Resistance bands—also known as booty bands, glute bands, butt bands, and hip bands—are fitness tools that totally up the ante on your strength workouts. Those looped mini bands work wonders for firing up your glutes and strengthening your lower body.
If you sit most of the day, want to run faster, or feel stronger all over, read on for more and find a five-move glute band workout to try.
The primary muscles that a resistance band workout will affect are the "glutes." Glutes refer to the three fleshy muscles in the butt:
- Gluteus minimus
- Gluteus medius
- Gluteus maximus (the largest of the three)
Your gluteus maximus is responsible for thigh extension and rotation. Your gluteus minimus and medius help with leg functioning and stabilize your pelvis.
Your core, hamstrings, and lower back may also get a workout depending on the moves involved with each exercise.
The 5-Move Glute Band Workout
Emily Skye, Australian trainer and founder of Emily Skye FIT, offered five resistance band exercises to strengthen your glutes that you can do anytime and anywhere:
- Banded squat
- Crab walks
- High plank leg lifts
- Banded glute bridge abductions
- Banded clamshells
One key form tip to keep in mind: Use good posture with each exercise. "You do that by standing nice and tall with your belly button drawn in toward your spine. And then, slightly squeeze your glutes before you start," explained Skye.
Do each exercise below for 10 to 12 reps and two to three rounds. If you're new to these moves, start with the band above the knees for all of them. You can move the band around your ankles for the first three exercises if you're intermediate or advanced.
1) Banded Squat
1. Start standing with feet hip-width apart and band around ankles, hands clasped in front of you.
2. Push hips down and back, bending knees and lowering into a squat. Make sure chest stays tall, back flat, and core tight. Resist knees collapsing in toward each other by driving them outward.
3. Then, drive heels and toes into the ground to stand back up. Repeat.
2) Crab Walks
1. Start standing with feet hip-width apart and band around ankles.
2. Lower into a shallow squat position, sending hips down and back and bending knees. Hold this position as you take three steps to the left.
3. Next, take three steps to the right. That's one rep. Make sure your chest stays tall, back flat, and core tight. Resist knees collapsing in toward each other by driving them outward and aim to keep feet parallel the entire time. Repeat.
4 Mini Resistance Band Workouts, 20 Exercises
3) High Plank Leg Lifts
1. Start in a push-up or high plank position, with the band around the ankles, forming a straight line from shoulders to heel. Line shoulders directly over wrists.
2. Without arching your back, squeeze your right glute and lift your right leg up toward the ceiling. Then place it back down.
3. Then, squeeze the left glute and lift the left leg up toward the ceiling. Then place it back down. That's one rep. Don't let your hips drop or pike up; pull your belly button up toward your spine and push the floor away from you with your hands. Continue alternating.
4) Banded Glute Bridge Abductions
1. Start lying on your back, with the band above your knees. Bend the knees, and place your feet flat on the floor about shoulder-width apart. Make sure heels are close to your butt and your back is flat against the floor.
2. Drive through the feet and squeeze glutes to lift hips toward the ceiling. Make sure to maintain a slight posterior pelvic tilt, so you're not arching your low back.
3. When you reach the top with hips forming a diagonal line from knees to shoulders, drive knees out against the band, going wider than shoulders.
4. Then bring knees back to shoulder-width, and slowly lower back down to the floor. Repeat.
5) Banded Clamshells
1. Start lying on your right side, with the band above your knees. Place right forearm on the ground and stack right shoulder over the right elbow, pushing the floor away to create space on the right side. Bend knees and hips about 45 degrees and stack knees and hips on top of each other. This is your starting position.
2. Then, squeeze the left glute and rotate the left hip outward, lifting the left knee toward the ceiling.
3. Slowly lower back down. Repeat for reps, then switch sides.
Glute exercises can strengthen your glute muscles. The glutes are vital for daily functioning. They work together to help you move your lower body and keep you upright. When they become weak—often from sitting too much—the hip flexors can tighten and cause pain in your ankles, legs, or back.
Strengthening your glutes can also make you more athletic and powerful. Researchers found that athletes who warmed up with glute exercises had a more powerful squat jump post-workout.
Benefits of Resistance Band Exercises
Resistance bands are an excellent tool for glute exercises. They provide extra resistance for strengthening and can help engage smaller muscles. Research has also found that using elastic resistance bands is comparable to using weights for increasing strength.
Skye recommended resistance bands as a workout on their own or as a way to increase blood flow to the backside before a high-intensity workout.
If you're interested in doing glute band exercises—or any new exercises—talk with a healthcare provider first to determine what's safe for you. Certain individuals may need to limit, avoid, or modify exercise moves. For example, pregnant individuals should avoid activities that require them to lie on their backs or stand for long periods. Either position can result in temporarily low blood pressure.
Resistance bands come in different lengths and levels of resistance. They're relatively cheap and take up little space.
You can purchase them in sets or individually. Also, some individual bands have adjustable strengths if you don't want to buy a pack of bands.
Resistance-band beginner users either try glute band exercises without the band first or start with a lighter band. When you can do more sets and repetitions, add the following:
- A band if you did not use one
- Another band for use with the current one
- A stronger band to replace the one you used
A Quick Review
If you want to tone your glutes, some resistance band exercises to try include banded squats, crab walks, and banded clamshells. These exercises can help you tone the muscles in your butt and support your lower body. Resistance bands are available in different strengths; start with lighter ones and work your way up as you become stronger. Also, remember to speak with a healthcare provider before starting these or other exercise moves.
