The Beginners Guide to Resistance Band Workouts

What is a Resistance Band?

The original intent of the resistance band was to be used a rehabilitation tool. The developers made the first versions out of surgical tubing, which allowed the tension to increase as the band stretched out. In the rehabilitative setting, this allowed for individuals to perform resistance band workouts that moved through full ranges of motion, bringing blood to the areas needed. 

Resistance bands are also known as exercise bands or elastic bands. These names represent a similar concept in that they increase in tension as the band stretches. Now, most manufacturers make resistance bands out of latex and offer a number a lot more versatility than the original tube bands could provide. 

Types of Resistance Bands 

The increase in resistance band popularity has brought about a variety of options that can help with a specific muscle groups, exercises, and purposes. 

1. Tube Resistance Bands With Handle
2. Loop Resistance Bands
3. Mini Loop Resistance Bands
4. Therapy Resistance Bands
5. Figure 8 Bands 

Each type of resistance band will have unique colors to represent different amount of tension. Since each brand uses their own color chart, a light band for one brand may have a different color than that of another brand.

Why Use Resistance Bands?

Resistance bands can be used as a standalone exercise or with other fitness equipment. A resistance band can be used to develop any muscle of the body for strength, size, speed, and mobility. 

Cost: You can create hundreds of resistance band workouts for less than the cost of a single piece of workout equipment. There is no better home gym or workout investment than a set of exercise bands. The versatility you get for the minimal cost is a no brainer. 

New Training Stimulus: Resistance bands are a great way to create a new stimulus with compound lifts and free weight exercises. The basic bench press and bicep curl can feel fresh and exciting when used with a resistance band. 

Resistance Band Strength Training 

Powerlifting, Olympic lifting, and strongman training programs can incorporate resistance bands to increase power and explosiveness. An athlete must learn to accelerate quickly through a movement since bands are constantly fighting against the force that is stretching it. 

The benefits for strength training also help to eliminate sticking points during a lift. Some athletes have trouble with the lockout while others struggle at the bottom of a lift. Using loop bands below the weight will help strengthen the top of the lift. Using them above the weight (future or lightened method) can help an athlete learn to explode out of the hole (bottom portion of the lift). 

Resistance Band Hypertrophy Workouts 

A bodybuilder or fitness enthusiast can benefit from incorporating bands into their resistance training program. When performing exercises in a controlled manner, band training can improve the quality of the set. It does so by increasing time under tension (or tempo training) program.

Resistance bands also help to improve the strength curve of an exercise. Otherwise known as accommodating resistance, bands help you maintain a consistent intensity level throughout the entire movement. When we maintain tension throughout the range of motion, we further increase the time under tension, recruiting more muscle fibers during the movement. 

Resistance Band Speed Training 

There are several ways that athletes can use resistance bands to increase their speed. One of the simplest to explain is by increasing initial sprint speed. Attach a loop resistance band to a pole and bracing it under your arms and around your chest. Sprint and stretch the band until the resistance is too great. Return to the starting point and sprint again. 

Athletes may also use the resistance bands as assistance exercises to primary lifts. Resistance bands can can be used to work on lateral movements, jumping height, and footwork speed. 

Resistance Band Mobility Exercises 

It would be nice to have a Physical Therapist or Personal Trainer available to help put you into the positions that increase range of motion. Unfortunately, this is not a cost effective strategy for a daily practice of increasing mobility.

Thankfully, exercise bands are a great help for stretching, rotating, and other methods of freeing the body from being bound and tight.

Wrapping a band through a vertical or horizontal fixed pole gives you the ability to stretch your back, chest, arms, shoulders, hamstrings, quads, and even glutes. We can actively stretch all major upper body and lower body muscle groups with a resistance band. 

It is theorized that using resistance band stretches after working a muscle group can help speed up muscle recovery and increase hypertrophy (muscle building). Performing banded stretches may help improve posture, range of motion, and circulatory blood flow. 

Resistance Band Rehabilitation Exercises 

Similar to mobility work, with bands, those suffering from an injury can gently train a muscle or area of the body to stimulate the recovery process. Extra nutrient attention is given to the injured area by improving blood flow. Carefully progressing the band’s intensity helps keep the rehab process safely. This reduces the risk of a reoccurring injury caused by too much stress on the injured area too soon. 

Total Body Resistance Band Workout

Below you will find a complete resistance band training routine. This example workout will allow you to work the entire body in a single session with traditional equipment found in a gym. Train each exercise one at a time for power, speed, and hypertrophy. Or create a circuit style H.I.I.T. workout routine by moving through a few of the movements at a time. 

Resistance Band Overhead Barbell Press 

Barbell: Place a light band around a band peg and on the sleeve of the barbell.

Start with the weight at chest height and press the barbell overhead. Slowly lower the barbell down and begin again. 

Banded Overhead Press: Place a light or medium band under your heels and grip the other side in your palms. Press the band overhead and slowly lower. 

Resistance Band Assisted Pull Ups 

Loop the band through a pull-up bar and place one knee through the band.

Wrap the other leg behind the banded leg and grip the pull-up bar. Pull yourself up all the way to the top and slowly lower back down. 

Resistance Band Bench Press 

Barbell: Place a light band around a band peg and pull over and around the sleeve of the barbell. Attach the other side of the band back into the peg. 

Lift the weight off the bar and lower to the chest, then press the barbell back up. 

Banded Bench Press: Place the bands under the base of the bench. Grab the bands with both hands and place the wrists just outside of the chest.

Have the arms angled about 15 degrees from alongside the body. Press up and squeeze the pecs. Slowly lower down to the starting position. 

Resistance Band Squat

Barbell: Place a light band around a band peg and on the sleeve of the barbell.

Lift the weight off the bar, and lower to desired height. Press your feet into the ground as your legs straighten back to the top position.

Banded Squat: Place the resistance band under your feet and grab with both hands. Pull the bands up either by your thighs, shoulders, or in front of your chest. 

Lower the body down to desired depth and press into the ground as you raise your body back up to the top of the movement.

Resistance Band Deadlifts 

Barbell: Place a mini loop band around a band peg and the sleeve of the barbell. Put the barbell at your shins and pull up as you would with a traditional deadlift. 

Banded deadlifts: Place a resistance band under both feet near shoulder width. 

Grab both sides of the bands and keep your hands just outside of your shins. If the bands are loose, wrap them around your hands until there is tension. 

With bent knees, pull the body up to the standing position and squeeze your back muscles. Slowly lower to the starting position. 

Resistance Band Ab Crunch 

Loop the band through a pull-up bar and grab the band with both hands. 

Place your knees on the ground and grab the bands where there is tension. With a slight crunch, bring your head and arms towards the floor out in front of you. Return to the starting position once you near the floor and feel a deep contraction.

What Resistance Bands Do you Need 

The very first purchase you should make is a set of resistance loop bands. While a handle may seem nice, most resistance tube bands do not offer enough versatility. A loop band set will provide exercise variety for strength, speed, resistance, and mobility movements.

If you are looking to purchase another set of bands, then your next best investment is in mini loop resistance bands. We can specifically use bands for movements that a full size set cannot. Since they are fairly inexpensive, they should be worth considering. 

The other band sets will support specific intents. For example, the therapy bands will be an excellent choice for someone who is weak and needs to recover from an injury. 

For most people, a full size and mini size loop band set will be sufficient for any type of workout routine.