4 Ways Resistance Bands Can Help You Nail Hard Exercises

Just get started with below-mentioned body resistance-band exercises. All you have to do is set an aim for 8-10 reps of each movement. And If you’re getting strong or craving more of a challenge then you can increase reps.

Banded Front Squats

“If you’ve ever attempted a heavier squat only to have to bail halfway up, then incorporating bands may be for you,” says Richardson. This movement with a band will help to overcome the “sticking point”halfway. This can be done through the lift by demanding that you generate more power. This will force you to overcome the increased resistance of the band.”

Helps to Strengthen The: Quads, Upper Back, Shoulders

How to do it? 

1. Stand on a circular resistance band with your feet hip-distance apart.

2. Bent at 90-degree angles with the help of your arm.

3. Your palms facing up and rest   the band across your palms towards the base of your hands.

4. Hinge at the hips and lower yourself as you would in a normal squat but makes sure that your chest remains up and your knees don’t move past your toes.

5. When your thighs are parallel with the ground, push through your heels and explode up, contracting at the top.

Assisted Pull-Ups

Richardson says, “Using a band to help with pull-ups can help you squeeze out the last few reps of a challenging set or help you build the strength and confidence needed to attempt your first unassisted pull-up”.

“Use a small band that will help, but not do the work for you.

Helps to Strengthen: Lats

How to do it?

1. To create a foothold, loop a band over a pull-up bar.

2. Step one foot into the band and keep the other foot out of the band. Stand on a box for height assistance, if needed.

3. Place your hands on the bar at about shoulder-width apart, pull yourself up by contracting your lats.

4. Use the band to lift your chin over the bar. Lower back down in a slow-and-controlled motion and make sure not to swing or waver back and forth.

Banded Hip Thrusts

Richardson says, “Banded hip thrusts are a cheap and effective way to strengthen the glutes, hamstrings, and quads without having to go to a gym, move a bunch of weight plates, or risk injury”.When this movement is done correctly, they provide muscle activation in the lower glutes as their barbell counterpart.

Helps to Strengthen: Glutes

How to do it? 

1. Lay on the floor and pin your shoulder blades to the ground. knees should be bent at 90 degrees and feet should be planted firmly on the floor at about shoulder-width apart.

2. Place a band across your hip crease and make sure to take the slack out of it.

3. Brace your core, lift your hips and squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement.

4. Lower back down in a slow and in a controlled motion.

Banded Push-Ups

“Adding resistance bands to push-ups is a great way to build muscular strength and endurance since the force needed on the concentric (upward) phase of the movement is increased,” says Richardson.

“As you push your body away from the ground, the band is stretched and the load on your muscles is increased. This means that more muscle fibers are recruited and that you have to work harder to complete the rep.

Helps to Strengthen: Chest, Shoulders, Delts

How to do it?

1. Take both ends of a resistance band and drape it across your back.
2. Pull tight enough so that there is tension in the band.
3. Assume proper push-up position with your shoulders stacked above your wrists.
4. Pin the band’s end under the palms of your hands and slowly lower your chest to the ground.
5. On the way up, press against the resistance of the band and get back to plank position.