I believe that doing resistance bands exercises for beginners is the best entry point into strength training for newbies.

In this post I want to cover:

The benefits of using resistance bands if you’re new to strength training

What are the best resistance bands for beginners

A few of the best exercises for beginners using resistance bands

So let’s jump right in and find out:

Why should you do resistance bands exercises for beginners?

If you’re just beginning strength training and you start with lifting free weights, there’s a great chance you’ll end up hurting yourself. Free weights may be the best for building strength and mass, but they’re definitely not the safest.

Weights machines are safer, but not everyone has access to them, and you may not be ready to invest in a gym membership yet.

Resistance bands aren’t just super affordable, they’re also portable enough to take with you anywhere so you can exercise at home or on the move.

Resistance bands exercises are safest for beginners

They’re the safest way to build strength because they provide resistance in a straight line from a fixed point. This means there’s less chance of slipping out of alignment during the exercise, which can cause injury.

Bands have another advantage over weights because they can easily be used to apply resistance from any angle. Being able to exercise various planes of movement is a great way to injury-proof your joints and muscles. This is why exercise bands are often used for physical therapy.

Read this article to find out more about the unique benefits of resistance band training.

Here are three of the best resistance bands for beginners exercises

Below I’ve listed three of the best exercise bands for beginners. And below each band I’ve included three of the best resistance bands exercises for beginners using that band.

For free access to all our PDF workout guides for resistance bands, simply enter your email in the subscribe box on our homepage.

These are the cheapest and also most versatile kind of band, suitable for adding resistance to any movement. For this reason, they’re the most popular for physical therapy, rehab and injury prevention.

Exercises

Front Raise: stand on the middle of the band, feet shoulder-width apart. Holding onto the ends, lift your arms straight in front of you up towards the ceiling. Hold in the top position without shrugging your shoulders and then return to start.

Seated Row: sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you. Loop the band around your toes and hold the other ends with both hands. Keeping your back straight, pull the band towards your chest. Hold briefly and return to start.

Outward Shoulder Rotater: hold the band with forearms extended in front of you, elbows in to your sides. Stretch the band by rotating your shoulders outward, keeping your forearms horizontal. Hold in the extended position and then slowly return to start.

The foam handles make these bands easy for beginners to use, unlike other bands which can be uncomfortable to hold onto. The door anchor means you can attach the band at any height on a door frame to perform various exercises at different angles.

Exercises

Bicep Curl: stand in the centre of the band and hold onto the handles with your elbows in to your sides. Keeping an upright posture, curl your arms up to shoulder level. Hold for a second and return to start.

Chest Press: secure the band using the door anchor at around chest height. Face away from the door in a forward stance. Push the handles forward, squeezing your chest muscles in the final position. To make the exercise harder, stand further from the door.

Standing Row: with the band secured at the same point as above, stand facing the door and holding the handles in front of you with some tension in the band. Pull the handles back, keeping your elbows close in. Squeeze your shoulder blades together, hold, and return to start.

These bands are used more for lower body exercise to build up your glute (butt), thigh and hip muscles. Looping them around your legs while you do exercises like squat or lunges will work these areas more intensely.

But they can also be used to work your whole body. Subscribers can download our 50-exercise mini band workout guide, which contains all the exercises you will ever need.

Exercises

Squats: in a wide stance with feet turned slightly out, place the band just above your knees. Keep your back slightly arched and your head and neck upright. Squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Pushing through the heels, return to a standing position.

Clamshells: place the band just above your knees. Lie on your side, one hand on your hip and one supporting your head. Knees are together and bent at 45 degrees, feet are kept together. Spread your legs as far apart as possible, hold briefly, and return to start.

Horizontal Arm Extension: place the band around your wrists, arms horizontally out in front of you. Keep your elbows unlocked and your posture upright. Pull the band apart, squeezing your shoulder blades together. Hold for a moment and then return to start.

Visit our blog to see all our resistance bands workouts, and check out our full range of bands here.