16 Full Body Resistance Band Workouts For Beginners

Don’t want to try strength training cause the thought of weightlifting is too damn intimidating? What if we told you that you could get all the benefits of strength training with just a set of resistance bands?

Yep, you read it right!

Resistance bands are one of the best ways to build, strengthen, and tone your muscles while being low-impact on your joints. Plus they can target pretty much any muscle group in your body - abs, shoulders, arms, chest, back, glutes, hips, quads, and whatnot!

There are different kinds of resistance bands all with varied benefits including improving your athletic performance and functional fitness, helping you bounce back from injury, enhancing your mobility and flexibility, and a lot more!

In this post, we’ll share with you 16 fabulous resistance band exercises plus a full body resistance band workout for beginners that’ll whip your body into shape!

Get, set, stretch!!

Resistance band workouts for beginners

As a beginner, you could choose 3 upper body exercises, 3 lower body exercises, and 3 exercises for your core from the below set of exercises to create a full body resistance band workout routine. You could aim for 1 set of 8-15 reps of every move.

Upper Body Exercises using Loop / Power / Pull-up Bands

1. Banded hammer curls

Muscles worked:  Biceps brachii, brachioradialis, and brachialis muscles.

How to perform

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Now loop a resistance band under the arches of your feet and hold it in your hands with your palms facing each other.
• Keeping your upper arms steady, bend your elbows while curling the band toward your shoulders.
• Hold this position for a second before lowering back down to the initial position.
• Perform 10-15 reps.

2. Seated Resistance Band Biceps Curl

Muscles worked:  Brachialis, biceps brachii, and brachioradialis muscles.

How to perform

• Sit straight on a chair.
• Place the resistance band under one foot.
• Grasp the top end of the band with one hand, palm facing upwards and arms straight at your sides.
• Now pull the band towards your chest, bending at your elbows.
• Slowly return to the starting position.
• Perform 10 – 15 reps.

3. Banded pull-aparts

Muscles worked:  Rhomboids, rotator cuffs, rear deltoids, and trapezius muscles.

How to perform

• Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
• Take one end of a resistance band in each hand using an overhand grip.
• Place both your hands at shoulder-height so that they are directly in front of your shoulders. Ensure that your hands are fully outstretched without locking out your elbows.
• Now stretch the band by moving your hands out to either side. Don’t bend your elbows or change their position.
• Stretch the band as much as you can until your hands are in line with the shoulders.
• Pause for a few seconds before slowly returning to the starting position.
• Perform 10-15 reps.

4. Banded Woodchoppers 

Muscles worked:  Shoulders, triceps, biceps, quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, core muscles.

How to perform

• Grab a resistance band and put one foot inside of it.
• Keeping your feet shoulder-width apart, engage your abs, and squeeze your butt. 
• Hold the other side of the band with both your hands. Your top hand goes under the band, while your bottom hand goes over it.
• Grab the band firmly and bring it over your head across the body.
• Keep your elbows locked and twist your torso in a controlled manner.
• Return to the starting position.
• Perform 8 to 10 reps on each side.

5. Banded Russian Twists

Muscles worked: Abs, obliques, hip flexors, shoulders, and upper back.

How to perform

• Sit with your legs extended and heels touching the floor. (If this is too tough, you can sit in a V-sit position with your knees bent.)
• Loop a resistance band around your feet and hold the other end with both hands.
• Keeping your lower body stable, twist your ribcage by moving your hands from hip to hip at a quick pace.
• Perform 10- 15 reps on both sides.

Buy Burnlab’s Pull-up bands set right here.

Upper Body Exercises using Resistance Tubes

6. Standing Decline Chest Press (Anchored)

Muscles worked: Pectoral muscles, shoulders, biceps, triceps, back muscles, and abs.

How to perform

• Take a resistance tube and loop it through a door anchor inserted at the midpoint of a door.
• Grab one handle of the resistance tube in either hand, facing away from the door.
• Step around 2 feet away from the door, until you get the desired resistance in the band.
• Place your feet one behind the other in a staggered stance.
• Lift your elbows till they are fully bent and pointing back.
• Your hands should be lower than shoulder height with your palms facing down.
• Keeping your abs engaged, stand with your body slightly forward.
• Now exhale and press both arms at a downward angle, till your arms are fully extended.
• Inhale and slowly return to the starting position, with elbows pulled back.
• Perform 8-12 reps.

Buy Burnlab’s Resistance Tube set right here.

7. Standing Chest Fly (Anchored)

Muscles worked: Biceps, anterior deltoids, pectoralis major, and triceps.

How to perform

• Take a resistance tube and loop it through a door anchor inserted at the top of a door.
• Grab one handle of the resistance tube in either hand, facing away from the door.
• Step around 2 feet away from the door, until you get the desired resistance in the band.
• Keeping your core engaged, place your feet one behind the other in a staggered stance.
• Begin the exercise by exhaling and extending your arms out parallel to your body. (Never extend beyond this range.)
• Now inhale and bring your arms together in front, while contracting your chest.
• Pause for 1-2 seconds before returning to the starting position.
• Perform 8-12 reps.

8. Triceps Kickbacks

Muscles worked: Triceps brachii muscle.

How to perform

• Hold each handle of your resistance tube in either hand.
• Step with both feet onto the band.
• Keeping your elbows at 90 degrees, bend until your upper body is almost parallel to the floor.
• Bring your elbows by your side and keep them locked.
• With your abs drawn in and a straight lower back, extend your arms until your hands point backward.
• Pause for a second and then return slowly to the starting position.
• Perform 10-15 reps.

