A trainer says these five resistance band exercises hit the areas that your standard leg workout usually misses

Woman exercising outside with resistance band — (Image credit: Getty Images / miodrag ignjatovic)

Functional workouts have never been more popular, because people want to be able to navigate the physical demands of life with confidence.

So I was struck by this insight from Cyan Koay, personal trainer and co-founder of Strong Band.

“The best lower-body workouts don’t just build strength in a straight line, because life doesn’t happen in a straight line.”

Resistance band leg workout

Lateral squat with rotation: 2-3 x 8-12 each side
B-stance Romanian deadlift: 2-3 x 10-12 each side
Banded adduction: 2-3 x 12-15 each side
Banded standing hamstring curl: 2-3 x 12-15 each side
Banded knee extension in downward dog: 2-3 x 10-12

“Stick with the same five exercises for four to eight weeks before changing your plan,” says Koay. “That gives you enough time to improve your setup, increase tension and build confidence with the movement patterns, thereby progressing your strength with bands.”

You can progress the workout by increasing the band tension (just shorten the length of the band you’re working with; Strong Band resistance bands have markings that make this easier to do), adding an extra rep or two per set, or by adding an extra set. You can also slow the lowering phase of each movement or pause for a couple of seconds at the hardest part to increase time under tension.

Koay recommends incorporating this workout into your routine once or twice a week alongside your usual activities.

Some exercises are more difficult than others and it might be useful to have two long-loop resistance bands with high and low resistance. However, the workout can be done with one if it’s a medium resistance.

“Choose a band tension that brings you to around a 7-8/10 effort by the final few reps,” says Koay. “You should feel challenged, but still able to move with good control and your full range of motion.”

If you’re a beginner, Koay suggests starting with a lighter band to get familiar with the exercises, how resistance bands work and to perfect your form.

“After you have built a solid foundation and understanding of the movements, you can increase the intensity, thereby increasing your effort,” she says.

1. Lateral squat with rotation

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-12 each side Rest: 30-45sec between sides and 60-90sec between sets

Why it works: “This is a great alternative to more traditional squatting because it trains single-leg strength through the frontal plane of motion (moving to your side),” says Koay.

“It also incorporates rotational control, meaning that you’re not just strengthening your quads, you’re improving hip mobility, groin strength and your body’s ability to move well side to side when your legs, hips and core work together as a system rather than isolated parts.”

How to do it:

Stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart and loop the band around your right foot.
Hold both ends of the band with your left hand, halfway down the band to create tension.
Engage your core.
Bend your right knee, sit your hips back and shift your torso to your right, keeping your left leg straight.
At the bottom of the movement, slightly rotate your hips to face right.
Drive through your working foot to stand, pulling the band and squeezing your glutes to face forward again.
Perform all the reps on one side, rest for 30-45sec, then repeat on the other side to complete the set.

Muscles targeted: Glutes, quads, adductors and core.

Form tips:

You should feel the outside of your hip working as you return to the starting position.
Think “sit back, then rotate” to ensure you aren’t twisting before you lower into the squat.
The movement should come from a stable lower body and controlled torso, not from the band pulling you into the squat.

2. B-stance Romanian deadlift (RDL)

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-12 each side Rest: 30-45sec between sides and 60-90sec between sets

Why it works: “A B-stance RDL is a great single-leg strength builder with a focus on your glutes and hamstrings,” says Koay.

“Strong glutes and hamstrings are crucial for a healthy lower back, hips, knees and ankles.”

She adds that the exercise gently challenges balance and stability and highlights any muscular imbalances. After a set, ask yourself if the exercise feels harder on one side than the other?

How to do it:

Stand with your front foot on the band with your big toe, little toe and heel of your front foot firmly on the floor.
Step your back foot slightly behind you with your heel lifted. Keep your weight over your front foot.
Hold the band in both hands and slightly bend both knees.
Hinge from your hips by pushing them back while keeping your spine neutral.
Lower your torso until you feel a stretch through your hamstrings in your front leg.
Keep your hips level and facing forward.
Push through your front foot and squeeze your glutes to return to standing.
Complete all the reps on one side, rest for 30-45sec, then repeat on the other side to complete the set.

