Exercises with resistance bands
20 exercises you can do with resistance bands. Tap for technique and tips.
Resistance bands provide constant tension throughout the entire movement—something free weights rarely achieve. This forces your muscles to work against resistance even at the top of the lift, most notably in exercises like band pull-aparts and external rotations.
With 20 exercises in the bank, this tool covers almost your entire body. Shoulders dominate with six exercises, and that's no accident—the shoulder joint requires balance between pressing and rotational movements for longevity. The rest of the library spans from banded calf raises to banded squats and banded skull crushers.
Shoulders and Upper Body
Six of the twenty exercises target the shoulders, and they complement each other well. Banded shoulder press and upright rows build pressing strength, while band pull-aparts, reverse flyes, external rotations and internal rotations strengthen the rotator cuff and counteract the imbalances that develop from heavy pressing.
Triceps get plenty of work through skull crushers and overhead extensions. The chest is covered by banded bench press and banded crossovers—the crossover is particularly effective with bands because the resistance persists as you bring your arms together.
Hips and Legs
Hamstrings and glutes are well-represented. Banded good mornings train the hip hinge without loading the spine. Banded hip extensions, glute bridges and hip flexion isolate the hip from multiple angles.
Monster walks and banded hip adduction activate the hip adductors and abductors—muscles that rarely get priority but stabilize the knee during squats and running. Banded squats and calf raises round out the leg work.
How to Use the Band Correctly
The most common mistake is choosing a band that's too light and losing tension at full extension—the band should stay tight throughout the movement, never slack at the bottom. Always anchor the band securely before starting, and check that it doesn't rub against sharp edges.
- Start with shoulder exercises: band pull-aparts and lateral raises give quick feedback on form
- Increase resistance gradually—switch to a heavier band or double up
- Pair isolation work (external rotations) with compound movements (shoulder press) in the same session for best results