8 Resistance Band Exercises to Tone Your Legs and Hips

Do you want to tone and strengthen your legs and hips? Resistance bands are some of the best strength training equipment items you can use. Resistance bands are small, easy to use at home, cheap to buy, and versatile.

If you want to find the best resistance band workouts for the legs and hips, look no further. Our health and fitness expert Jodie, will explain why resistance bands should be part of your regular strength training routine. Jodie will show you how to use these versatile bands to tone up your legs, hips, and buttocks!

Resistance bands are useful for lower-body workouts at home, as you can choose your resistance. They are soft to hold, and you can use them standing, lying, or in sitting positions with these toning exercises for the lower body. Resistance bands are different from weights, which can add more force to the joints, which may lead to injury if not supervised. For people over 50, resistance bands are very effective and safe for home use.

If you suffer from knee pain, resistance bands can help you strengthen the muscles around the knee joint.

Resistance bands come in different levels and shapes. The right band is the one that lets you perform 12 to 15 repetitions in good form. If you lose your form before 10 repetitions, then pick a lighter band. If you can easily get to 15 or more repetitions, then choose a stronger resistance band.

Kevala Health’s 8 Resistance Band Workouts for Lower Body

1. Squats

2. Standing Side Leg Lifts

3. Standing Rear Leg Lifts

4. Standing Front Leg Lifts

5. Standing One Leg Push downs

6. Lunges

7. Kneeling Donkey kicks

8. Bridges

Read on for how to do these eight resistance band exercises for the lower body.

You can do these lower body band exercises in any order, with a few minutes pause between each exercise. We recommend performing 12 to 15 repetitions slowly, and with control and good breathing techniques for best results. If you are a beginner, you also have a choice to not use a resistance band, and only use your body weight with these lower body exercises.

For all exercises keep your core engaged so you support your back. You can read more here about how to strengthen your core. We have chosen these exercises for strengthening and toning your legs and buttocks as they require you to use your core and large muscle groups.

1. Squats - How to do them: Place a resistance band under your feet, and position your feet hip-width apart. Hold the band lower down to feel some resistance, then begin to bend the hips and knees to a 45 or 60-degree angle. Imagine you are pretending to sit on a chair when you squat. Keep your arms slightly behind the body. You can go deeper if you have healthy knees and lower back. Go slow and focus on deep even breaths. Don’t forget to engage your core first. Check your knees don’t go inward and keep knee caps pointing towards the second, and third toes. Do 12 - 15 repetitions, then rest and you have options to do more sets.

2. Standing Side Leg lifts - How to do them: Place the resistance band under one foot, and hold the band ends with the opposite side hand. Keep that hand close to the hips. Feet are hip-width to start, then abduct the leg out to the side slowly. Keep your eyes focused to help with balance. You can hold onto a chair or wall lightly if need help with balance. Lift the leg for 12 - 15 lifts then rest. You can do more sets after you repeat on the other side.

3. Standing Rear Leg Lifts - How to do them: Place the resistance band under one foot, like above, and take the leg behind your hip. Lean slightly forward at the front hip joint, and raise and lower the rear leg slowly, squeezing the glutes and core. You can hold onto a chair or wall for balance with one hand if needed. Do these rear lifts for 12 - 15 repetitions for each side.

4. Standing Front Leg Lifts - How to do them: Place the resistance band under one foot, and take that leg in front slightly. Engage your core, keep your eyes focused, and lift the leg up and down slowly. If you have tight hamstrings, then don’t lift high. You can hold onto a chair or wall if you need to balance. You can do 10 - 15 repetitions for each leg.

5. Standing One Leg Pushdowns - How to do them: Place the band under one foot again and bend the leg, so the knee starts around hip height. You can hold both ends of the band in both hands or one hand only, if you need to hold a chair or wall for balance. Push the foot down towards the ground slowly using the band resistance. Stand tall, engage the core, and squeeze your buttocks. Keep the band shorter for more resistance. You can do 10 - 15 repetitions slowly.

6. Lunges - How to do them: Place the band under the front foot, with legs in a split stance. Keep your arms straight and behind the body, then bend both knees slowly to a 45 - 60 degree angle. If you have sensitive knees, then only bend to a comfortable zone. Engage your core and focus on slow breathing. Do 10 - 15 repetitions. You can also do lunges without a resistance band if your legs are weaker.

7. Kneeling Donkey Kicks - How to do them: Come onto the ground into a kneel position. Place some padding like a towel/pillow under your knees if your knees are sensitive. Place your resistance band behind one foot, keep the foot flexed, and hold the ends of the bands in your hands in front under your shoulders. Slowly extend the leg out behind you, squeezing your glutes (buttock muscles). Keep your hips stable, eyes down, and engage the core. Do 10 - 15 repetitions for each leg.

8. Bridges - How to do them: Ly on your back, with your legs and feet hip-width apart. Place the resistance band over your front thighs, with the hands close to the legs to start. Then lift the hips as high as you can comfortably go, and pull your straight arms down towards the ground for extra resistance and hold. Engage your core, squeeze your buttocks, and breathe slowly. Press both feet down on the ground evenly when you hold your bridge. You can do 5 - 10 and hold for 10 - 20 seconds. Bridges also give the front body a great stretch and are one of our most popular exercises for the glutes in Kevala Health’s online Pilates classes.

You can learn more about these lower body resistance band exercises in Jodie’s live-stream Pilates online classes. Remember you can perform these leg and hip exercises without a resistance band if you are a beginner. You can choose either one set of each exercise or two sets in any order. Make sure you have good rests in between and focus on slow breathing and movements.

Jodie offers free 14 days with her live-stream Pilates and yoga online classes.