Try this full-body resistance band workout and thank us later - it's all you need to get stronger

Take some resistance bands, your yoga mat, and 30 minutes out of your day to try this full-body resistance band workout - and thank us later. While we often think of weights for exercising at home, this simple session proves all you need is a set of stretchy rubber bands.

A set of the best resistance bands is potentially one of the most underrated pieces of kit, whether you like to do strength training exercises at home or in the gym. Not only are they just as effective as dumbbells and other weights for building strength and muscle, but they make a "great entry point to resistance training, as they often feel less intimidating than the weights and machines you find at the gym," says Emma Simarro, a certified personal trainer and women's strength specialist.

"They are versatile and lightweight, making them a useful and affordable piece of kit that you can take anywhere," she says. "They can also be used to learn new movement patterns and techniques before adding more weight and resistance." So, whether you're doing strength training at home for beginners or looking for an easy way to take your workout on holiday, a simple full-body resistance band workout could be the answer.

Can I do a full-body workout with resistance bands?

Yes, absolutely! As well as being budget-friendly, easy to store, beginner-friendly, and just as effective as dumbbells or kettlebells for a workout, you can use resistance bands to progressively overload your workouts, which is key for making progress. "To get stronger, you need to overload your muscles progressively and by increasing the band's resistance, you can make the exercises harder," explains Simarro.

"Resistance bands are also very effective at strengthening smaller muscle groups by isolating muscles that often get overlooked with traditional weightlifting. This is why they are widely used to help treat (and prevent) injuries."

So all in all, resistance bands are perfect for a full-body workout! Want to try one for yourself? Here are the six exercises Simarro recommends (and demonstrates below) for your next home workout.

Full-body resistance band workout

1. Banded thruster

•  Step into your resistance band, with feet slightly wider than your hips.
• Grip the resistance band with an underhand grip, in front of your shoulders.
• Keep your chest proud, take a deep breath and sit down into a deep squat, ideally we want your thighs to be parallel to the floor or as deep as you can comfortably get.
• Use a chair or low stool to help.
• Keep your chest tall and your hands in front of your shoulders, and drive down through your feet as you stand out of your squat.
• As you stand, start pressing the band above your head (using the momentum through the lower body) until your arms are fully extended.
• Bring your hands back down to the starting position as you squat again.
• Repeat for 12 reps

2. Banded good morning

• Step into the resistance band, feet hip width apart.
• Wrap the band across the back of your shoulders, be careful to avoid placing too much tension on your neck.
• Holding onto each side of the band, slowly hinge at your hips and imagine you are shutting an open door behind you with your bum.
• Keep your knees soft and engage your core throughout the movement.
• Keep your chest up to maintain a straight spine as you hinge forward.
• To return to standing, drive through your feet and extend at the hips to come back to standing.
• Repeat for 12 reps

The first exercise is a big full-body movement that "challenges both the lower body muscles like the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes, as well as the shoulders, triceps and the core", Simarro says.

This second one is a great "posterior chain exercise", which means it targets the back of the body - the glutes, hamstrings, lower back, and core muscles.

3. Banded bent-over row

• Hold the band at either end and step onto it, with the ends creating handles to hold onto.
• Keep feet hip width apart and bend forward at the hips, being sure to maintain a straight spine by pushing back into the hips, bending the knees slightly and lifting up at the chest.
• Start with straight arms, pull the resistance band back towards your hips.
• Your elbows should be bent to a 90-degree angle at the top of the row, in line with your ribcage.
• Slowly lower the band by straightening your arms back to your starting position.
• Repeat for 12 reps

A bent-over row works many of the muscles in the upper back, she says. "This includes the lats, rhomboids, traps, and posterior shoulder muscles, as well as the biceps and core."

Much like doing a push-up properly, this exercise is an excellent one for helping to maintain good posture.

4. Banded floor press

• In a seated position on the floor, hold the band behind your back holding onto either end of the band.
• Lay back on the floor, the band should sit midway between your shoulders and shoulder blades (roughly in line with your chest) and come around your shoulders.
• Hold onto each end of the band with an overhand grip and press directly above your chest until your arms are fully extended.
• Bring your elbows back down to the floor, keeping your wrists stacked above them (try not to let them cave in towards your chest).
• Once you lightly touch the floor, take a deep breath and drive through your hands to extend your arms again, exhaling as you press.
• Repeat for 12 reps.

5. Banded bicep curl

• Wrap the band around your foot (you may need to wrap it around once or twice to get the right resistance, you don’t want it too loose at the bottom of the movement).
• Place one foot slightly forward and gripping the band with an underhand, keep your arm fully extended with your elbow relaxed.
• Keep your elbow at your side and drive through the hand to flex the elbow until your palm reaches your shoulder.
• Pause for a second before returning to your starting position.
• Repeat for 12 reps on each side. 

6. Banded overhead tricep extension

• Stand in the resistance band with feet hip-width apart.
• Press the band above your head and hold the band above your head with an underhand grip. Hands should be slightly narrower than shoulder-width apart.
• Slowly bend your elbows to 90 degrees, lowering the band behind your head.
• Keeping your wrists straight, press back up into the band to straighten above your head.
• Straighten your elbows at the top of the movement to engage your triceps before repeating for 12 reps.

How long should a resistance band workout be?

To get the most benefit from your strength workouts (and in an ideal world), each resistance band workout would be 30 to 45 minutes long, says Simarro. "Aim for two to three full-body sessions a week and this should be plenty," she says.

But, how long you should lift weights for depends entirely on your fitness levels, goals, and lifestyle. "The best workout duration is the one that fits into your day," says the personal trainer. "Something is always better than nothing, and the good news is that resistance bands are so versatile, there's no set-up time, so you can grab and go."

Emma Simarro

Emma Simarro is a certified personal trainer, women's health coach, and the founder of Building Body Confidence, a business dedicated to helping women thrive in midlife. Through her personal coaching and online programmes she educates women on the benefits of strength training and helps them implement the lifestyle habits they need to navigate perimenopause and beyond with confidence.