The Top 10 Exercises with Resistance Bands (Expander Bands)

Resistance bands with handles (also called expander bands or tube bands) can be combined in any way you like and give you a varied total body workout. They are also durable, versatile and suitable for any type of targeted strength training, especially for strengthening and toning arms, chest, shoulders back and lower extremities.
Tube bands are the perfect training tool for strengthening large and small muscle chains and are suitable for beginners and professionals alike. Tube bands allow your body to workout effectively at home or in the gym. They provide enough resistance to work your muscles and take up minimal floor space, making them a smart choice for people who frequently work out at home.

 

Top 10 exercises with resistance bands

We're going to show you a total of 10 different exercises that you can do with tube bands. These are exercises that are for beginners, advanced and professionals. These exercises are all performed outdoors, but they can also be done at home.

 

1. Biceps Curls 

Muscles trained: Biceps

Execution:

1. Stand with your feet on the center of the tube band.
2. Grasp the two handles on the sides in an underhand grip.
3. Now you can train your arms in three ways: Either you bring the handles on both sides up at the same time. Or you can train your arms individually, performing the entire number of repetitions with one arm on the one hand and alternating the arms upward with one repetition each on the other.
4. Make sure that the left upper arm is close to the torso and does not move. Move the forearm upward against the resistance. Exhale as you do so.
5. On each repetition, go down in a controlled manner, but keep tension on the biceps, and exhale. Repeat the exercise several times.

 

2. Side Lift

Muscles trained: lateral shoulder muscles, arm muscles

Execution:

1. Stand with your feet on the center of the tube band.
2. Grasp the two handles to the left and right of you in an overhand grip. Hold your arms sideways at a 45° angle from your torso.
3. Inhale before the exercise. From this starting position, move your hands steadily outward and upward until your arms are just above shoulder height. Exhale as you do this.
4. Hold this position for a while and slowly return the arms to the start position against the resistance of the tube band. Inhale as you do this.
5. Maintain the tension at the lowest point and repeat this exercise regularly.

 

3. Shoulder Press

Muscles trained: shoulder muscles, triceps

Execution:

1. Stand with your feet on the center of the tube band. Grasp the handles to the left and right of you in an overhand grip.
2. Raise the upper arms upward so that they form a straight line with each other and are extended out to the sides. The forearms point upward at a 90° angle to the upper arms.
3. Keep the wrists straight, inhale and now tense the back and abdomen.
4. Press the handles upward with both hands against the resistance until they are extended straight. Exhale as you do so.
5. Return to the starting position and inhale. Maintain tension in the starting position and repeat the exercise several times.

4. Rowing Upright

Muscles trained: Trapezius muscles, deltoids, biceps, forearm flexors.

Execution:

1.  Stand with your feet on the center of the tube band. Cross the handles of the tube so that the left end is in your right hand and the right end is in your left hand.
2. Grasp the handles in an overhand grip and hold them directly in front of your body with arms extended downward. Stand hip-width apart with your back straight. Inhale before the exercise.
3. Pull the handles up in front of your body against resistance, making sure the elbows are pointing up at the sides and leading the movement. Exhale as you do this.
4. Breathe back as you move to the starting position and maintain tension in the starting position. Repeat the exercise sequence several times.

 

5. Squat

Muscles trained: Leg muscles, gluteal muscles, lower back muscles, abdominal muscles.

Execution:

1. Stand with your feet straight and slightly wider than hip-width. Stand on the center of the tube band with your feet turned slightly outward.
2. Now take the handles in your hands in an overhand grip and bring them upward. Hold the handles so that they are level with your shoulders. Your elbows are bent and out to the side. Inhale before the exercise.
3. Now go down against the resistance and exhale. Make sure your knees are behind your toes and your knees and feet are always pointing in the same direction. Bend forward with the upper body only minimally, with the entire back forming a straight line.
4. You reach the lowest point of the exercise when the thighs are parallel to the floor or higher if you do not come as low. Inhale in this position.
5. Return to a straight stance. Put pressure on the heels and exhale. Repeat this exercise several times.

 

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6. Butterfly

 

Muscles trained: Chest muscles, triceps, front shoulder muscles.

Execution:

1. Place the tube band in the middle around a vertically directed and fixed element.
2. Stand with your back to the element and grasp the handles of the tube band in an underhand grip. Move the hands with the handles so that the arms are straight out at shoulder height and to the side of the body. Both arms form a straight line.
3. Turn the hands in with the handles so that the backs of the hands are facing backward. Take a few steps forward until the tube band is under tension.
4. Inhale before performing the exercise and stand with your body straight and slightly bent forward to maintain balance.
5. During the exercise, bring your arms together from the outside in front of you, always stretched out straight. Exhale and hold the final position for a while.
6. Slowly return to the starting position, inhaling as you do so. Hold the tension in the starting position and repeat the exercise again and several times.

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7. Triceps Press

Muscles trained: Triceps

Execution:

1. Stand up straight with your feet on the center of the tube band. Grasp the handles of the band in an overhand grip.
2. Keep your left arm stretched out beside your body and grasp the handle. Extend your right arm straight up above your head. Make sure the back of your hand is facing down to work your triceps.
3. Move the right arm from the straight stretch behind your head and inhale.
4. Then return the arm to straight extension and exhale. Never extend it through in the top position, but keep it minimally bent, otherwise the load will be on the skeleton of the bone. Repeat this exercise with the right arm as many times as you like.
5. After one set, switch arms and perform the same steps for the left arm.

 

8. Push-ups with Resistance

 

Muscles trained: Chest muscles, triceps, shoulders, abdominal muscles, lower back muscles.

Execution:

1. Get into the push-up position: arms and feet are on the floor. The arms are extended straight with the hands at shoulder height, while the feet are extended straight close together.
2. Before assuming the push-up position, place the center of the tube band around the lower back and place your hands on the handles on the floor.
3. Now the whole body except the hands and feet is above the floor. Make sure your body forms a straight line from top to bottom.
4. Move your upper body down by bending your elbows. Inhale as you move down.
5. Hold the position just above the floor for a while and push up from the arms against the resistance of the upper body and the tube band. Breathe out as you do this.
6. Repeat the exercise as many times as you like.

 

9. Upper Body Rotation

Muscles trained: shoulder muscles, arm muscles, abdominal muscles, lower back muscles

Execution:

1. Place the tube band in the middle around a vertically directed and fixed element. In our case it is a wooden pole.
2. Stand sideways to the pole and grasp both handles of the tube band with your hands.
3. Put slight tension on the tube strap by moving away from the pole. Get a firm stance, keep your torso upright and extend the tube band with the handles straight out in front of you. Inhale before performing.
4. Now move the tube band away from the pole against the resistance by turning your upper body to the side. Keep your lower body straight up to your waist. Exhale as you perform the exercise.
5. Hold the final position briefly, then slowly move back to the starting position, inhaling. Maintain tension until you have completed all repetitions.
6. Once you have completed the set for one side, turn to the other side and do your set for the other side of the torso.

 

10. Rowing

Muscles trained: Upper back muscles, biceps.

Execution:

1.  Place the tube band in the middle around a vertically directed and fixed element.
2. Stand facing the element, grasp the loop band in an overhand grip and take a few steps back to put slight tension on the tube band with arms extended.
3. Move the hands so that the backs of the hands are facing out to the sides. Get a firm footing and inhale before performing the exercise.
4. Now pull the tube band backward with both handles against resistance via the elbows. Keep your upper body straight and bring your elbows close to your upper body to challenge your back. Exhale during this step.
5. Hold the position for a while and move back to the starting position while inhaling. Repeat this exercise several times.

 

 

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