Build lower-body strength and endurance in five moves with this calisthenics coach’s versatile resistance band workout
It’s easy to feel confused or overwhelmed by strength training. Often, all you need is a bit of time, some tension and your bodyweight.
That’s the principle personal trainer and calisthenics coach Lisa Mags swears by. The founder of Lisa’s Living Club recently shared one of her go-to lower-body routines you can do anywhere.
“Just grab a resistance band or go with no equipment at all and this workout will strengthen your lower body while toning and shaping your glutes, thighs and core,” she tells Fit&Well.
The workout involves five exercises in a circuit with long working sets and minimal rest to keep your muscles under tension through their full range of motion.
The result? Greater muscle burn, more growth and increased lower-body strength gains in the long run.
Strengthen your glutes and legs with this resistance band workout
Mags demonstrates each exercise with a short-looped resistance band but she says you can also do the workout without a band.
For each move, work for 60 seconds (per side for the lunge pulse) and rest for 15 seconds between moves. Take a 60-second rest at the end of each round and repeat the circuit three or four times.
Squat pulse and tap out
Time: 60secs
Targets: quads, glutes, adductors
- Place a resistance band around your thighs just above your knees.
- Lower into a quarter squat, maintaining tension in the band, and pulse up and down for eight repetitions.
- Then, lift your right foot back and out to your side, tap it on the floor then return to centre and repeat on the left foot for eight repetitions in total.
- Continue cycling through eight pulses and eight tap outs for 60 seconds.
Loaded beast and bear
Time: 60secs
Targets: quads and core
- Start on your hands and knees, with the band just above your knees.
- Hover your knees slightly off the floor into a bear hold.
- Walk your feet back into a high-plank position, so your legs are straight, then lift your your buttocks back onto your heels into a loaded beast pose.
- Return to a high-plank position, walk your feet forward into a bear crawl, then return back to the plank and loaded beast.
- Continue alternating for 60 seconds, keeping your knees just off the floor.
Lunge pulse and leg lift
Time: 60secs
Targets: quads, hamstrings and glutes
- With the band around your thighs, lower into a lunge, with your right foot in front.
- Perform five pulses up and down, then lift your left leg high behind you.
- Return to the lunge position and continue pulsing up and down.
- Continue for 60 seconds on one side, then switch sides for another 60 seconds.
Side-to-side squat
Time: 60secs
Targets: quads, glutes, adductors
- Place the resistance band around your thighs just above your knees.
- Lower into a full squat, keeping knees wide apart to activate the glutes and maintain tension in the band.
- Drive your hips forward to stand, then step out to the side into another squat.
- Return to the centre and repeat on the other side.
- Keep alternating sides for 60 seconds, maintaining tension in the band throughout.
Table top glute
Time: 60secs
Targets: glutes, adductors, core, hips
- Start on your hands and knees, with the band around your thighs just above the knees.
- Lift one leg out to your side, keeping the knee bent.
- Lift and lower your leg with control, keeping your core engaged throughout and hips level with the floor.
- Perform for 30 seconds on one side, then switch sides for another 30 seconds.
How to do this workout using just your bodyweight
No band? No problem. Mags says if she’s ever away without a set of bands, she’ll perform these exercises using just her bodyweight.
“It will slightly reduce the level of tension in each exercise but the muscles will still get a good workout by simply fighting against gravity,” she says.
To maximize the effectiveness of each move, Mags recommends slowing the tempo on both the lifting and lowering phase of each lift.
For example, with the side-to-side squat, take your time lowering into and rising out of each squat, focusing on the muscles you’re working throughout.
“Akin to barre or mat Pilates, this slow and controlled pace will challenge all the smaller, stabilizing muscles around your joints, helping to make you more injury resistant and resilient,” she adds.
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