MUSCLE IS BUILT using resistance. That resistance is most commonly created by loading up barbells, dumbbells, and kettlebells, then pushing or pulling these external objects through a specific range of motion and accumulating time under tension. But these traditional tools aren’t the only way you can introduce resistance to build the physique you want. Resistance bands will challenge your muscles in different and useful ways—if you know what you’re doing.
You may view these tools as as a last resort or remnant of your garage workouts from the Covid era—but don’t toss these pieces of stretchy rubber aside just yet. Resistance bands can be a great add to any on-the-go or at-home workout, and there’s real value to using them even when you have more traditional pieces of training equipment on hand.
We don’t blame you for wanting to pump some iron. But, you are missing out on a load of benefits that incorporating resistance bands into your training brings. Here’s your resistance band primer, for training at home and anywhere else.
Best Band Set
GymReapers Military Resistance Band Set
Best Super Band
Perform Better Superband, 1-3/4″ Size
Best Bands With Handles
Stroops Slastix Resistance Band
Mix-and-match these moves to create resistance band workouts that you can do anytime, anywhere. And when in doubt, remember to think full-body (one pull move, one push move, one leg move).
Rotator Cuff Shoulder Warmup
Why: Attack the small, supporting musculature within your shoulders, bulletproofing your upper body for bench presses and pullups alike with this series of moves.
How to Do It:
External Rotation:
- Anchor the resistance band to where it is in line with your waist. Walk a few steps away from the anchor point—the further you go, the more resistance you’ll have.
- Grab onto the band with the outside hand, and bend your elbow at 90 degrees. Lock it into your side.
- Move your forearm so that it pulls away from the midline of your body. Do 30 reps on each side.
Internal Rotation:
- Anchor the resistance band to where it is in line with your waist. Walk a few steps away from the anchor point—the further you go, the more resistance you’ll have.
- Turn and grab the band so the resistance faces the other direction from the external rotation.
- Grab onto the band with the outside hand, and bend your elbow at 90 degrees. Lock it into your side.
- Move your forearm so that it pulls in towards the midline of your body.
- Do 30 reps on each side.
Low Lat Pull:
- Wrap the band around an anchor point to where it’s in line with your hips. Grab onto both sides of the band.
- Maintaining a slight bend in the elbow, pull the band back towards your hips.
- Do 30 reps.
Band Pull Aparts:
- Hold the band with both hands in front of you at shoulder height.
- Squeeze the shoulder blades to pull your hands apart, bringing them in line with your body. Stop where your hands are by your shoulders.
- Do 30 reps.
Archer Row:
- Hold the band and extend one arm out to the side a little higher than shoulder height.
- Using the opposite arm, pull by bending the elbow out to the side and back. Think about pulling the shoulder blade back while doing so.
- Do 30 reps.
Pallof Press
Why: You’ll rock your abs in this classic abdominal exercise. The Pallof press takes advantage of banded resistance to challenge your core against all rotation.
How to Do It:
- Attach a resistance band to an anchor at a height to which you can grab it with both hands in a tall kneeling position.
- Kneel far enough away from the anchor so that there is some tension in the band. Grasp the band with both hands in front of your chest. Squeeze your glutes and core to create tension in your body.
- Look straight ahead and tighten up your shoulder blades. Extend your arms away from your torso. Fight the pull of the cable or band by keeping your glutes and core tight. Hold for a second before returning back to the starting position.
Sets and Reps: Aim for 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps per side
Copenhagen Plank Mini Band Challenge
Why: Copenhagen planks are difficult enough to begin with—add in a mini band, and you have a whole other challenge.
How to Do It:
- Place a mini band around your feet. Start in the Copenhagen plank position by planting your top foot on a bench or raised surface. The closer you put your knee to the bench, the less difficult this will be.
- Place your forearm perpendicular to your torso on the ground. Think about squeezing both shoulder blades and glutes to raise your hips to create a straight line from your shoulders to your foot.
- From here, drive your bottom knee forward against the resistance of the band.
- Do 6 reps. On the last rep, hold the top position for 6 seconds. Do 3 sets on both sides.
Sets and Reps: Aim for 3 sets of 6 reps per side
Half-Iso Kneeling Straight-Arm Pulldown
Why: This one will light up your back, and there’s a lot more ab challenge in it than you may expect at first.
