Resistance Band Workouts for Women

If you don’t have room for a gym, resistance bands can a great substitute for a set of weights. Resistance bands are multi-functional and can be used for a variety of different exercises. You can get a full body exercise by getting creative. Resistance band workouts are ideal for women on the go!

Resistance bands are light-weight, inexpensive and easy to store when you aren’t using them. They are portable and can be taken with you when you go out for an impromptu workout on go. You can easily purchase athletic resistance bands online.

Resistance Band Exercises for Arms

Are you interested in toning up those arms and getting rid of the bat wings?

Start in a forward lunge. Your right leg should be in front and place the middle of the band underneath the right foot. Grab one of the loops with your right hand. Rest your elbow on the inside of your knee. This will target those biceps a bit more. With your palm facing away from the knee, curl the band up towards your shoulder, focus on squeezing your biceps at the top.

Slowly lower the hand back down and repeat for 8-10 repetitions before switching sides.

 

Standing Biceps Curl Stand with feet shoulder-width apart with your feet placed over the middle of the band. Grab a band in each hand, starting with your arms down at your sides. With palms facing in front of you, pull your arms toward your shoulders by bending at the elbow until you get a good bicep contraction. Slowly lower back down and go for a total of 12 to15 curls.

 

Triceps Kickback To start the triceps kickback, stand in a forward lunge with your right foot in front positioned over the band. As you hold each end of the band, position your arms at your sides with the palms facing behind you. Holding each end of the band, position your arms at your sides with palms facing behind you. Keeping your elbows tucked by your sides, start with bent elbows. Extend your elbows until your forearms are extended fully and parallel to the floor. Slowly, lower your arms until your arms are back in the starting position. Repeat for 8-10 repetitions.

 

Overhead Triceps Extension Sit on a chair or bench, placing the center of a tube band beneath your glutes. Grab a handle in each hand, and stretch your arms up, bending your elbows so that your hands are positioned behind your neck. With palms toward the ceiling, press your arms straight up until they fully extend. Lower back down and repeat for 10 to 12 reps before switching sides.
Lat Pull Down – 20 repetitions

To start this exercise, loop a lighter band around the middle of your hands and make two fists. With your arms extended over head, keep your hands in line with your shoulders. Keep your left arm still and pull your right arm down to your right side with your right elbow bending to a ninety degree angle and coming in line with your right shoulder. Slowly raise the arm back to starting position. This is one repetition. Do twenty repetitions. Repeat on the left side.

Resistance Band Exercises for Legs

 

Ankle Jumping Jacks — 20 repetitions

With the band around your ankles, stand in a quarter-squat position. (This is a shallow squat.) Have your feet about hip-width apart and your hands at your chest. Spread your feet out and quickly bring them back in. Do twenty repetitions. Try not to allow your body to pop up too high and land with your weight mostly on your heels.

 

Lateral Band Walks — 20 repetitions

Start with the band placed around your ankles. In a quarter squat ( a shallow squat). Start with your feet hip-width apart and your hands at your chest. Next, take a step to the right with your right foot so that your feet are shoulder width apart. Brig your left foot in so that your feet are hip-width apart again.

Take three steps to the right and then three steps back to the left for one repetition. Do twenty repetitions of the lateral band walks.

 

Standing Glute Kickbacks – 20 repetitions
Start with the band placed around your ankles in a standing position. With your hands at your chest or on your hips, shift your weight onto your left leg. Place your right toes on the ground about an inch diagonally behind your left heel to create tension in the band.

Squeeze your abs and tuck your pelvis under as you kick your leg backwards about six inches. Keep your knee straight and leg extended.

Return your foot to the ground slowly keeping tension in the band. This counts as one repetition. Do twenty repetitions. Switch sides and repeat the exercise on the other leg.

 

Clamshells – 20 repetitions

Start by lying on your side. Place the band above your knees. You can rest your head on your bottom hand. Bend your knees to a 90 degree angle. Elevate your feet to hip height as you keep your knees touching the floor. Keep your feet together as you lift the top knee up towards the ceiling. Slowly lower the top knee down to hover right about the bottom knee. This is one repetition.

Do twenty repetitions and then switch sides. This exercise can be modified if it is too difficult to open up your knees with your feet in the air, then leave them on the ground while you do the movement.

 

Mini Band Side Lunges

Loop the band around your calves. Start with your legs hip-width apart. Step out to the side with your right leg. Keeping your left leg straight, bend your right leg to about a ninety degree angle and lower your body. Do 20 repetitions and then switch sides and complete the exercise lunging towards the other side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Resistance Band Exercises for Abs

1. Crunches – Start out on your back with your feet on the floor. With the resistance band looped around your knees, tap your toes on the floor and lift your lower body up, by bringing your knees towards your chest. Keep your legs about shoulder or hip-width apart to keep the tension in your resistance band.

 

2. Crunch Tap – Start lying on your back with your hands behind your head. Your legs are extended with one on top of the other. The resistance band is around your knees. Lift the top leg up forty-five degrees. Lift the bottom leg up to the top, tap it and lower the bottom leg down. Lower the top leg down.

 

3. Crossies – Starting out on your back, with the resistance band around your knees, you are going to criss-cross your legs as you lift them up. Once your hips are at a ninety degree angle, lower your legs while you are crossing them. Aim to do about ten of these. If you are a beginner, you can start with five of these.

 

Resistance Band Exercise for the Back

There are even exercises that you can do for your back with the resistance band. Keeping your back strong ensures that you have good posture and prevents injuries. These are some great back exercises to get you started!

Seated Resistance Band Row
This exercise is done with a resistance band that has handles. Loop the resistance band around your feet. With the legs with a slight bend in the knee, lean back slightly, bring your elbows close to the body. Flex your elbows to about a ninety degree angle pulling the elbows behind your body. Slowly let your arms extend to the starting position.

Do twenty repetitions.

 

 

Conclusion

It is possible to get a full body workout with only a resistance band for equipment. This is a great tool to use for people who are living in apartments, those who are short on space, or people who travel frequently and don’t always have access to their gym.