knees and bringing your feet underneath the bench. Hold onto the back of the bench for stability. To increase the difficulty, move the bench further from the anchor point.
Lying Hamstring Curl
With the band anchored at one end, lie on your front with the other end looped around one ankle. Now pull the band by bringing your foot towards your buttocks. Lie further from the anchor point to increase the resistance.
Donkey Kick
Kneel on all fours with the band underneath your hands and looped around one foot. Kick your leg back and up towards the ceiling.
Core Exercises
Kneeling Ab Crunch
Secure the band high up (you can use a folded towel wedged into the top of a doorway). Kneel down, holding the band either side of your head, then pull it downwards using your abdominal muscles.
Oblique Crunch
Anchor the band down low and lie on your side with it looped around one foot. Use one arm stretched in front of you to stabilize your body. Now lift your top foot and knee towards the ceiling, stretching the band, simultaneously lifting your upper torso and touch your elbow to your knee.
Incline Bench Crunch
Sit on an incline bench with the band secured low down in front of you. Hold on to the bench behind your head. With the band looped around your feet, bring your knees towards your head, stretching the band.
Standing Twist
Anchor the band at chest height and, standing side-on, hold one end of the loop with arms straight. Pull the band horizontally towards the other side of your body using your oblique muscles.
High-Low Woodchop
Secure the band high up and pull it downwards and to the opposite side of your body in a chopping motion.
Low-High Woodchop
Same as previous exercise except this time pull the band in an upwards diagonal chopping motion.
Side Bend
Step on one end of the loop and hold the other end at your side with some tension in the band. Stretch the band by bending your body to the other side as far as possible.
Good Morning
Loop the band around your neck and stand on the other end. Bend forward, keeping your lower back slightly arched, and then stretch the band by straightening your body.
Kneeling Superman
Kneel on all fours with the band looped around one hand and the opposite foot. Now lift your arm and opposite leg as high as possible, stretching the band, and hold for a few seconds.
Band Pull Through
Secure the band at waist height behind you and reach down between your legs to hold the end of the loop. Stretch the band by straightening your body, using your lower back muscles.
Advanced Exercises
One Arm Push Up
Attach the band above you and loop it around your waist, making sure there is some tension in the band. Now perform one arm push ups with the band taking some of the weight off.
Planche Push Up
With the band attached high up and looped around your ankles, get into a planche position and try do push ups without your feet touching the floor.
One Arm Pull Up
Loop the band onto the bar and try to do pull ups with one arm while pulling down on the band with the other arm.
Muscle Up
Loop the band onto the bar and step into the loop with both feet. Now you can do assisted muscle ups with the band making things easier.
Front Lever
Loop the band onto the bar, or ideally slightly in front of you in order to perform assisted front lever exercises.
We hope you enjoyed this exercise band workout. See our full range of bands here.
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