How to Do It:
- Tie a long resistance band up to a high anchor point. Kneel underneath it, with your glutes squeezed and abs engaged. Grab onto the band with both hands, and pull to where both arms are straight.
- One arm at a time, bring your arm up diagonally towards your head. On the way down, pull the band down and apart.
Sets and Reps: Do 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps
Chaos Band L-Sit Chinup
Why: This one isn’t for the faint of heart, and it’s certainly not easy. It will force you to remove any kipping or rocking from your chin up. Build up to it—if you dare.
How to Do It:
- Set up your chaos band overhead.
- Grab on, and pull your legs up to where you create a 90 degree bend through the hips. Maintain this position.
- Pull your elbows back and down to bring your chin up to the band. Squeeze the abs and core tight, aiming not to move any other part of the body.
- If the leg hold feels too difficult, tuck your knees back towards your chest. You’ll still be working your abs, with less pull of gravity.
Sets and Reps: Do 3 sets of 4 to 6 reps
Ground-Pound Alternating Press
Why: This one will build your chest and challenge your core simultaneously. And yes it’s fun to punch the ground.
How to Do It:
- Attach two bands to an anchor point about waist high on either side of a rack.
- Start in a tall kneeling position and wrap your hands into each band. Hinge through the hips maintaining a flat back by keeping the abs locked in.
- From there, drive one arm to the ground. Hold that position while you drive the other arm to the ground. Slowly bring one arm back at a time.
Sets and Reps: Do 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps
Crucifix Arm Finisher
Why: One resistance band, one structure, plenty of biceps and triceps pump fun.
How to Do It:
- Anchor your band around hip height.
- Start in a tall kneeling position. Grab the band with the side closest to the anchor point.
- Extend that arm out to the side to where the elbow is in line with the shoulder. Curl the band towards your face, not to move the upper arm. Do 10 reps.
- Flip around and remain in the tall kneeling position. Grab the band with the same hand, with it around your head.
- Keep the hips and shoulders square forward. Extend the arm out to the side for a tricep extension, without allowing the upper arm to move. Do 10 reps.
- Alternate the two movements, pyramiding your way down to zero.
Half-Kneeling Archer Row
Why: Bulletproof your shoulders and build mid-back strength (and more ab strength than you think too) with this one.
How to Do It:
- Set up in a half kneeling position with one knee propped up.
- Hold the band and extend the arm on the same side as the propped knee out to the side a little higher than shoulder level.
- Using the opposite arm, pull by bending the elbow out to the side and back. Think about pulling the shoulder blade back while doing so.
Sets and Reps: Aim for 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps per side
Plank Triceps Kickback
Why: Yes, with bands, you can grow your arms and sculpt your abs all at once! You’ll do that here.
How to Do It:
- Anchor your band at a low height.
- Set up in a low plank position. Stack your elbows directly beneath your shoulders and extend your legs. Rest your weight on your elbows and your toes.
- Squeeze your glutes and core to create full-body tension. Think about pulling your belly button into your spine. Your back should form a straight line; don’t let your pelvis dip down or your butt to rise up.
- Grab the band with one hand. Pull down to where your upper arm is in line with your torso. Bend and straighten at the elbow for a tricep extension. Don’t move your upper arm.
Sets and Reps: Aim for 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps per side
Chest Fly Finisher
Why: Find two posts and get ready to blow up your chest with this move, which is all about squeezing through the middle of your chest.
How to Do It:
- Anchor your bands a bit higher than hip height.
- Start in the kneeling position. Grab one band in each hand.
- With a slight bend in the elbow, pull both bands together in front of your chest. Maintain that contraction with one arm while doing another rep with the opposite arm.
Sets and Reps: Do 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps.
Face Pull
Why: The face pull, when done correctly, will light up your back and bulletproof your shoulders. Fun fact: It’s best with bands.
How to Do It:
- Anchor your band at face height.
- Grab the band with both hands. Pull the band back towards your face, keeping the elbow in line with the shoulder, coming into a goal post position with your arms.
- Squeeze the shoulder blades together as you pull. Hold for count before releasing.
