In this post I want to share with you a resistance band with handles workout that includes 30 exercises you can do at home, outdoors or in the gym.
A resistance band with handles is the perfect workout tool for doing strength exercises wherever you are because they’re small enough to chuck in your bag and the number of exercises you can do with them is virtually unlimited.
The strength exercises shown here are designed to workout your whole body but each one can be varied by changing the angle of movement or the position of your body.
Before we get to the workout, let’s see what kind of resistance band with handles I think is the best for doing strength exercises.
Table of Contents
ToggleBest Resistance Band with Handles for Strength Workouts
This workout band is available in 4 resistance levels and includes comfortable foam handles which are securely attached to the band with a stainless steel ring. The band is made of high grade 100% natural latex which can safely be stretched up to 2.5X it’s length without fear of breakage.
The band also includes a door anchor which can be wedged into a door frame at any height, enabling you to do strength exercises using an anchor point:
Resistance Bands with Handles Workout
These exercises are arranged in the following order, according to which part of the body they focus on:
- Legs
- Back
- Chest
- Shoulders
- Arms
- Core
LEGS
1. Squats
Step on the middle of the band with feet at shoulder width. Hold the handles at the sides of your shoulders. Squat down, paying attention to correct technique, then come back up to a standing position.
2. Front Squats
Same as the previous exercise except with the slight difference that the handles are held in front of your upper chest. The front squat changes the emphasis slightly, activating your quadriceps muscles more and taking some strain out of your lower back.
3. Lunge
Stand with your front foot on the middle of the band and hold the handles next to your ears. Keeping your back straight, drop down into a lunge position and then drive yourself back up. The extra resistance makes this quite an advanced leg exercise.
4. Lunge + Front Raise
Hold the handles in front of your waist and hook the band around one foot. Step forward and drop into a lunge, at the same time bringing your hands forward and up in an arc over your head. At first this might feel quite awkward until you’re used to the movement.
5. Donkey Kick
On hands and knees, hold the handles with the middle of the band hooked around one foot. Now kick your leg back and up, holding briefly in the final position and squeezing your glutes.
6. Squat + Shoulder Press
Hold the band crossed over as shown and drop into a squat position. Then drive yourself up and at the same time push your hands up until they’re fully extended overhead. Try to coordinate your arms and legs so this is done in one smooth movement.
BACK
7. Standing Row
With the band secured at shoulder height, face the door holding the handles at arms-length with tension in the band. Now stretch the band back towards you, bringing your elbows close in to your sides and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
8. Bent Over Row
Stand in the middle of the band and hold the handles with the band crossed over as shown. Make sure you keep your legs bent and lower back slightly arched. Look forward. Pull the band up and squeeze your shoulder blades together. If the band is too loose, stand with feet further apart.
9. Reverse Fly
Standing on the middle of the band, stretch the band up and to the sides, keeping your arms straight. Keep your body in the same posture as the previous exercise.
10. Face Pull
Secure the band around waist height and perform the standing row exercise. But this time lift your elbows high up and pull the handles towards your face.
11. Kneeling Row
Kneel facing the door with the anchor secured high up. Hold the handles at arms-length with tension in the band. Now stretch the band down towards you, bringing your elbows right back. You should feel the exercise in your lats as well as your upper back.
CHEST
12. Chest Press
Stand facing away from the door with the anchor secured at mid-height. Get into a solid stance with one foot forward, holding the handles at shoulder level with some tension in the band. Push both handles forward until your arms are fully extended.
13. Incline Chest Press
You can either step on the middle of the band, as shown, or use the door anchor to secure the band low down behind you. Then do the same movement as in the chest press, except this time pushing your hands forward and up. This will make greater use of your upper pectoral muscles.
14. Chest Fly
With the band secured around chest height, stand facing away from the door and hold the handles with your arms splayed outwards. Now stretch the band by bringing your hands together at your centreline without bending your arms.
15. Push Up
Holding onto the handles, sling the band around your back and get into a push up position. At first the band may slip out of place until you get used to it. Now do push ups as normal but with the extra resistance provided by the band. If the resistance is too low, you can hold it further down, or tie a knot in the tube to shorten it.
16. Assisted Dip
Hold onto the handles and the dip bar together and then put your knees over the band. Now you can perform dips which are easier than normal. If you’re already good at dips, you can sling the band over your shoulders which will make the movement harder.
SHOULDERS
17. Front Raise
Step on the resistance band, holding the handles in front of your waist, then do the exercise by lifting your hands forward and up until they are at head height.
18. Shoulder Press
Stand in the middle of the band with feet shoulder width apart. Bring the handles up to ear-level, palms facing up. Push the handles up until your arms are fully extended. Keep your posture upright.
19. Lateral Raise
Stand in the middle of the band, feet close together, hands at your sides. Keeping your arms straight, lift your hands as high as possible and hold for a second, feeling the burn in the sides of your shoulders.
20. Shrug
Stand on the band with feet shoulder-width apart. Holding the handles and keeping your arms straight, shrug your shoulders up towards your ears as high as possible and hold briefly.
21. Upright Row
With feet together, stand on the band and hold the handles in front of you. Now lift your hands up to your chin, keeping your elbows high. You should feel it in the tops of your shoulders and trapezius muscles.
ARMS
22. Bicep Curls
Stand on the band and hold the handles at your waist. Now curl your arms up to stretch the band, feeling the exercise focused in your biceps.
23. Tricep Extension
Stand facing the door with the anchor high up. Brace your elbows close to your sides and hold the handles in front of you. Pull the band downwards using your triceps and without moving your elbows.
24. Overhead Tricep Extension
Hook the band around one foot and hold both handles in one hand behind your neck, elbow pointing up. Without moving your elbow, pull the handles up until your arm is fully extended overhead.
CORE
25. Kneeling Crunch
With the door anchor secured high up, kneel facing away from the door and holding the handles at your neck. Crunch your body forward and down, stretching the band and squeezing your abdominal muscles.
26. Ab Rotation
Secure the band at shoulder height and, standing side-on to the door, hold the handles with your arms straight in front of you. Make sure there’s a little tension in the band. Now stretch the band by rotating your waist, focussing on your oblique muscles.
27. Low-High Woodchop
Secure the anchor down low and stand side-on to the door, holding the handles at waist height. Using your oblique muscles, rotate your body and stretch the band up and to the other side in a rising chopping motion.
28. High-Low Woodchop
Secure the band high up on the door frame and hold both handles, standing side on to the door. Using your oblique abdominal muscles, pull the bands down and away from the door in a downward chopping motion.
29. Extended Deadlift
Anchor the band low down and hold the handles at waist height with the band taut. Keeping your back straight, bend at the waist and legs, paying attention to correct deadlift form. You should feel the exercise strongly in your lower back.
30. Kneeling Superman
Kneel on hands and knees with the band hooked over one foot. Now lift that foot as high as you can with the leg straight. At the same time, lift up the opposite arm and hold for a few seconds in the final position.
We hope you enjoyed this resistance band with handles workout. Click here to see our full range of resistance bands.
Follow our Instagram and YouTube channels for exercise videos like this glute workout: