The lower body is made up of large muscles needed for stability and support as we move through life. While lifting heavy weights in the gym is one way to build strength in this area, a quick 15-minute resistance band workout can get the job done in a hurry - or in the heat.
A set of the best resistance bands is cheap, easy to use, and they fold away into a small bag. One person who knows how versatile they can be is personal trainer Caroline Idiens, founder of Caroline's Circuits, who often shares workouts (including full-body resistance band workouts) with her two million followers on Instagram.
This time, she paired up with This Morning host Ben Shephard to demonstrate six moves you can do with one band to target the entire lower body. “A perfect one to save for your holidays with just a band. You can also do just bodyweight,” writes Caroline. She says each exercise should be done 10 times (on each side if required) over three sets.
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15-minute resistance band workout
1. Banded squats
Caroline and Ben do their 10 reps quite quickly, but you can do these at any speed. Just make sure you’re pushing against the band to increase the intensity.
Here's how to do a banded squat:
- Stand with your legs hip-width apart and the band around your legs, just above the knees.
- Bend into a deep squat, as if you're sitting down on a chair behind you without using your hands.
- Push through your heels to return to standing.
2. Side tap outs
This is another great quadriceps exercise. Those who are fans of doing a Pilates workout at home might know it. The key to this move is keeping the band taut over your legs and stepping out wide enough.
Here's how to do it:
- Start off with your legs together, knees bent and the resistance band around your legs.
- Tap one leg out to the side to pull the band taut, and then swap to the other leg.
- Continue to alternate tapping out each leg to do 10 reps on each side.
A thick resistance band wraps around the thighs, just above the knee. This set from CFX comes as a pack of three with increasing 'weights' to work against.
3. Reverse lunge
A reverse lunge with a resistance band definitely adds some extra spice as you have to work against the band to complete the movement. If you struggle with balance, step out and back. Widening your legs will help stabilise your body.
Here's how to do it:
- With the band in place, step back on one leg and bend the back knee as close to the mat as possible.
- Do 10 on one leg before swapping sides.
4. Glute bridges
Glute bridges work the glutes and hamstrings and help build hip strength. In turn, this helps build pelvic and full-body stability for exercises like walking and climbing stairs.
Here's how to do it:
- Lie on your back with your knees bent, hip-width apart and the band just above your knees.
- Lift your hips and keep the outer sides of your legs pressing against the band.
- Lower back down slowly before continuing through the 10 reps.
5. Single-leg glute bridge
A single leg exercise forces you to lift and stabilise your entire lower body, and doing it right after the classic glute bridge will encourage real muscle fatigue. This is what you need to grow and get stronger.
How to do it:
- Start from the same position and with the band in the same place as the previous move, but lift one leg into tabletop position.
- Continue to lift and lower for 10 reps with the leg raised the whole time.
6. Fire hydrants
Caroline and Ben include one final glute exercise in their routine. Fire hydrants are worth including if you have tight hips and also want to work on your glute strength.
Here's how to do it:
- Start on all fours with the band around your knees.
- Raise one leg out to one side before lowering it back to meet the other knee.
