Before beginning any exercise, ensure you are dressed in comfortable clothing and have supportive footwear. It’s best to exercise in a spacious and uncluttered area. If you have knee or ankle concerns, consider using a gym mat or performing exercises on a grassy surface.

Resistance training, also known as strength training or weight training, is a form of exercise that involves working against an external force or resistance to build and strengthen muscles. The resistance can come from various sources, such as free weights (dumbbells, barbells), resistance bands, or even bodyweight exercises.

Apart from the normal free weights and weight machines, which you are probably doing already, try introducing resistance bands.  These provide continuous resistance throughout a movement and can turn a good home workout into a great home workout.

Resistance bands are easy to store, give increased strength and flexibility, and are probably one the best forms of exercise, especially if you are recovering from injury.

Resistance band exercises might look easy, but they can add serious value to your workouts. This is because unlike dumbbells etc, which remain equally heavy throughout the entire rep, resistance bands become increasingly challenging as they’re pulled apart. 

Another major thing it that resistance bands will reduce your risk of injury.  Less force is placed on joints compared to using traditional weights as the training is a natural motion and only a reaction to how much strength you have.

Before buying a band, you must remember that not all bands are equal.  They all have different strengths, so it could be worth investing in a selection.  Don’t worry – one on the best things about resistance bands is that they are cheap, especially compared to other equipment.  You will find that different exercises will show your different strengths and weaknesses, so using different bands will help.

 Here are our personal favourite workouts that only benefit existing training routines.

Horizontal Wood Chop

  1. Anchor: Attach the band at shoulder height to a sturdy point.
  2. Stance: Stand sideways, feet shoulder-width apart, and hold the band’s far handle.
  3. Starting: Hold the band at hip level with arms extended.
  4. Chop Down: Rotate torso, bring band diagonally down across body (like chopping wood).
  5. Pivot: Allow hips to rotate, back foot pivots slightly.
  6. Finish: Band reaches outside of front knee or foot.
  7. Return: Slowly bring band back up across the body.
  8. Switch: Complete reps on both sides.

Tips:

  • Keep your core engaged throughout the exercise to stabilize your torso.
  • Control the movement both on the way down and on the way up to get the most out of the exercise.
  • Focus on using your core muscles to generate the movement, rather than relying solely on your arms.

Remember to start with a lighter resistance band and gradually increase the resistance as you become more comfortable and confident with the exercise. As with any exercise, if you experience any pain or discomfort, stop immediately and consult with a fitness professional or healthcare provider.

Front Squat

  1. Setup: Attach band to a sturdy anchor at chest height.
  2. Grip: Hold band with hands close together, creating tension.
  3. Position: Place band across front of shoulders, elbows up.
  4. Stance: Stand shoulder-width apart.
  5. Squat: Lower down, keeping chest up and knees aligned.
  6. Drive Up: Push through heels to stand up.
  7. Repeat: Complete desired reps.

Tips:

  • Keep your core engaged throughout the exercise to stabilize your spine.
  • Maintain tension in the resistance band throughout the entire movement.
  • Keep your elbows up and your chest lifted during the squat.
  • Perform the movement with controlled and smooth motions.

As with any exercise, start with a lighter resistance band and gradually increase the resistance as you become more comfortable and confident with the exercise. If you have any knee or joint issues, it’s advisable to consult with a fitness professional or healthcare provider before attempting this exercise.

Clamshell

  1. Setup: Place band around knees, lie on your side with knees bent, and hips stacked.
  2. Exercise: Open top knee away from bottom knee like a clamshell.
  3. Squeeze: Pause and squeeze glutes at the top.
  4. Lower: Lower top knee back down.
  5. Repeat: Do desired reps on each side.

Tips:

  • Keep your core engaged throughout the exercise to stabilize your torso.
  • Focus on using your glutes to initiate the movement rather than relying on momentum.
  • Avoid rolling your hips backward or forward; try to maintain a stable hip position throughout the exercise.
  • Perform the movement in a controlled and smooth manner.

The Clamshell exercise is a great way to target the often-neglected gluteus medius muscles, which are important for hip stability and overall lower body strength. Start with a light resistance band and gradually increase the resistance as you become more comfortable with the movement. If you experience any pain or discomfort, stop immediately and consult with a fitness professional or healthcare provider.

Lateral Band Walk

  1. Setup: Place band above knees, feet hip-width apart.
  2. Step: Take a sideways step with one foot.
  3. Follow: Bring the other foot to meet the first.
  4. Maintain Tension: Keep tension on the band.
  5. Repeat: Perform desired steps in both directions.

Tips:

  • Focus on controlling the movement, especially on the way back to the starting position.
  • Keep your feet parallel during the lateral steps and avoid turning your toes inward or outward.
  • Engage your glutes and outer thighs as you step sideways to activate the targeted muscles effectively.
  • Do not let the resistance band pull your knees together; actively push against the band to keep your legs apart.

The Lateral Band Walk is a great exercise to incorporate into your warm-up routine or as part of a leg and glute workout. Start with a lighter resistance band, and as you become more comfortable and stronger, you can progress to a higher resistance level. As always, listen to your body, and if you experience any pain or discomfort, stop the exercise and consult with a fitness professional or healthcare provider.

Standing Biceps Curl

  1. Setup: Stand on the middle of the band, feet shoulder-width apart, handles in each hand, palms forward.
  2. Curl Up: Keep elbows close to sides, curl hands toward shoulders.
  3. Lower Down: Control the movement as you lower back to starting position.
  4. Repeat: Do desired reps.

Tips:

  • Keep your elbows close to your sides throughout the exercise.
  • Engage your core muscles for stability and maintain a neutral spine.
  • Perform the movement with a slow and controlled tempo for better muscle engagement.
  • Avoid using momentum to lift the resistance band; the focus should be on your biceps doing the work.
  • You can vary your hand grip (e.g., palms facing upward, inward, or outward) to target different parts of your biceps.

The Standing Biceps Curl with a resistance band is an excellent alternative to traditional dumbbell or barbell curls, especially if you don’t have access to gym equipment. Gradually increase the resistance of the band as you get stronger to continue challenging your biceps. As with any exercise, if you experience any pain or discomfort, stop immediately and consult with a fitness professional or healthcare provider.

Pull Apart

  1. Grip: Hold band with palms down, shoulder-width apart.
  2. Starting: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
  3. Pull Apart: Squeeze shoulder blades, pull band horizontally apart.
  4. Peak: Hold for a moment.
  5. Return: Slowly release and return to starting position.
  6. Repeat: Do desired reps.

Tips:

  • Keep your arms straight throughout the movement, but avoid locking out your elbows.
  • Engage your core to maintain stability and proper posture.
  • Focus on using your upper back and shoulder muscles to perform the pulling motion, rather than relying on your arms alone.
  • Perform the movement in a controlled manner, both on the way out and on the way back to the starting position.

The Pull Apart exercise is an excellent way to improve shoulder stability, posture, and upper back strength. You can use a resistance band with different levels of tension to adjust the difficulty of the exercise. As with any exercise, if you experience any pain or discomfort, stop immediately and consult with a fitness professional or healthcare provider.