50 Mini Band Exercises: Ultimate Resistance Loop Workout Guide
Here it is: the best resistance loop workout guide you will find anywhere on or off the internet – 50 mini band exercises to hit every single muscle in your body.
Are you feeling pumped? You better be.
I had to think long and hard before publishing this guide.
Just imagine: 50 mini band exercises all in one workout guide – the freedom to do any exercise you could ever need, with just a pocket resistance loop.
This may very well be the workout that puts all gyms out of business.
But at the risk of having a price put on my head by angry gym owners, I am putting this out there.
I hope you appreciate the risk I’m taking.
What is a mini resistance band?
Mini resistance bands, also known as glute bands or booty bands, are just simple elastic loops which you can use for all kinds of strength and fitness exercises. They fold up and fit right in your shirt pocket.
Usually you loop them around your legs while doing lower body movements like glute kickbacks, hip abductions, clamshells etc.
The concentric resistance they apply gives you intense glute, hip and thigh activation. For booty-building exercises, mini bands are all you need.
But you can do so much more with these bands.
Did you know they’re one of the best tools for building your core strength and getting a sexy six pack?
Did you know you can use mini bands to do deadlifts, rows, curls and many other upper body exercises you’d normally need a barbell for?
How have you read this far and still not cancelled your gym membership??
The Ultimate Mini Resistance Band Workout Guide: 50 Exercises
The mini band exercises in this guide are divided into Lower Body, Core and Upper Body. For each exercise you should aim to do around 10-15 reps. Always pay close attention to the correct form as shown in the picture.
LOWER BODY EXERCISES
#1 Squat
With the mini band placed just above your knees, squat down until your thighs are parallel to the ground (or higher if that is too difficult). Then, driving through the heels, return to a standing position. See photo.
#2 Sumo Squat
From a squat position, raise your body up and, at the same time, raise one leg up and out to the side. Hold for a moment, then return and repeat on the other side.
#3 Diagonal Split Squat
Drop into a squat position with the band looped around your knees. Now step back and inwards with one leg. Hold for a moment, feeling the stretch in your groin, then come back to a standing position and repeat on the opposite leg. See photo.
#4 Drop Squat
With the band around your ankles, drop down quickly into a low squat with your feet wide apart. Then jump back up and repeat. See photo.
#5 Lunge Kickback
With the mini band placed around your knees, step forward into a deep lunge. Then raise your hips and lean forward as you lift your rear leg. Hold it for a moment, then return and repeat on the other side.
#6 Donkey Kick
Start on your hands and knees with the band looped around your feet. Kick one leg back, driving your heel towards the ceiling. Squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement. See video.
#7 Knee Raise
Start in a standing position with the band looped around your feet. Stretch the band by bringing one knee up as high as possible. Hold it for a moment, feeling the burn in your hip flexors.
#8 Standing Hip Flexion
Place the band around your ankles and lift one leg forward and up without bending your knee. Try to raise the leg until it’s parallel to the ground and then hold briefly.
#9 Standing Hip Abduction
With the band around your ankles, lift one leg out to the side, keeping your body straight and squeezing your glutes.
#10 Lying Hip Abduction
Lie on your side with the band around your ankles, supporting your torso with your arm on the floor. Keeping both legs straight, lift the top leg as high as possible. See photo.
#11 Standing Kickback
In a standing position, with the band around your ankles, kick one leg back as far as possible, squeezing your glute muscles.
#12 Leaning Kickback
Place the band above your knees and lean forward, supporting yourself on a chair. Kick one leg back and up towards the ceiling. Try to lift your leg until it is horizontal to the floor, or even higher.
#13 Glute Kickback with Bench
Kneel on a bench with the band looped around the bench and one knee. Keeping your body and neck in a straight line, lift your leg as high as possible, feeling the contraction in your glutes and erector spinae muscles.
#14 Glute Kickback
On hands and knees, with the band looped around your feet, kick one leg as high as possible. See photo.
#15 Clamshell
Lie on your side with the band looped around your knees. Stretch the band by spreading your knees apart as wide as possible. See photo.
#16 Inverse Clamshell
Start on hands and knees with the band around your feet. Keeping your back straight, lift one knee out to the side, stretching the band as far as you can and squeezing your glutes.
#17 Leg Extension
Sit on a chair or bench with the band looped around your ankle and secured down low. Extend your leg until it is straight, then lower to the starting position. Wear socks to prevent the band chafing your skin.
#18 Lateral Shuffle
With the band around your ankles, step out to the side several time, then step the other way. See video.
#19 Mini Band Walk
Loop the band around your knees or ankles. Take several steps forward, then return to start by stepping backwards.
#20 Deadlift
Step inside the loop and bend at the waist to grasp the other end. Pull the band up by straightening your body, paying attention to correct deadlift form.
CORE EXERCISES
#21 Bridge Thrust 1
Lie on your back with legs bent and the band around your knees. Lift your hips as high as possible, keeping your upper body relaxed. Hold for a second, squeezing your glutes. See photo.
