5 exercises for your resistance band leg workout

Little bands can generate big results.

Resistance bands are versatile and effective tools for intensifying your workouts. While there are many different types, fabric bands (sometimes called mini or booty bands) are often used in resistance band workouts for legs because of their ability to target the quads, hamstrings and glutes from a variety of angles.

Below you’ll find 5 of our favorite exercises, plus a killer resistance band leg workout using fabric bands you can do anywhere.

Our trainers are using Centr’s 3-band set, which includes a light, medium and heavy resistance band. This set provides a range of options to tailor your workout intensity to your specific fitness level. You can buy the bands as a set, or as part of our Workout Kit at shop.centr.com.

How effective are resistance band workouts?

These simple bands pack a punch for building muscle, increasing strength and sculpting your body. Let’s take a look at the benefits, from packability to performance.

• Maintain your training routine, even when you’re on the road. A set of dumbbells may not fit in your suitcase, but fabric bands are small and lightweight enough to be taken anywhere.

• Bands place constant tension on your muscles at variable levels throughout the full range of motion in an exercise. This triggers more muscle activation and results in an incredibly effective workout. And because it’s variable – for instance, the tension increases as you get closer to the top of a squat, which is typically the easiest part of the exercise – you’ll be challenging different muscles.

• Heavy weights can place strain on your joints. Bands lessen this impact, reducing the risk of joint stress or injury. This makes bands a great option for anyone with existing joint issues or simply looking for a low-impact way to work out.

• Knees always caving inward or outward on squatting movements? Bands have been shown to improve knee alignment when doing squats. Bonus: they’ll also help to strengthen the muscles that prevent misalignment.

• If you’re ready to level up, fabric bands can be used in combination with other equipment – such as dumbbells, cable machines and tube bands – to make exercises more challenging.

Of course, if you want to keep getting results from your resistance band workouts, it’s important to adapt as you get stronger. The easiest way to do this with fabric bands is to simply use a heavier resistance. You’ll find essential tips on increasing resistance here.

Fabric band exercises for lower-body strength and toning

We’ve picked 5 of our experts’ favorite resistance band moves to achieve an epic burn in your legs and glutes, and lead to noticeable gains in strength, stability and muscle definition.

1. Banded low walk

Wake up, sleepy glutes! This low walk primarily targets your butt and quads. It will help to tone and strengthen the muscles responsible for hip stability and lateral movement, and is also a great warm-up or activation exercise for the rest of your workout.

How to do a banded low walk:

1. Place a resistance band around your thighs, just above the knees.

2. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.

3. Engage your core and sink into a squat position.

4. Take a step to the side with your right foot, then follow with your left foot. Maintain tension on the band throughout the movement.

5. Continue walking to the right for a set number of repetitions, then reverse direction.

2. Banded glute bridge + open

Strengthen your glutes and hamstrings with this banded glute bridge variation. The “open” motion engages your hip abductors, enhancing lower-body strength and stability.

How to do a banded butt lift + open:

1. Place the resistance band just above your knees.

2. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Your legs should be roughly in line with your hips, with some tension in the resistance band.

3. Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips off the ground.

4. At the top of the movement, press your knees outward against the resistance band, then slowly bring them back.

5. Lower your hips back down to the starting position.

3. Banded donkey kicks + fire hydrant

This move combines two fiery glute exercises into one super burner. It will also challenge your abductors, helping to isolate muscles that can be tricky to target, to improve stability and balance.

How to do banded donkey kicks + fire hydrant:

1. Loop the resistance band around your thighs, just above your knees.

2. Set up on all fours, with your hands directly under your shoulders, and your knees under your hips.

3. Perform a donkey kick by pressing your left foot upward toward the ceiling.

4. Lower your left leg back down, then perform a fire hydrant by lifting your left leg out to the side.

5. Return to the starting position and repeat on the opposite side.

4. Banded walking lunge + kickback

This lower-body power move engages the quads, glutes and hamstrings. The addition of the kickback intensifies the focus on the glutes.

How to do a banded walking lunge + kickback:

1. Place the resistance band around your thighs, just above the knees.

2. Stand with your feet together, then step your right leg forward into a lunge position.

3. Push up out of the lunge and as you bring your left foot forward, lightly touch it to the ground before extending it behind you in a kickback motion.

4. From the kickback, step your left leg forward into lunge position.

5. Push out of the lunge and lightly touch your right foot to the ground before extending it behind you in a kickback motion.

6. Continue walking forward in this pattern.

5. Banded 3-squat step-outs

Finish your lower-body resistance band workout with this squat variation to target your quads, glutes and outer thighs. It will help to develop total leg strength and increase your endurance and power.

1. Begin by placing the resistance band around your thighs, just above the knees.

2. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.

3. Perform a squat, sinking your hips back and ensuring your knees stay over your toes.

4. While in the squat position, step your left foot out to the side a few inches then pulse.

5. Step your left leg out a few inches further and pulse again.

6. Reverse the move, pulsing down with each step back to the starting position.

7. Squat down again and repeat with your right leg.