Resistance band exercises for women are an excellent option if you are tired of going to the gym or if you feel like adding something new to your fitness routine.
Providing an efficient, cost-effective way to tone and strengthen without adding bulk, resistance bands are as useful for muscle sculpting as dumbbells.
Unlike dumbbells, they weigh next to nothing, making them very portable. Being extremely compact, they require next to no storage space.
While most commonly associated with upper body workouts, there are also resistance band workouts for women that tone the mid and lower body.
This article will look at an overview of resistance band workouts, how to choose an exercise band, and some of the best resistance band exercises that get fast results.
The latter will include three upper body resistance band exercises that, when done regularly, will sculpt and strengthen your arms, upper back, and shoulders.
You will also find three resistance band exercises for the legs, glutes, and quads that will help to shape your entire lower body.
Table of Contents
Resistance Band Exercises for Women Overview
Resistance band workouts provide a comfortable and convenient way to get into shape.
Being so transportable, exercise bands are an ideal fitness option if you work long hours or travel a lot. They can be popped into your briefcase or suitcase, giving you the opportunity of getting in some exercise during your lunch break at work or in your hotel room when traveling.
Resistance band workouts are also an excellent option for anyone who doesn’t have space in their house or apartment for exercise equipment.
Suitable for people of any age and level of strength, whether you’re interested in building defined muscles or just toning up, resistance band exercises can help.
Resistance band exercises for women also work for men. They can give you a total body workout that will increase your strength and improve your endurance and muscle tone. A 20-minute workout done three times a week will be sufficient to get good results.
For more information on resistance bands, including their benefits, click this link
Which Exercise Band Should I Choose?
Exercise bands come in a variety of lengths, thicknesses, and colors. Each color denotes the band’s strength, with the colors varying between brands. The thicker the band, the greater the resistance, and the tougher the workout will be.
Resistance bands can be bought singly or in packs containing multiple bands of varying strength. With the number of options available, you will have no difficulty finding a suitable band for your strength level.
Bands with the least amount of resistance will, of course, be the easiest to use. Some women will need to start with one of these. Others will be comfortable starting with a band of higher resistance.
After working out regularly for a while, you will require a stronger band to continue to grow your fitness. For this reason, it can be a good idea to buy a set of exercise bands, so that you will have bands of various strengths on hand.
This will allow you to progress to a stronger band when need be. Buying a set of bands, rather than a single one, will also be more economical in the long run.
You can change the band’s tension by shortening or lengthening the distance between your grip.
If you are using a band with a handle or you will be anchoring it to a doorknob or other solid object to execute, for example, a biceps curl, standing closer to the handle will make the workout more challenging.
Moving further away will make it easier. The positioning of your body will also affect the resistance level.
Some resistance band exercises for legs, including the three below, require a looped band.
Resistance band exercises for women video demo
Upper Body Resistance Band Exercises
The best upper body resistance band exercises target the entire upper body, including all of the arm’s major muscle groups, these being the deltoids, biceps, and triceps.
The deltoid muscles cover the shoulders and upper arms. The bicep muscles are directly underneath the deltoids. They form the muscles you see when flexing your arms. The triceps are the muscles at the backs of the upper arms. If your triceps are out of shape, your arms will appear saggy and take on the appearance of “bat wings.”
By targeting these three muscle groups, you will strengthen, tone, and shape your upper arms, making it easier to lift and carry heavy items and giving your arms a more youthful and appealing appearance.
To get the most from your sessions, maintain correct form throughout and perform the moves in a slow, controlled manner, using a relaxed grip. Aim to start with 10 to 15 reps of each exercise. If possible, do each move without taking a break. When you finish the last repetition in the set, rest for a minute or two, then repeat the sequence once or twice.
As you become accustomed to doing resistance band exercises, you can run through the entire sequence four times, if desired. When the moves start to feel easy, graduate to a stronger band that challenges you more.
