Resistance Band Full Body Workout

Resistance bands are a great tool to increase the intensity of your body weight workout and can even be added to weighted workout exercises to step up your weight lifting game. Resistance bands vary in level of difficulty and we frequently use them in rehabilitation programs to gently increase the resistance needed to build up muscle strength when recovering from an injury or surgery. This alternative to heavy gym equipment is cost effective, can promote good form and is easy to use. Check out this quick and easy full body workout below and try this at home.

High Pulls

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. Keep your back nice and straight avoiding arching throughout the exercise. With the resistance coming from below you, pull the band upwards stopping with your hands at shoulder height.

Bicep Curls

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. Keep your back nice and straight avoiding arching throughout the exercise. With the resistance coming from below you, curl the band upwards while keeping the top of your arm still. Curl upwards and then release the forearm slowly and controlled until it is fully relaxed then repeat.

Overhead Press

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. Keep your back nice and straight avoiding arching throughout the exercise. With the resistance coming from below you, press overhead with the ends of the resistance band in your hands.

Triceps Extensions

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. Keep your back nice and straight avoiding arching throughout the exercise. Hold the resistance band in one hand with both arms bent at 90 degrees and elbows tucked in at your sides. With the other arm, extend downwards against the resistance of the band.

External Rotations

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. Keep your back nice and straight avoiding arching throughout the exercise. Keep you elbows tucked in at your sides with your arms bent at 90 degrees throughout the exercise. Holding the resistance band in your palms and palms facing up, externally rotate your arms pulling your hands apart forming resistance between them.

Squats (thigh resistance)

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. Keep your back nice and straight avoiding arching throughout the exercise. With the resistance band around your thighs, squats down and press outward against the resistance band force to ensure that your knees track over your toes.

Lunge to High Knee

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. Keep your back nice and straight avoiding arching throughout the exercise. With the resistance band around your thighs, lunge one leg backward until your legs are bent at 90 degrees. Next, bring that leg up into a high knee position and complete on both sides.

Squat (vertical resistance)

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. Keep your back nice and straight avoiding arching throughout the exercise. With the resistance coming from below you, hold the resistance band at shoulder height. Squat down making sure your knees track over your toes and press up against the resistance of the band.

Chest Press

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. Keep your back nice and straight avoiding arching throughout the exercise. With the resistance coming from behind you, press forward against the resistance of the band.

Chest Flies

Rows

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. Keep your back nice and straight avoiding arching throughout the exercise. With the resistance coming from in front of you, pull back against the resistance of the band and pinch your shoulder blades back.

Lat Pull Downs

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. Keep your back nice and straight avoiding arching throughout the exercise. With the resistance coming from above you, pull downward against the resistance of the band.

Paloff Press (Anti-Rotation Press)

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. Keep your back nice and straight avoiding arching throughout the exercise. With the resistance coming from your side and you facing forward, press forward against the resistance trying to pull you to the side. It is important that you keep your shoulders facing forward and engage the core so that you do not let your body twist towards the resistance. Complete with the resistance coming form both sides.

Julia de Reijke RKin, CSEP-CPT, BASc Kinesiology (Hons), DipFTHP