{"id":898090,"date":"2026-09-16T16:10:08","date_gmt":"2026-09-16T16:10:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/898090\/"},"modified":"2026-09-16T16:10:08","modified_gmt":"2026-09-16T16:10:08","slug":"6-resistance-band-exercises-for-an-easy-workout-you-can-do-anywhere","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/898090\/","title":{"rendered":"6 resistance band exercises for an easy workout you can do anywhere"},"content":{"rendered":"

Well+Being<\/a><\/p>\n

These simple, joint-friendly exercises can help you build strength and maintain mobility as you age.<\/p>\n

(The Washington Post)\"\"<\/p>\n

September 16, 2026 at 6:00 a.m. EDTJust now<\/p>\n

Resistance band workouts are fast, low-impact, joint-friendly and cheap.<\/p>\n

Perhaps most important, they\u2019re also effective. A large-scale 2019 scientific review<\/a> concluded that resistance bands can build strength as effectively as conventional gym equipment<\/a>, such as machines or free weights. <\/p>\n

It made little difference in the review and other recent research if someone had arthritis, was male or female, or was retired, a competitive soccer player or a healthy college student. They all benefited from resistance-band exercise.<\/p>\n

But many of us may be confused about how to set up and use those stretchy tubes and straps. <\/p>\n

So The Washington Post asked Justin Grant, a fitness and lifestyle coach in D.C., to create a simple, full-body, six-exercise workout using resistance bands. \u201cThese are key movements that help with aging and mobility,\u201d Grant said. <\/p>\n

The workout requires only basic bands, a sturdy chair and a door as an anchor. Bands are sold individually or as kits that include a variety of lengths and resistance levels. For these exercises, you\u2019ll need a short band, about 10 to 12 inches long, laid flat, and a long band, about 41 inches, flat. Start with light resistance, if you\u2019re new to band workouts. <\/p>\n

To begin, do each exercise 10 to 20 times, rest briefly, then do another 10 to 20 reps. Keep moves slow and controlled. When 20 repetitions feel easy, switch to a band with greater resistance. Work out at least twice a week. Make sure your bands remain in good repair. Replace any that show signs of fraying.<\/p>\n

\u201cI use bands all the time,\u201d Grant said. \u201cThey\u2019re versatile and fun.\u201d And since you can squash the entire setup into a gym bag or suitcase, you can take our workout wherever you go. <\/p>\n

1. Seated leg extensions with mini band<\/p>\n

Targets the quadriceps (thigh muscles) and core \u2014 key muscles for mobility and knee health. <\/p>\n

Seated, with feet on ground, loop mini band beneath one foot, holding the band against the ground. Crisscross the band and loop it around your other ankle. Lift against the band\u2019s resistance until leg is nearly straight.Hold briefly. Slowly return leg to the floor. Repeat sets on opposite leg.Keep spine straight and breathe normally throughout. 2. Standing leg curls with mini band <\/p>\n

Works the hamstrings (at the back of the thigh) and calf muscles, helping stabilize knee and hip joints to keep legs strong.<\/p>\n

Stand with one foot holding down the mini band. Loop the band around your other ankle.Bend your knee and pull your heel back toward your glutes, against the band\u2019s resistance, until your foot is almost parallel to the wall.Hold briefly. Return foot to the ground. Repeat sets on opposite leg.Don\u2019t twist your hips or upper body.3. Seated chest press with long band<\/p>\n

Strengthens the pectorals (chest muscles), triceps (back of the upper arm)<\/a> and front deltoids (at the front of the shoulder), building upper-body pushing strength, which helps you rise from the floor<\/a> and lift groceries onto high shelves. <\/p>\n

Sitting upright, place band behind your upper back. Hold one end in each hand.Position hands near mid-chest level, elbows bent.Press hands straight forward until arms are extended. Hold briefly. Return to starting position. Keep your shoulders down, posture upright throughout. Don\u2019t arch your back.4. Seated pulldown with long band<\/p>\n

Works muscles throughout the back and shoulders, plus the biceps, improving pulling strength and posture.<\/p>\n

Tie a large knot in one end of the band. Sling the band over a door. Close it, with the knot on the other side as an anchor. Some bands also come with attached door anchors.Sit in a chair. (Tall people can sit on the floor.) Hold band overhead with both hands. Pull down toward upper chest, driving elbows down and back. Hold briefly. Return to start.Keep chest lifted, back straight. Try not to hunch your shoulders.5. Pallof press with long band<\/p>\n

This exercise strengthens the core, especially the deep, stabilizing muscles, which is good for balance<\/a>, posture and a healthy back.<\/p>\n

Anchor the band in a doorframe or other solid object at about chest height. Sit or, if you prefer, stand or kneel, with your side to the door (or other anchor point), holding the band with hands clasped together at chest height. Press the band straight out in front of you, resisting its pull to rotate your torso. Hold briefly, then return to start. Keep your ribs down, spine upright and hips square throughout.6. Face pull with long band<\/p>\n

An upper-body staple, working the upper back, rear shoulders, rotator cuff and other back muscles, improving shoulder strength, upper-body stability and the ability to lift and reach. <\/p>\n

Anchor the band with a door or other object at about face height. Sit, with chair facing door and far enough back that your arms can straighten. Hold band with both hands, arms extended.Pull band toward your face, driving elbows out and back, while squeezing upper back. Stop when band approaches chin. Don\u2019t jut your face forward. Keep shoulders down.Hold briefly. Return to start. <\/p>\n

About this story<\/p>\n

Workout and modeling by Justin Grant. Video by Ryan Weber. Design and development by Junne Joaquin Alcantara. Additional design by Beth Broadwater. Story editing by Emily Codik and Theresa Tamkins. Design editing by Christine Ashack. Copy editing by Anne Kenderdine.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Well+Being These simple, joint-friendly exercises can help you build strength and maintain mobility as you age. (The Washington…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":898091,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[49,48,407,84],"class_list":["post-898090","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-fitness","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-fitness","tag-health"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/898090","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=898090"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/898090\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/898091"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=898090"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=898090"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=898090"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}