Fabric resistance bands, also known as glute bands, are useful for exercising your muscles and tendons by providing concentric training which overall improves your mobility and strength. Many people typically think that these ‘booty bands’ can only be used on the lower body, and therefore use them to predominantly target their glutes. However, booty bands can also provide a great upper body workout.

Fabric resistance bands come in three different resistance levels; light, medium and heavy. Ultimately what band you choose for your workout will depend on your current strength and level of experience. If you’re new to the world of Booty Bands, you may choose a lighter band, whereas if you’re familiar with strength training, you can choose either a medium or heavy band.

However, just like weights, there’s no good or bad, it’s all about progression. Unsure what full body fabric resistance band exercises are best? I’ve got you; this booty band workout has eight exercises that will fire up your muscles.

Squat and Lateral Leg Lift

This exercise targets multiple muscle groups simultaneously; glutes, hip flexors, quadriceps and hamstrings. The use of the resistance band creates more challenging exercises than the traditional squat alone, whilst the lateral leg lift element will test your balance and coordination.

• Place the band just above the knees, standing with your feet hip width apart and hands on hips.

• Bend your knees and squeeze your glutes as you lower into a squat.

• Stand back up and lift your leg out to the side, keeping your knee as straight as possible.

• Aim for 10-12 reps on each side and repeat for 2-3 sets.

Lateral Walk

One of my personal favorites... lateral walks with the band positioned around the ankles aids in strengthening and stabilising the outer hip, which helps to prevent injury. This is a great exercise to utilise in a banded workout or can be incorporated into your leg day warm up.

• Stand with your feet width apart, with the resistance band around the ankles and with a slight bend in the knees.

• Keeping your chest upright and back straight, take a lateral step away from the opposite foot. Keeping tension of the band is important to fully help activate the glutes and adductors. You can make this exercise harder by holding a pair of 1kg Dumbbells.

• Repeat for 10 reps (2-3 sets).

Banded Clamshell

Fire up your glutes, stabilise your hips and improve your lower body strength with the banded clamshell exercise. They are a simple exercise, but they will certainly give you an intensive workout.

• Lie on your side with your knees slightly bent and on top of each other.

• Place a resistance band around both thighs.

• Keep both feet together and lift your top knee.

• Return to the starting position with control and repeat for 10 reps (2-3 sets).

Banded Lat Pulldown

This is one of the best exercises to build upper body strength and improve your posture. An interesting and great addition to the full body banded workout, targeting the lats, traps and rhomboids, without overworking them. The intensity of the workout can be adjusted by changing the band to a lighter or heavier resistance level, making it a lot easier to progress over time!

• Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and tightly hold the fabric resistance band at both ends.

• Reach to the ceiling, creating tension with the band.

• Pull your elbows wide bringing the band behind and squeeze your shoulder blades.

• Return to the start position and repeat for 10-12 reps (2-3 sets.)

Robot Row

Fabric Resistance Bands are not just for your glutes; The banded robot row is a great way to work your upper body, predominantly targeting the lats and traps. Just like the bent over row with weights, they provide an effective workout for your biceps, increasing your upper body strength.

• Stand with your feet hip width apart with a slight bend in both knees.

• Place the band around your forearms.

• Hinge at the hips, bend your elbows and press your arms into the band to create tension.

• Begin to row towards and from your waistline and remember to squeeze your shoulder blades as you get to the top.

• Repeat for 12 reps for 2-3 sets.

Overhead Arm Pulse

The overhead arm pulse mainly targets the deltoid muscle, with secondary muscle activation coming from the lats, biceps, and triceps. This is a great exercise for increasing your shoulder mobility which will help both your speed and power output.

• Stand with your feet hip width apart and place the band around your wrists.

• Slightly bend your elbows then begin to pulse your wrists against the band, raising your arms over your head.

• Lower back down to the starting position, continuing to pulse your wrists out against the band.

Plank Foot Tap

You can also utilise a fabric ‘booty band’ in core exercises; The plank foot taps will work your entire core and including a band will add targeted work to strengthen your hips.

• Start on your hands and knees with the fabric band just above your ankles.

• Extend your legs to lift into a push up position, making sure your shoulders are aligned with your fingertips.

• Squeeze your glutes and engage your core.

• Maintaining a stationary position, alternate reaching one leg out to the side and back.

• Repeat for 12 reps all together (2-3 sets)

Bicycle Crunch

The bicycle crunch with a booty band is a killer exercise, however, the use of the fabric band will promote correct movement and good control. Whilst this exercise will predominantly challenge your abs, it will also strengthen your hip flexors as you pull the knee in towards the chest against the band.

• Lie face up with your lower back on the ground, with the band placed underneath the sole of your feet.

• Bend both knees to 90 degrees.

• Place both hands behind your ears and raise your torso so your shoulder blades are off the ground.

• Engage your core muscles so that your lower back remains in contact with the floor throughout the whole exercise.

• Extend your right leg and bring your right elbow to the left knee.

• Bring your right leg back and touch it with your left elbow, as you extend your left leg.

• Alternate between legs for 12 reps total (2-3 sets).

Hopefully, this blog workout has provided you with an insight into how to upgrade your glute-focused booty band workouts to a full body workout in the comfort of your home. 

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Tags: Equipment > Resistance Bands