For You

Stronger Every Move: Resistance-Band Exercises
  • September 10, 2025
  • Posted by: Erin Reznicek
  • in For You
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3 min read
A room of adults doing resistance-band exercises.

Regular physical activity is one of the most important steps adults can take to improve their health. Staying active offers a wide range of benefits, from better fitness, stronger muscles, and improved brain health to lowering the risk of serious conditions like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, obesity, and osteoporosis. Physical activity also helps manage weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol. While immediate benefits include reduced anxiety, better sleep, clearer thinking, and improved blood sugar control, long-term benefits extend to stronger heart and lung function, reduced depression, stable blood pressure, and slower progression of chronic disease.

It is recommended that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week—such as 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Adults also need 2 days of muscle-strengthening activity weekly. Resistance-band exercises are simple, effective ways to add muscle-strengthening activities into a routine and boost mobility.

Resistance-Band Exercises

Before starting any exercise program, check with your doctor, especially if you have health conditions or concerns. Also, listen to your body, start slow, and build up strength over time. Always warm up before exercising, and aim for doing three to five sets of eight to fifteen repetitions for each exercise. To increase resistance, shorten the band that you use. If any exercise causes sharp pain or doesn’t work for your body because of an injury, skip it or modify it for safety.

A woman demonstrating the pull apart resistance-band exercise.Pull Apart

Muscle target: upper back and chest

1. Stand (or sit) with feet shoulder-width apart.

2. Hold band at shoulder level with hands shoulder-width apart and palms down.

3. With straight arms, pull band outward until shoulder blades squeeze.

4. Return slowly to start.

5. Repeat eight to twelve times.

A woman demonstrating the lateral raise resistance-band exercise.Lateral Raise

Muscle target: shoulders

1. Sit or stand tall with feet together.

2. Place band under one foot, holding one end in each hand.

3. Start with arms slightly bent, palms facing in.

4. Raise arms out to sides up to shoulder height.

5. Lower slowly to sides.

6. Repeat eight to twelve times.

Tip: Lift one arm at a time for less resistance.

A woman demonstrating the bent-over-rows resistance-band exercise.Bent-Over Row

Muscle target: arms, chest, and upper back

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, band under both feet, and holding one end in each hand.

2. Hinge forward at hips, keeping back straight and knees slightly bent.

3. Pull hands toward your waist, squeezing shoulder blades together.

4. Lower hands slowly to start.

5. Repeat eight to twelve times.

Tip: Keep your core engaged to protect your lower back.

A woman demonstrating the chest press resistance-band exercise.Chest Press

Muscle target: chest

1. Sit or stand, feet hip-width apart.

2. Place band behind back, holding ends under arms.

3. Raise elbows out to sides, knuckles forward.

4. Press hands forward until arms nearly straight.

5. Return slowly to start.

6. Repeat eight to twelve times.

A woman demonstrating the bicep curls resistance-band exercise.Bicep Curl

Muscle target: biceps or front of upper arm

1. Sit or stand with feet hip-width apart.

2. Place band under one or both feet, holding ends at sides.

3. Curl hands to shoulders with palms up and elbows by sides.

4. Lower slowly.

5. Repeat eight to twelve times.

A woman demonstrating the triceps resistance-band exercise.Triceps Extension

Muscle target: triceps or back of upper arm

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart.

2. Hold band on right hip with left hand. Right hand holds other end behind hip with elbow back.

3. Straighten and lift right hand behind you without moving elbow or arching back.

4. Return slowly.

5. Repeat eight to twelve times per side.

A woman demonstrating the seated leg press resistance-band exercise.Seated Leg Press

Muscle target: quadriceps and increase mobility in hips and knees

1. Sit with feet hip-width apart and knee lifted toward chest.

2. Place band under middle of one foot and hold ends at waist.

3. Extend leg straight out in front.

4. Return knee up, keeping band under foot.

5. Repeat twelve to sixteen times per leg.

Tip: Hold band lower/closer to feet for less resistance.

A woman demonstrating the squat-standing resistance-band exercise.Squat

Muscle target: leg muscles and increase mobility in hips, knees, and ankles

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart and band under both feet.

2. Hold ends at waist.

3. Lower hips and bend knees as far as comfortable.

4. Return slowly to stand.

5. Repeat twelve to sixteen times.

Tip: Imagine sitting back into a chair for proper form. For an easier version, place a sturdy chair behind you and sit briefly before standing back up. View a photo that demonstrates this exercise using a chair.

A woman demonstrating the wall push-up exercise.Wall Push-Up

1. Stand facing a wall with feet hip-width apart, about an arm’s length away from the wall.

2. Place palms flat on the wall at shoulder height and width.

3. Bend elbows and lower chest toward the wall.

4. Push back to starting position.

5. Repeat eight to twelve times.

Tip: For more of a challenge, try push-ups on the floor.

A woman demonstrating the lunge exercise.Lunge

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart.

2. Step one foot back, lowering hips until both knees are bent about 90 degrees.

3. Keep front knee over ankle and torso upright.

4. Push through front foot to return to standing.

5. Repeat eight to twelve times per leg.

Tip: For added resistance, place a band under the front foot and hold the ends at your sides.