Resistance Band Exercises

A band weighs almost nothing, fits in a pocket and loops around the knees, the ankles or a post, which makes it the most accessible way to add resistance at home, while travelling or in a corner of the gym. It suits the small muscles heavy lifting tends to skip: lateral band walks and seated hip abductions load the gluteus medius on the side of the hip, the muscle that keeps the pelvis level when you stand on one leg. Because the load is light and easy on the joints, a few band sets are also a common warm-up before squats, deadlifts or presses.

A band gets harder the further it stretches, so the resistance is lightest where the band is shortest and heaviest where it is most stretched. Pick a band that lets you finish every rep under control, keep it taut in the starting position so it never goes slack, and end the set when you have to shorten the range to keep going. Band tension isn't measured in kilograms, and the same colour means different resistance from one brand to the next, so track progress in reps and band colour: add reps first, then move to the next band. Note the band colour in the set notes each time, because a set with a different band isn't the same set.