Transform your legs and glutes with resistance band squats
Resistance band squats are a great way to improve your fitness and strengthen your leg muscles. Learn different variations on how to do squats with resistance bands.
Adding the use of resistance bands to a squat exercise allows you to add extra resistance to your squats, helping you build muscle and burn calories.
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Squats with resistance bands are perfect for home workouts, when you travel or to add to your gym workout routine.
Types of resistance bands
- Loop bands. These continuous loops provide different levels of resistance. They’re usually worn just above the knees or ankles and are highly versatile, which makes them useful for full-body workouts.
- Mini loop bands. These shorter loop bands are designed to be worn above the knees for lower body workouts. They’re typically made with a soft fabric to prevent them from rolling up.
- Free bands. You can tie these thin sheets into a loop or wrap them around your feet or another object for resistance. You can use them for both upper body and lower body workouts.
Loop Band
Mini Loop
Free band
Types of resistance band squats
Resistance band squats are a type of exercise that can help strengthen your legs and improve your overall fitness. You can add free weights to any squat for added resistance.
Resistance band squat variations:
Regular squats (banded)
Adding a resistance band to bodyweight squats can introduce a new challenge to your workout.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart with a loop or mini loop band just above your knees. Your toes should be pointed slightly outward with your hands on your hips or in front of you.
- Slowly push your hips back into a sitting position while bending your knees.
- Continue to lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Your knees should be at a 90-degree angle.
- Return to your starting position and repeat.
Sumo squats (banded)
- Stand with your feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart. Your toes should be pointed outward by about 45 degrees. Place a loop or mini loop band just above your knees.
- Slowly push your hips back into a sitting position while bending your knees.
- Continue to lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Your knees should be at a 90-degree angle.
- Hold the position, return to a normal position by pushing into your heels and activating your glutes.
- Return to your starting position and repeat.
Goblet squats (banded)
- Place your feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart with your toes angled slightly outward. Set a free band under your feet. Hold the ends of the band with both hands and bring them together in front of your chest to create a triangle.
- Begin to lower into a squat position, bringing your butt back as if you’re trying to sit on your heels. Lower yourself as low as possible and hold for 2–3 seconds.
- Raise your body by pushing your heels into the ground and squeezing your glutes until you’re standing.
Variation: Use a long resistance band and wrap around the top of a dumbbell held against your chest then lower your body as if you were sitting back in a sumo wrestler stance.
Split squat (banded)
The split squat helps target other muscles along with your glutes, such as your calves, biceps, and shoulders.
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and step forward with your right foot. Place a free band or loop band underneath your right foot. Hold the ends of the band with your hands to your sides.
- Lower your body until both knees are at 90-degree angles. This should look similar to a lunge position with your left knee facing the ground and your right knee up.
- Press down on your right foot to drive yourself back up to standing position. Make sure to activate your glutes throughout the movement.
Barbell banded squat
- Place a loop or mini loop band just above your knees. Next, approach the barbell rack and carefully place the bar across your shoulders.
- Step backward and slowly lower yourself into a standard squat position. You should feel the additional resistance from the resistance bands. Hold for 2–3 seconds before returning to standing position.
Anchored squat with loop band
You can still perform banded squats if you only have long free bands.
- Take a long free band and tie it around a solid structure (e.g., a pole, weighted gym bench, or knob on a firmly closed door). It should be around 3–4 feet (91–121 cm) off the ground.
- Place the other end of the band around your hips and step forward with both feet until you feel tension.
- Once you’re in a stable position, slightly bend your knees and push your hips back. The band will naturally pull your pelvis back when you bend your knees. Focus on holding proper form and not allowing the band to pull you backward.
- Hold for 2–3 seconds and return to standing position.
Jump squats
This variation involves starting with a basic squat and then jumping up explosively, using the resistance band to add extra resistance.
