5 Best Lower Body Resistance Band Exercises for Women

If you are working out from the comfort of your living room or just need a break from heavy weights, then using a resistance band for your lower body workouts can be an excellent way to give your glutes, hips, and legs the attention they deserve.

Resistance bands are versatile, easy to use, and portable training equipment that can be used to strengthen both upper and lower body muscles, including arms, core, legs, hips, glutes, and so on. Using a resistance band for lower body exercises is specifically advantageous because it strengthens your muscles as well as improves stability and endurance, which are crucial to perform other advanced exercises and lift heavy weights more efficiently.

Not sure where to start? Here are the 5 best resistance band workouts you can do to achieve a well-defined and sculpted lower body.

Lower Body Resistance Band Exercises for Women

1. Resistance Band Squat

This exercise strengthens your quads, hamstrings, and glutes while working on your hip abductors to promote knee stability and position.

Here's how you should do it:

• Wrap a resistance band around your thighs and stand straight with your feet at a hip distance. Extend your arms in front of you.
• Keeping your core muscles and glutes tight, lower down into a squat while pushing your butt down and back.
• Now work against the band and move your knees out.
• Firmly press your heels on the floor and stand back up to the initial position.
• Repeat.

2. Clamshells

Clamshells work on your outer and inner thigh muscles and help you move with proper form and control. When doing this exercise, remember to widen your thighs properly so that the band stretches high before lowering your leg back down.

Here's how you should do it:

• Loop a band around your thighs and lie on your left side with your knees bent.
• Place your head on your left hand or your left forearm, and position your right hand on your right hip.
• Squeeze your thighs and glutes to press your right thigh out and wide.
• Hold at the top, and then bring your right thigh back to the initial position.
• Continue for a few reps before switching sides.

3. Standing Glutes Kickback

Standing glutes kickbacks with a resistance band are great for your posterior chain. However, when doing this exercise, just remember to engage your glutes before kicking your foot behind you and pressing your opposite foot on the floor to maintain balance.

Here's how you should do it:

• Loop the band around your ankles and stand tall with your feet positioned at a hip distance.
• Tighten your core muscles and move your entire body weight onto one leg.
• Now kick backward with your opposite leg about 7 to 8 inches and then reverse the movement.
• With the raised foot, tap the floor behind your planted foot and continue for a few reps before alternating legs.

4. Lateral Band Walk

Lateral band walks work on your inner and outer thighs. It is essential to keep your feet out and wide enough so that the resistance band stays stretched throughout the movement.

Here's how you should do it:

• Loop a band around your ankles and stand tall with your feet hip-width apart. Bend your knees slightly.
• Now engage your outer thighs and hinge at your hips to step your right foot to the side.
• Step your left foot to your left, positioning your feet at a hip distance and keeping the band taut.
• Continue alternate stepping in and out for at least 20 reps on each side.

5. Banded Single-Leg Deadlift

The banded single-leg deadlift works on your hamstrings and glutes. To make the most out of this exercise, make sure you lower your body only as far as you are comfortable while keeping proper tension in your core and opposite leg.

Here's how you should do it:

• Stand on your right leg with your foot in the middle of a resistance band. Hold one end of the band in both hands.
• Push your hips back and hinge at your waist as you lower your torso toward the floor. As you do this, straighten your left leg behind you until both get parallel to the floor.
• Push through your right heel to reverse the move to stand back up in the initial position.
• Perform 10 reps on each leg.

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Takeaway

Like dumbbells and kettlebells, resistance bands come in a wide range of resistance levels. From extra light bands to highly stretchable ones, various options are available. If you are an exercise beginner, start with a lighter band; if you are a fitness pro who can easily complete 20 reps of band exercises, consider choosing higher levels of resistance.