Resistance Band Exercises
Try the following exercises, enjoy their simplicity and get in shape!
Required: An approximately 18” in length moderate resistance elastic band with two handles.
Exercise 1: Griping the band with its handles, pull it taut in front of your chest. Slowly pull band out toward your sides (allowing band to slide along your chest), elongating band to its limit; slowly allow band to contract to original length; perform 10-15 repetitions, 2-3 sets.
Exercise 2: Gripping the band with its handles, extend your arms straight out from your chest; with arms straight, pull band out toward your sides, elongating band to its limit; slowly allow band to contract to original length; perform 10-15 repetitions, 2-3 sets.
Exercise 3: Gripping the band with its handles, extend your arms straight out over your head; with arms straight, pull band out toward your sides, elongating band to its limit; slowly allow band to contract to original length above your head; perform 10-15 repetitions, 2-3 sets.
Exercise 4: (Unsheathing the Sword) Gripping the band with its handles, position left hand onto your left hip; slowly extend right hand diagonally across body until band fully extended above your head; slowly lower; perform 10-15 repetitions, 2-3 sets.
Repeat with right hand on right hip; slowly extend left hand diagonally across body until band fully extended above your head; slowly lower; perform 10-15 repetitions, 2-3 sets.
Exercise 5: (Replacing the Sword) Gripping the band with its handles, extend right arm diagonally above your head, holding the arm straight; pull left hand down to your hip; perform 10-15 repetitions, 2-3 sets.
Repeat by extending left arm diagonally above your head, holding the arm straight; pull right hand down to your hip; perform 10-15 repetitions, 2-3 sets.
Exercise 6: (Bow and Arrow) Gripping the band with its handles as if you are holding a bow, extend your left arm straight to your front; as if you are pulling an arrow backwards, pull your right hand back to your right shoulder; then slowly bring right hand back toward your left hand; perform 10-15 repetitions, 2-3 sets.
Repeat on right side; grip the band with its handles and as if you are holding a bow and extend your right arm straight to your front; as if you are pulling an arrow backward, pull your left hand back to your left shoulder; then slowly bring left hand back toward your right hand; perform 10-15 repetitions, 2-3 sets.
Exercise 7: (Reverse Bow and Arrow) Gripping the band with its handles as if you are holding a bow, pull your left hand back to your left shoulder and extend your right arm straight out; slowly bring your right hand back towards your left shoulder; perform 10-15 repetitions, 2-3 sets.
Gripping the band with its handles as if you are holding a bow, pull your right hand back to your right shoulder and extend your left arm straight out; slowly bring your left hand back towards your right shoulder; perform 10-15 repetitions, 2-3 sets.
Exercise 8: (Clock) Gripping the band with its handles, extend your arms straight out from your chest; with arms straight, pull band out toward your sides, elongating band until you feel some tension; move hands as if you are rotating around a clock, slowly rotate your hands clockwise until left hand is at twelve and right hand is at six o’clock; then rotate counterclockwise; perform 10-15 repetitions, 2-3 sets.
Exercise 9: Gripping the band with its handles, extend your arms straight out from your chest; place right hand at twelve o’clock and left hand at six o’clock; with arms straight, pull band with hands in opposite directions; allow hands to revert to original position; perform 10-15 repetitions, 2-3 sets.
Gripping the band with its handles, extend your arms straight out from your chest; place left hand at twelve o’clock and right hand at six o’clock; with arms straight, pull band with hands in opposite directions; allow hands to revert to original position; perform 10-15 repetitions, 2-3 sets.
Exercise 10: (Bench Press) Grip the band behind your back at shoulder height, holding handles to your front; pull the band straight outward from your chest; slowly lower back to your chest; perform 10-15 repetitions, 2-3 sets.
Exercise 11: Grip the band behind your back at shoulder height; extend both arms straight out from your sides; as if there was a big barrow to your front, slowly move your hands around the barrow; slowly return hands to your sides; perform 10-15 repetitions, 2-3 sets.
Exercise 12: Grip the band behind your back at shoulder height; extend both arms straight out from your sides; slowly return hands to your sides at shoulder height; perform 10-15 repetitions, 2-3 sets.
Exercise 13: Grip the band behind your back at shoulder height, holding handles to your front; pull the band straight outward from your chest; with arms extended to your front, simultaneously rotate left arm clockwise and right arm counter-clockwise 15 repetitions; then simultaneously rotate left arm counter-clockwise and right arm clockwise; repeat for 2-3 sets.
Exercise 14: While sitting in a chair, place band under your thighs and grip band with its handles; bend your upper body towards your lap; slowly pull hands straight out from your sides until fully extended, then slowly move hands back to legs; perform 10-15 repetitions, 2-3 sets.
Exercise 15: While sitting in a chair, place band under your thighs and grip band with its handles; wrap band around your thighs and move legs slowly outward and inward causing tension with the band; perform 10-15 repetitions, 2-3 sets.
Exercise 16: (Biceps) While sitting in a chair, secure one band handle under right foot, and grip the other band handle with your right hand; keeping your elbow in place by your side, slowly pull your right hand up to your right shoulder in an arc around your elbow; then slowly lower back to your side; perform 10-15 repetitions, 2-3 sets.
Repeat exercise on your left side by securing one band handle under your left foot and gripping the other band handle with your left hand; keeping your elbow in place by your side, slowly pull your left hand up to your left shoulder in an arc around your elbow; then slowly lower back to your side; perform 10-15 repetitions, 2-3 sets.
Exercise 17: (Triceps) While sitting in a chair, secure one band handle under right foot, and grip the other band handle with your right hand; slowly raise your elbow up and back allowing right hand to follow; then slowly lower elbow to starting position; perform 10-15 repetitions, 2-3 sets.
While sitting in a chair, secure one band handle under left foot, and grip the other band handle with your left hand; slowly raise your elbow up and back allowing left hand to follow; then slowly lower elbow to starting position; perform 10-15 repetitions, 2-3 sets.
Exercise 18: (Triceps) While sitting in a chair, secure one band handle under right foot, and grip the other band handle with your right hand; keeping your elbow in place by your side, slowly pull your right hand straight back until arm is fully extended to your rear; allow right hand to go back to starting position; perform 10-15 repetitions, 2-3 sets.
While sitting in a chair, secure one band handle under left foot, and grip the other band handle with your left hand; keeping your elbow in place by your side, slowly pull your left hand straight back until arm is fully extended to your rear; allow left hand to go back to starting position; perform 10-15 repetitions, 2-3 sets.
Exercise 19: Gripping the band with its handles, extend your arms straight out over your head; keeping the band gently taut, slowly bend arms to your right allowing your right side to bow in a gentle stretch; repeat to your left side; perform 5-10 stretches each side.
Exercise 20: Gripping the band with its handles, extend your arms straight out from your chest; keeping the band gently taut, slowly rotate arms to left allowing entire body to rotate and stretch at shoulders and hips; then slowly rotate arms to right allowing entire body to rotate and stretch at shoulders and hips.