Following are three upper body resistance band exercises for women that tone the arms, shoulders, and upper back.
Lateral Raises
Main benefits –
Lateral Raises will strengthen your arms and define your middle deltoids.
Method:
1. Stand on the center of the band with your feet shoulder-width apart, your knees slightly bent, arms by your sides, and palms facing your body,
2. Raise your arms outwards to either side until they align with your shoulders, making sure to extend your elbows fully.
3. Slowly lower your arms back to your starting position.
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Bicep Curls
Main benefits –
Bicep Curls strengthen and shape the biceps and upper arm.
Method:
1. Stand upright on the center of your resistance band and wrap one free end of the band around each hand. Your feet should be approximately hip-width apart; your knees bent slightly.
2. With your arms and elbows close to your sides and your palms facing forward, flex your arms, bringing your hands up to shoulder level.
3. Hold the flexed position momentarily before lowering your arms to their starting position.
Repeat for the desired number of reps.
Triceps Extensions
Main benefits –
Triceps Extensions are among the most effective resistance band workouts for women targeting the triceps.
Method:
1. Attach your flex band to a high, solid anchor point, and with your body facing the band, stand on the center of it with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Keep your knees and elbows slightly bent and your forearms parallel to the floor. Wrap one end of the band around each hand.
3. Lower and straighten your arms, bringing your hands behind your hips, then bend your elbows, slowly bringing your forearms up until they are parallel to the floor.
4. Hold the last position momentarily, then lower your elbows to bring you back to your starting position.
Repeat the above movements for the desired number of repetitions.
Resistance Band Exercises for Legs
Next, we will look at three effective resistance band exercises for legs and the primary muscles they target.
Lateral Band Walk
Main benefits –
Lateral Band Walk primarily targets the glutes.
Method:
1. Step into a looped resistance band, positioning it at ankle height.
2. Bend your knees, and keeping your back straight, slowly take a large step out to the right with your right leg, followed by a half-step to the right with your left leg, maintaining resistance on the band throughout.
3. Continue walking sideways and to the right for approximately 20′, or until you run out of room.
4. Reverse this movement, walking to the left and back to your starting point to complete one rep.
Repeat for the desired number of reps.
Seated Quad Extensions
Main benefits –
Seated Quad Extensions mainly target the quads
Method:
1. Anchor one end of a looped exercise band to a chair’s back leg, then sit on the chair and place your right foot and ankle into the free end of the band.
2. Slowly lift your right leg straight up and out to the front until it is parallel to the floor, then slowly lower it.
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Leg Abductors and Adductors
Main benefits –
Leg Abductors and Adductors primarily targets the inner thighs.
Method:
1. Stand behind a chair with a looped resistance band around your ankles, your feet approximately shoulder-width apart.
2. Holding onto the chair’s back for balance, flex your right foot and lift your right leg up and out to the right as high as you can without losing form.
3. Hold the top position momentarily before slowly lowering your leg back to your starting position.
Repeat for the desired number of reps.
Advancing to the Next Level
After doing resistance band arm exercises for two or three weeks, your arms will feel stronger and look more toned. After four to six weeks, you can advance to a more powerful resistance band to further your progress.
Many women find that their lower bodies are stronger than their upper bodies. For this reason, with resistance band exercises for legs, you may be able to progress to a stronger band faster.
Final Words on Resistance Band Exercises for Women
I highly recommend resistance band exercises for women looking for an effective way to tone up without spending a lot of money on or worrying about finding a place to store exercise equipment.
Exercise bands are fun to use. Being light and compact, they are incredibly portable.
You can pop one into your suitcase when you go on vacation. You can keep a couple in a desk drawer at work and get in some toning exercises on your break.
Able to provide a total body toning workout, with a resistance band, you will be able to sculpt lean muscles without risking injury to yourself or your wallet. This makes them an excellent choice for people of all ages and fitness levels and anyone on a tight budget.
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