#22 Bridge Thrust 2
Same as previous exercise, except this time loop the band around your waist and press it down to the ground as you lift your hips.
#23 Bicycle Crunch
Lie on your back with the band around your feet. Pull your right leg towards your stomach and bring your left elbow to touch your right knee. Return and repeat on the other side in a continuous movement.
#24 Oblique Crunch
Start in a sideways reclining position with the band around your ankles. Support your body with your elbow and raise your legs straight up. Bring your knees into your chest, feeling the burn in your oblique muscles.
#25 Lying Leg Raise
Lie on your back with the band around your ankles. Lift one leg up high while keeping the other leg pressed to the floor. You can make the exercise more difficult by keeping your lower leg slightly off the floor, without letting it move.
#26 Horizontal Scissors
Lying on your back with the band around your ankles, raise your legs off the ground, using your arms to stabilize your body. Open and close your legs in a scissor-like cutting motion.
#27 Vertical Scissors
Same as above except this time open and close your legs vertically up in the air.
#28 Oblique Leg Lift
Start in a sideways reclining position, one leg straight in front of you and one bent beneath you. With the knee around your thigh and ankle, lift your upper leg and bring your free hand down to your knee. You should feel the exercise in your obliques, hips and thighs.
#29 Side Plank Crunch
In a side plank with the band around your feet, extend your top arm over your head. Now bring your top knee and elbow together, bending at the waist.
#30 Side Plank Leg Raise
In a side plank, with the band around your knees, raise your top leg as high as possible. Keep your legs straight and your body in a straight line.
#31 Mountain Climber
Start in a plank position and loop the band around your toes. Bring one knee up to your chest, hold for a moment, then return to start and repeat on the other side. See photo.
#32 Plank Kickback
In a plank position with the band around your knees, lift one leg as high as possible, squeezing your glutes. Hold for a moment then repeat with the other leg.
#33 Plank Shuffle
Loop the band around your wrists or your ankles, or both. Step out to the right simultaneously with your right foot and right hand. Follow with your left foot and hand. Continue several times in one direction and then switch.
#34 Plank Walk
With the band around your wrists, walk your hands forward as far as you can, then return to the starting point. Repeat, this time leading with the other hand.
UPPER BODY EXERCISES
#35 Seated Row
Sit on the floor with your legs straight in front of you and the band looped around your feet. Pull the other end of the loop in towards your stomach, keeping your back straight and squeezing your shoulder blades together. See photo.
#36 Kneeling Row
Start in a half kneeling position with the band looped around your front foot. Lean over your front leg, keeping your back straight, and pull the band back without shrugging your shoulders.
#37 Plank Row
Loop the band around your hands and get into a plank position. Raise one hand off the floor, stretching the band by lifting your elbow up towards the ceiling. Then repeat with the other arm.
#38 Shoulder Raise to Twist
In a half kneeling position, with the band around your front foot, stretch the band up with the opposite hand, keeping your arm straight. At the top of the movement, twist to the side, bringing your hand close to your body. Then return to start and repeat.
#39 Horizontal Arm Extension
Stand up and, with the band around your wrists, hold your arms straight out in front of you. Stretch the band apart as far as you can, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
#40 Vertical Arm Extension
This time, keeping one arm still, stretch the band by lifting the other arm vertically up. Then return and switch arms.
#41 Rear Arm Extension
Loop the band around your wrists and hold your arms behind your back. Pull the band apart while keeping your arms straight.
#42 Overhead Row
Stretch your arms over your head with the band around your wrists. Now lower your elbows, stretching the band apart behind your head and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
#43 Lat Pulldown
With your arms extended over your head, hold onto either end of the band. Keeping one arm still, pull the band down and outwards with the other arm until it is at head height. Return and switch arms.
#44 Outward Shoulder Rotator
With the bands around your wrists, hold your forearms in front of you, keeping your elbows close in to your sides. Now stretch the band apart without moving your elbows.
#45 Chest Opener
With the band around your wrists, extend your arms out in front of you. Bring your hands back and out, turning your palms to face forward and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
#46 Lateral Arm Raise
Loop the band around your wrists and hold your forearms in front of you with elbows close in to your sides. Pushing from the shoulder, lift one arm up and out to the side as far as possible, then return and repeat on the other side.
#47 Bicep Curl
Sit on a chair with the band around one foot. Hold the other end and pull it upwards using your bicep muscle. Keep your elbow in place on your knee. See photo.
#48 Tricep Extension
Hold one end of the band tightly against your collar bone. Pull the band downwards with the other hand, using your tricep muscle. Keep your elbow fixed at your side.
#49 Rear Tricep Extension
Either sitting or standing, hold the band behind your back as shown. Keep your upper arm still and pull the band downwards with your other arm.
#50 Archer’s Pull
Hold the band as you would a bow. Keep your front arm still and draw the band back fully with the other arm, opening your chest and bringing your shoulder blade back. Repeat on both sides.
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