Short on time? This 20-minute full-body resistance band workout builds strength from head to toe while improving posture and core control
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Move over, split routines. A full-body workout can be just as effective – and more time-efficient. Using bands allows you to train all the major muscle groups in a joint-friendly way, while adding significant resistance for great results in minimal time and space.
From stronger legs and glutes to a more supported core and improved upper-body posture, full-body resistance training helps translate strength into everyday movement – whether that’s lifting shopping bags, sitting taller at your desk, or simply feeling more powerful in your body.
‘Resistance bands are a fantastic fitness tool because they can be just as effective as weights for building strength and muscle,’ explains PT Cyan Koay, co-founder of Strong Band (thestrongband.com). ‘They are also so portable you can keep up your fitness routine anywhere – at home or away. A set of bands can also be equivalent to a whole rack of dumbbells in the gym, ranging from around 2kg to more than 100kg. They can pack away in your bag
and can be a more joint-friendly alternative to weights.’
For this workout, all you need is a long loop resistance band. If you have a set of bands, adjust the level of resistance to suit your ability.
How to do it
Perform each exercise in order for 10-15 repetitions. Rest for 20 seconds between moves and one minute at the end of the round. Complete the circuit twice for a sub 20-minute full-body workout. Make sure you warm up beforehand – try the five-minute beginner warm-up on Strong Band’s YouTube channel (youtube.com/@the_strong_band).
Why it works
This circuit targets different movement patterns and major muscle groups with each exercise, so it’s super efficient as you need less rest time for muscles to recover between exercises. The band adds resistance (or assistance for the roll-ups), allowing you to challenge your muscles enough to trigger muscular adaptation (i.e. build strength). Resistance bands also create ‘variable resistance’, as opposed to the constant resistance from weights, which can be a more joint-friendly option for many people.
How to get strength results
The key to building strength is to gradually make the exercise harder. Keep coming back to these exercises once or twice a week, and adjust the difficulty as you become comfortable with the moves, so they remain challenging. To add more resistance, you can ‘shorten’ the band (e.g. for the Romanian deadlifts, grab the band a little lower) – just make sure you don’t overstretch the band more than three times its original length.
Front squat
Primary muscles worked: quads, glutes, core
- Stand on the band with feet hip-width apart and point your toes slightly out.
- Hold the top of the band just inside shoulder-width apart, and rest the band on top of your shoulders.
- Sit your hips back and bend your knees to lower into a squat. Push through your whole foot to stand back up straight.
- Keep your back straight, and make sure your knees are in line with your toes.
Romanian deadlift (RDL)4
Primary muscles worked: hamstrings, glutes, lower back
- Stand on the band with feet hip-width apart, toes pointing directly forwards.
- Grab each side of the band around knee height, and stand up. Keep your arms straight throughout.
- With a soft bend in the knees, hinge at the hips, moving your hips back. Think about keeping your hips high as you push them back to feel a stretch in your hamstrings.
- Keep your back flat and shoulders pulled back and down.
- Push your hips forward to return to standing.
Shoulder press
Primary muscles worked: shoulders, triceps
- Stand on the band with feet hip-width apart, toes pointing directly forward.
- Grab the band evenly at the top around shoulder-width apart, and position the band just above your shoulders, palms facing up.
- Press the band overhead until your arms are fully extended.
- Slowly lower back to the starting position with control.
- Avoid arching your lower back by bracing your core. Keep a slight bend in your knees.
Seated row
Primary muscles worked: upper back, shoulder blades, lats, biceps
- Sit on the floor with legs extended and a slight bend in your knees.
- Loop the band around your feet and grab the band evenly at around your knees with arms extended.
- Pull the band toward your waist, squeezing your shoulder blades down and together.
- Slowly control back to the start, maintaining tension in the band.
Assisted Roll-Ups
Primary muscles worked: abdominals
- Sit on the floor with knees bent and loop the band around your feet, holding the band around your knees.
- Use the band to assist as you slowly roll down to the floor, starting with your lower back, middle back, then your upper back and shoulders.
- Engage your core to curl through your core back up to a seated position.
- Move slowly and with control, using the band for assistance.