Muscles targeted: Hamstrings, glutes, abductors, lower back

Form tips:

Aim to maintain the same bend in your front knee throughout the exercise.
Keep your weight over your front foot throughout the exercise.

3. Banded adduction

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 12-15 each side Rest: 30sec between sides and 60sec between sets

Why it works: “The adductors are often undertrained, yet they play a big role in hip stability, pelvic control and powerful lower-body movement,” says Koay.

“Inactive and weak adductors can lead to hip pain, lower-back pain and even a change in your walking gait, leading to knee and ankle issues.

“This move helps to strengthen your inner thighs directly and can be particularly useful if you want more balanced hip strength.”

How to do it:

Lie on your right side, propped up on your elbow.
Hook one end of the band around your left foot, and hold the other end in your left hand.
Raise your left hand and foot, creating a triangle with your left arm, left leg and the band—this is your starting position.
Keeping your left hand still, lower your left leg, engaging your inner thigh.
Pause briefly at the bottom of the movement, then raise your left leg toward your hand again with control.
Complete all the reps on one side, rest for 30-45sec, then repeat on the other side to complete the set.

Muscles targeted: Adductors, core and shoulders.

Form tips:

Maintain the same tension through your banded hand, to ensure all your reps are equally challenging.
As you build confidence, allow your legs to open further at the top of the movement, working your adductor muscles through a greater range of motion and building more mobility through your hip joint.

4. Banded standing hamstring curl

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 12-15 each side Rest: 30-45sec between sides and 60-90sec between sets

Why it works: “Hamstring curls are a simple way to directly strengthen the back of your thighs,” says Koay.

“A resistance band creates tension through this important range of motion without needing a machine.

“Training your hamstrings to be strong while your knee bends helps to build resilience in your knee joints, which improves your running and walking mechanics and creates structural integrity in your lower body.”

This move also works the hamstrings in their shortened position, often missed in bigger compound moves.

How to do it:

Use a wall or chair by your side for balance if needed.
Stand on the middle of the band with your right foot and loop the end of the band around your left ankle. There should be light tension in the band when you raise your left foot.
Stabilize through your right leg by squeezing your glutes and tucking your tailbone under your hips—this is your starting position.
Bend your left knee, lifting your left foot toward your glute, working against the tension in the band.
Pause at the top of the movement without letting your hips twist, then lower back to the starting position with control.
Complete all the reps on one side, rest for 30-45sec, then repeat on the other side.

Muscles targeted: Hamstrings

Form tips:

Don’t rush the lowering phase. Your hamstrings are working hard when you control the band on the way down.

5. Banded leg extension in downward dog

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-12 reps Rest: 60-90sec

Why it works: “This is a quad-focused move that also challenges core control and hip stability,” says Koay.

“The knee extension helps strengthen the quads in the final phase of straightening your knee, which is especially useful for knee support and improving joint control.”

Strengthening your quads in their shortened position supports healthier knee mechanics and stability.

How to do it:

Start on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
Loop the band behind your knees and place the band under your hands.
Push through your hands to lift your hips, maintaining a neutral spine and extending your knees, pushing against the tension of the band and engaging your quads.
Pause with your legs extended and your quads fully engaged.
Bend your knees with control to return to the starting position.

Muscles targeted: Quads, core and shoulder stabilizers.

Form tips:

To maintain tension in the band, aim to move through your lower body only rather than your shoulders.
Losing tension in the band will activate your lower back and core, rather than your quads.

Lou Mudge is a Health Writer at Future Plc, working across Fit&Well and Coach. She previously worked for Live Science, and regularly writes for Space.com and Pet's Radar. Based in Bath, UK, she has a passion for food, nutrition and health and is eager to demystify diet culture in order to make health and fitness accessible to everybody.

Multiple diagnoses in her early twenties sparked an interest in the gut-brain axis and the impact that diet and exercise can have on both physical and mental health. She was put on the FODMAP elimination diet during this time and learned to adapt recipes to fit these parameters, while retaining core flavors and textures, and now enjoys cooking for gut health.