Resistance Band Workout at Home: 20 Minutes

If you want to get stronger but cannot get to a gym, a set of resistance bands might be the best few pounds you spend this year. They fit in a drawer, they are quiet enough to use while the baby naps, and they work every major muscle group. This resistance band workout at home takes about 20 minutes, uses one or two bands, and comes with easier and harder options so you can start wherever you are today.

Do resistance bands really count as strength training?

Yes. The NHS physical activity guidelines for adults list “working with resistance bands” as a muscle-strengthening activity. The NHS recommends adults do strengthening activities that work all the major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms) on at least 2 days a week, alongside 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity.

Bands are a great fit for parents because there is no setup, no heavy kit to trip over, and the tension builds as you stretch them, which makes the top of each movement challenging.

Which bands to buy

• Long loop bands (sometimes called power bands): the most versatile. Get two, a lighter and a medium.
• Mini loop bands: small loops that go around your legs. Great for glute work.
• Tube bands with handles: comfortable to grip and often come with a door anchor.

If you only buy one thing, buy a light and a medium long loop band. Check them for nicks or tears before every session, and replace any that are damaged.

The 20-minute resistance band workout at home

Warm up first with 3 minutes of marching, arm circles and 10 bodyweight squats. Then do each exercise for the reps shown, rest about 30 seconds, and move to the next. Go round 2 or 3 times.

1. Band squat x 12. Stand on the band with feet hip-width apart, hold the top of the loop at your shoulders. Sit back and down, then stand tall.
2. Band bent-over row x 12. Stand on the band, hinge forward at the hips with a flat back, and pull your hands towards your lower ribs. Squeeze your shoulder blades.
3. Glute bridge with mini band x 15. Lie on your back, band just above your knees, feet flat. Push your knees slightly out against the band and lift your hips.
4. Band chest press x 12. Wrap the band around your upper back, hold an end in each hand, and press forward like a push-up in standing.
5. Band Romanian deadlift x 12. Stand on the band, hold it at your thighs, push your hips back with soft knees until you feel the back of your legs, then stand up.
6. Band overhead press x 10. Stand on the band, hands at shoulders, press up overhead without arching your back.
7. Pallof press x 10 each side. Anchor the band at chest height (around a sturdy post or with a door anchor), stand side-on, press your hands straight out and resist the band pulling you round. This is a brilliant core exercise.
8. Band pull-apart x 15. Hold the band in front of you at shoulder height and pull it apart until it touches your chest. Great for posture after hours of feeding, carrying or desk work.

Cool down with 2 minutes of gentle stretching for your chest, hips and the backs of your legs.

Easier and harder options

Easier

• Use the lightest band, or hold it with more slack.
• Do 1 round only, with 8 reps per exercise.
• Do squats to a chair, sitting down lightly each time.
• Do the overhead press one arm at a time, or swap it for a front raise to shoulder height.
• Rest up to 60 seconds between exercises.

Harder

• Use a heavier band, or shorten the band by wrapping it once more around your hands.
• Slow the lowering phase down to 3 seconds.
• Do single-leg glute bridges and split squats instead of squats.
• Add a 2-second pause at the hardest point of each rep.
• Go for 3 rounds, with 20 seconds rest.

Pick a band where the last 2 or 3 reps feel hard but your form stays clean. When 15 reps feel easy, move up a band. Tracking this is a good way to see progress, which I talk about in tracking fitness progress without scales.

Safety tips

• Make sure the band is securely under your feet or anchored before you pull. A slipping band can snap back.
• Never anchor a band to a door that opens towards you, and keep children away while you train.
• Move with control rather than letting the band yank you back.
• If you have shoulder, back or joint pain, are pregnant or recently postnatal, check with your GP or physio before starting.

Where a bootcamp class fits

Bands are perfect for home days. What they cannot give you is someone watching your form and telling you when it is time to progress. At SYP Bootcamp, I coach a maximum of 10 people per 45-minute class, indoors in a church hall in Archway, N19, with easier and harder options for every exercise. It is £15 per class, and plenty of parents combine one class with one band session at home each week. If you want a no-kit option too, try my no equipment home workout. This week’s class times are on the booking page.

FAQs

Can you build muscle with resistance bands?

Yes, as long as the band is challenging enough and you keep making it harder over time with heavier bands, more reps or slower lowering. Bands are recognised by the NHS as a muscle-strengthening activity.

How often should I do a resistance band workout?

Two or three times a week with a rest day in between is a good target, and it lines up with the NHS advice to do strengthening activities on at least 2 days a week.

Are resistance bands good for beginners?

They are one of the best ways to start. Light bands let you learn movements safely, and you can progress gradually without needing heavy weights.

Book your first class

Try this routine twice this week, then come and train with a small group. Choose a time and tap “Book my £15 class” on the SYP Bootcamp booking page, or call or WhatsApp me on 07301 512215. If home workouts suit your life best and you want a coach to plan them, take a look at online coaching with SYP Fitness.

About the author

Artem Olekhnovych is a personal trainer in Archway and the founder of SYP Fitness and SYP Bootcamp. He has coached clients in Archway, Highgate and across North London for over 10 years, and runs small-group bootcamp classes for busy mums and dads. Read reviews from his 1-1 clients.