Lower Body Exercises using Booty / Hip Bands

9. Lateral Band Walks

Muscles worked: Hip abductors, gluteus medius

How to perform

• Wrap a hip band just above your knees, keeping your feet together.
• Sit down into a partial squat and reach your hips back.
• Position your arms in front of you to make sure that your chest stays lifted. 
• Keeping your knees bent, so that you’re in a partial squat the entire time, take one step to the right with your right foot.
• Ensure you’re leading with the heel so that your feet stay parallel.
• Now slowly bring the left foot towards the right foot so that your feet are together again.
• Repeat the process by taking a few steps to the right.
• Then switch directions and lead with the left foot.

10. Banded squats

Muscles worked: Glutes, quadriceps, and hip adductor muscles.

How to perform

• Wrap a hip band just above your knees.
• Stand with your feet at about hip-width apart.
• Place your hands in front of you or on your hip.
• Start lowering yourself into a squat, pushing your hips back into a sitting position.
• Keeping your back upright, lower yourself further until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
• Your knees should be at a 90-degree angle.
• Remain in this position for 1-3 seconds and then slowly rise back up into the starting position.
• Ensure your knees aren’t caving and you squeeze your glutes at the top.
• Perform 8–12 reps.

11. Banded fire hydrant

Muscles worked:  Gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, core.

How to perform

• Loop a booty band right above your knees.
• Get on all fours on the ground.
• Place your arms directly under your shoulder and your knees right below your hips.
• Keep your back straight, your core tight, and flex your hips forward.
• Now raise one knee until it is at a 45-degree angle against your body.
• Maintain this position for about a second before lowering your leg back down.
• Repeat for a few reps and then switch sides.

12. Banded clamshells

Muscles worked: Thighs, glutes, hips.

How to perform

• Wrap a hip band around your thighs just above the knees.
• Lie on your side on a mat with your knees slightly bent, and one leg on top of the other.
• Keeping your feet together and your core tight, lift your top knee a few inches away from the lower one.
• Ensure that your upper body is stable and your spine is neutral while doing this.
• Pause before slowly returning to the starting position.
• Repeat for a few reps and then switch sides.

Buy Burnlab’s Hip Band set right here.

Lower Body Exercises using Power / Loop / Pull-up bands

13. Banded Good Mornings 

Muscles worked: Glutes, hamstrings, and back muscles.

How to perform

• Stand firmly on a resistance band with your feet about hip-width apart and your toes pointing forward.
• Squat down and put the band around your neck so that it is on your traps.
• Now stand up tall and straight.
• Screw your feet into the ground, tighten your core, and pull your shoulders back.
• From this position, reach your hips back and continue to screw your feet into the ground until you feel a big hamstring stretch. Ensure that your back is straight without any arch.
• Now stand up aggressively and squeeze your glutes.
• Return to the initial position.
• Perform 10-15 reps.

Lower Body Exercises using Resistance Tubes

14. Standing Hip Adduction

Muscles worked: Hip adductor muscles

How to perform

• Anchor one end of a resistance tube to a stationary object. (You could use a door anchor for this.)
• Attach the other end to your ankle which is closest to the stationary object using an ankle cuff.
• Bring that leg in front of your body across your other leg in a slow and controlled manner, while keeping your knee straight.
• Keep your hips level throughout the exercise.
• Perform 10-15 reps and then switch sides and legs.

15. Resistance band lunges

Muscles worked: Glutes, hamstrings, quads, and adductors.

How to perform

• Hold each handle of your resistance tube in either hand.
• Step onto the middle of the tube with one foot firmly on it.
• Now get into a lunge position with your knee slightly bent and the other leg out behind you.
• Pull the band up until it is at shoulder height, bending your elbows so that they are facing forward.
• As your hands come up, increase the bend in your knees and lower your back leg towards the floor (without touching the floor).
• Push up with your legs to return to your starting position until your knees are almost straight. 
• Perform for the desired number of reps and then switch sides.

16. Banded Front Squat 

Muscles worked: Quads, core, upper back, glutes, and hamstrings.

How to perform

• Begin by standing straight up on a resistance tube with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Hold each handle in either hand so that your palms are facing each other.
• Your hands should be up by your shoulder. This will be your initial position.
• Proceed to squat straight down, keeping your chest up, abs engaged, and your knees out over your toes.
• Hold for 1-2 seconds and then rise back up to the initial position.
• Repeat for 10-15 reps.

You might be interested in: How To Choose The Right Resistance Band For You

Full body resistance band workout for beginners

Here’s a 30-minute full-body resistance band workout for beginners that’s sure to get you sweaty!

Safety Tips and Precautions while using Resistance Bands

• Start with a band of low resistance and then progress gradually in resistance, intensity, and quantity of workouts.
• Check your band for nicks, tears, scratches, or discoloration, and dispose of them if they have any. Do not try repairing a damaged band.
• While anchoring your resistance band /tube, ensure that you secure it firmly to a stationary object. Failure to do so could result in the band snapping back and hitting you on the face or elsewhere.
• Never release a resistance band under tension. This could result in injury.
• Avoid jerking your resistance bands.
• Never stretch a resistance band beyond 2.5 times its length.
• Do not exercise with resistance bands on uneven or rough surfaces.
• Ensure that the soles of your shoes are smooth and flat before you step onto your bands. Abrasive soles can damage the bands over time.
• Do not expose your bands to heat, direct sunlight, extreme cold, or chemicals.
• Avoid pulling the bands directly towards your face during your exercises such as bicep curls.
• Use proper form, during all phases of your exercises. Not doing so could result in muscle and connective tissue damage.

Final words

With these resistance band exercises for beginners, you can target all your major muscle groups including your core, arms, shoulders, arms, glutes, hips, legs, and more.

Browse through Burnlab’s premium collection of resistance bands and tubes and get that toned body you’ve always wanted!

Which of these exercises are your favs? Let us know in the comments below!