28 exercises · 7 muscle groups · Step-by-step photos
Resistance Band Exercises
These are the 28 resistance band exercises Bodylastics builds its workouts around: the four best for each muscle group, done with what comes in a resistance bands kit (bands, handles, ankle straps and a door anchor). Training with the Resistance Bands Bar? Choose it below to jump to all of its exercises.
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Or browse all 85 resistance band exercises by muscle group ›Resistance Bands Kit Exercises
The 28 top exercises, from 85 in all
Stackable bands with handles, ankle straps and a door anchor: the four best exercises for each muscle group.
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Or browse the bar exercises by muscle group ›Resistance Bands Bar Exercises
25 exercises
Barbell-style Curls, Rows, Presses, Squats and Deadlifts with stackable bands and the Resistance Band Bar.
See The Exercises ↓
For A Resistance Bands Kit
Resistance Bands Kit Exercises, By Muscle Group
The four best exercises for each muscle group, done with bands, handles, ankle straps and a door anchor.
The 4 Best Resistance Band Chest Exercises
Press, push and fly from different anchor heights to work the whole Chest.
The 4 Best Resistance Band Shoulder Exercises
Press overhead and raise to the front, side and rear to cover all three heads of the Shoulder.
The 4 Best Resistance Band Abs Exercises
Crunch, twist and chop to work the front of the Abs and the Obliques.
The Bodylastics Exercise Library In Numbers
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85
resistance band exercises with step-by-step photos
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25
Resistance Band Bar exercises, in their own library
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612
free follow-along workouts built from these exercises
The 4 Best Resistance Band Back Exercises
Pull down, row and extend to work the Lats, the Mid Back and the Lower Back.
The 4 Best Resistance Band Legs Exercises
Squat, lunge, curl and raise to work the Thighs, Glutes, Hamstrings and Calves.
The 4 Best Resistance Band Biceps Exercises
Curl standing, lying and seated to load the Biceps from different angles.
The 4 Best Resistance Band Triceps Exercises
Kick back and extend overhead, forward and across the body to work all three heads of the Triceps.
For The Resistance Bands Bar
Resistance Bands Bar Exercises, By Muscle Group
All 25 exercises for the Bodylastics Resistance Band Bar: barbell-style Curls, Rows, Presses, Squats and Deadlifts with stackable bands. Each one shows the start and finish, how to attach the bands and the form cues.
Resistance Band Bar Chest Exercises
Resistance Band Bar Back Exercises
Resistance Band Bar Shoulders Exercises
Resistance Band Bar Biceps Exercises
Resistance Band Bar Triceps Exercises
Resistance Band Bar Abs Exercises
Resistance Band Bar Legs Exercises
How To Train With Resistance Bands: Forget 3 Sets Of 10 Reps
Three sets of 10 with the same resistance, week in and week out, won't change your body. Bands have a different resistance profile from free weights and reward different rep styles. Every rep has two phases: concentric, when the muscle contracts against the band, and eccentric, when you return to the start.
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Negatives
Concentric 1, Eccentric 3
The concentric phase is the working part of the rep, when the muscle contracts against the band: the press, the pull or the curl. The eccentric phase is the return to the starting position. For a negative, do the concentric on a quick 1-count and the eccentric on a slow 3-count: 1, 2, 3.
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Positives
Concentric 3, Eccentric 1
The opposite of a negative. Do the concentric phase, contracting the muscle against the band, on a slow 3-count, counting 1, 2, 3 in your head. Then do the eccentric phase, the return to the starting position, on a 1-count.
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Static Holds
Hold 10 seconds
At the end of the concentric phase, hold the contraction for a set number of seconds, typically 10, then return to the starting position.
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Intervals
20 on, 10 off
Tabata style: as many reps as you can, as fast as you can, for 20 seconds, then 10 seconds of rest, and again. Or 30 seconds of reps and 20 of rest, repeated 2 or 3 times. Build them any way you like.
Speed Work Is Where Bands Stand Apart
Fast, all-out reps against a clock are hard to do safely with free weights: as you fatigue, momentum takes over, and that is how people tear something. Bands make Tabata-style and speed training practical, so you can push the pace in a way free weights don't allow.
The training methods on this page come from Blake Kassel, founder of Bodylastics, and are the rep styles used throughout the free Bodylastics workouts.
Resistance Band Training Questions, Answered
How many sets and reps should I do with resistance bands?
There is no single right number. Three sets of 10 with the same resistance, week after week, stops producing change. Vary the rep style instead (negatives, positives, static holds and intervals) and keep raising the challenge. Whatever number of reps you choose, pick a resistance that has you close to failing at that number.
How do I choose the right resistance band?
Choose enough resistance that you are really struggling on the last two reps of your target. If you are doing 12 reps, reps 11 and 12 should be hard. For interval training, drop the resistance a little so you can keep pushing out reps for the whole interval.
How often should I work out with resistance bands?
The same rule applies as with free weights: give a muscle group enough time between workouts for its soreness to have pretty much gone. If a style of workout doesn't leave you very sore, you can train with bands as often as you want.
Can you do HIIT or Tabata workouts with resistance bands?
Yes, and bands suit it better than free weights. A Tabata-style band interval is 20 seconds of as many reps as you can, as fast as you can, then 10 seconds of rest, repeated. With free weights, fatigue and momentum make fast reps risky; with bands you can push the pace.
What is the most common mistake beginners make with resistance bands?
Not having a plan. A few sets of Biceps Curls and an exercise here or there won't work. You need structure and a program to follow, which is what the 612 free Bodylastics workouts provide, with every rep, set and band change called out.