Sets and Reps: Aim for 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps
Banded Row to Curl
Why: The row is one of the key movements to build your back. To increase your strength, you’ll also need biceps strength. This move works both.
How to Do It:
- Start in a seated position, legs straight, band wrapped around your feet, core tight. Arms should hold the ends of the resistance band.
- Relax your shoulders. Squeeze your shoulder blades.
- Pull the band back toward your ribcage, focusing on pulling from the elbows. Return to the start.
- Immediately tighten your core, rotate your palms so they face skyward. Without moving your elbows above your shoulders, curl the bands toward your torso, squeeze when you get near the top. Do 1 rep.
- Return to rowing position. Do 2 row reps, followed by 2 curl reps.
- Repeat the pattern until you’ve done 5 row reps and 5 curl reps.
Sets and Reps: Do 3 sets
Why Resistance Bands Work
Even if you have dumbbells and kettlebells at home for doing basic movements, having a resistance band around can bring serious value to your workouts.
Why? Two words: Accommodating resistance. Essentially, the farther you pull a resistance band, the more it “resists” you. That’s a different type of resistance than, say, a dumbbell.
Take a biceps curl. Curl the dumbbell upwards, and there comes a point where the curl actually gets “easy” for your biceps, near the top of the motion. The length of the lever that challenges your biceps decreases as you finish the exercise, meaning gravity can no longer create challenge with the dumbbell (and your muscle no longer needs to create as much force to fight that challenge).
Do the same curl with a resistance band and as you near the top, it doesn’t get easier; instead, you have to work to earn the squeeze at the top of the curl. The stretched band is fighting you more, forcing you to accelerate through the entire range of motion and challenging your muscle fibers in a different way. You’ll have to squeeze your muscles extra-hard to fight banded resistance, a habit that will improve your dumbbell training, too.
Does that make bands better than dumbbells? No. But both tools can have a place in your training, and in the grand workout scheme, both tools can complement each other. One tool (hint: not the dumbbell), however, is so tiny that you can easily fit it in your backpack for any and every road trip.
The Best Ways to Use Bands
That all makes resistance bands a quality option for any workout. But in much the same way you might mix barbells, dumbbells, and cables at the gym, you ideally want to mix up your training with resistance bands too. Try these approaches with bands (and know that there are many more too).
Full Workout
Yes, you can use resistance bands for an entire full-body workout; they’ll challenge and push your body. Depending on the size of your resistance band, you might not be able to go incredibly heavy on some of the motions where you’ll want more challenge, such as deadlifts and squats, so if you’re doing a bands-only full-body session, consider doing this as a circuit. Aim for one pull move (a row or pulldown or curl), one push move (a pushup, overhead press, or triceps pressdown-style motion) and one leg move (squat, deadlift, or lunge) in every full-body session.
Finishers
If you have access to dumbbells and barbells, or if you’re advanced enough with your bodyweight to create unilateral challenges (think: pistol squats and post pushups), consider using bands near the end of your workout. They’re a great way to promote an active and aggressive chest squeeze on a pushup.
Drop Sets
One great way to use bands at home is to use them in drop sets. A drop set has you starting with a heavier weight (or a more challenging version of a move), then “dropping” into a lighter weight or more basic version of an exercise. Because you’re fatigued from the initial work you put in on the harder move, the easier move feels, well, harder. Try it with squats. Do 10 resistance band squats, holding the band under your feet and with your hands at your shoulders. Immediately release the band and do 10 standard squats. Do 3 sets. Enjoy the burn.
Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S., is the fitness director of Men’s Health and a certified trainer with more than 10 years of training experience. He’s logged training time with NFL athletes and track athletes and his current training regimen includes weight training, HIIT conditioning, and yoga. Before joining Men’s Health, he served as a sports columnist and tech columnist for the New York Daily News.
Brett Williams, NASM-CPT, PES, a senior editor at Men’s Health, is a certified trainer and former pro football player and tech reporter. You can find his work elsewhere at Mashable, Thrillist, and other outlets.
Cori Ritchey, C.S.C.S., is an Associate Health & Fitness Editor at Men’s Health, a certified strength and condition coach, and group fitness instructor. She reports on topics regarding health, nutrition, mental health, fitness, sex, and relationships. You can find more of her work in HealthCentral, Livestrong, Self, and others.
