Band warm up exercises are great exercises to perform prior to your workout. These warm up exercises can all be performed at home with only a resistance band. This post includes 29 exercises including a picture of each exercise, as well as an easy-to-follow description of how to perform each exercise with optimal form.
Resistance Band Warm Up Exercises
Resistance band warm up exercises can be used to warm up the legs, upper body, shoulders, chest and back. These warm-up exercises are divided by muscle groups. Each exercise can be modified based on your skilled level.
Resistance Band Warm-Up Legs
Resistance band exercises for the legs target muscles such as the quadriceps, hamstrings, calf muscles and glute muscles. This resistance band warm-up legs is 1. Lateral Walk 2. Hip Circles 3. Hip Extension 4. Hip Abduction 5. Hip Flexion 6. Standing Marching 7. Monster Walk 8. Bridge With Band 9. Glute Kick 10. Clamshell 11. Banded Front Squat.
1. Lateral Walk
- Place a band around your knees and squat down to a mini squat position.
- Now take 10 side steps in one direction and then change directions and take side steps in the other direction.
- Try to stay at the same height throughout the exercise.
2. Hip Circles
- Place a band around your ankles. Now stand on one foot while moving your opposite leg forward, sideways and backwards in a semi circular motion.
- A small lopped band is the perfect hip circle band to use for this exercise.
3. Standing Hip Extension
- Place a band around your ankle.
- Stand on one foot and bring your opposite leg back behind you while keeping the leg straight.
- You should feel your butt or glute muscles working in this exercise.
4. Standing Hip Abduction
- Place a band around your ankle.
- Stand on one foot and bring your opposite leg out to the side while keeping the leg straight.
- Circle mini bands are perfect for this exercise but you can also get creative and tie a band to a supportive surface if you don’t have a circular band.
5. Standing Hip Flexion
- Place a band around your ankle.
- Stand on one foot and bring your opposite leg forward while keeping the leg straight.
6. Standing Marching
- This exercise is great strength training for your hip flexors.
- Stand on a looped resistance band and start marching in place.
- You can hold onto a sturdy surface for balance.
7. Monster Walk
- Place a resistance band around your knees and stand in a mini squat position.
- Now take a step forward while maintaining the resistance in the band.
- Take 10 steps forwards and then 10 steps backwards.
- For extra resistance you can place a band around your knees AND ankles.
8. Bridge With Band
- Start by lying on an exercise mat with a resistance band around your knees.
- Now squeeze your glute muscles and lift your butt off the mat while pushing your legs into the resistance band.
9. Glute Kick
- Start in the quadruped position on all fours with a resistance band around your legs.
- Now lift up one leg while keeping your knee bent.
- You should feel moderate resistance as you push into the band.
10. Clamshell
- Start by lying on your side with a resistance band around your knees.
- Now push your top knee up and into the mini resistance band.
- Be sure to keep your hips stacked on top of each other.
- Now slowly return your knee back down to the starting position.
11. Banded Front Squat
- Place a band around your knees and stand with your legs hip width apart.
- Now squat down while keeping the resistance in the band.
Static Stretching
Static stretching can be done with a resistance band and can be a great way to relieve tight muscles prior to a workout or warm-up routine.
12. Banded Hip Stretch
- You will need a long resistance band for this exercise.
- Wrap a band around the thigh you want to stretch and a sturdy surface with a good anchor point behind you.
- Now perform a half kneel.
- For example if you want to stretch your right leg your starting position for this exercise will be with your right leg behind you and your left leg in front of you.
Resistance Band Warm Up Upper Body
The best resistance band warm up exercises you can do for the upper body and upper back are 13. Pallof Press 14. Bicep Curls and 15. Single Arm Tricep Extension. Below is a picture of each exercise and an explanation on exactly how to perform each one.
13. Pallof Press
- Tie a resistance band to a sturdy surface and stand perpendicular to it.
- Hold onto the ends of the band.
- Now tighten your abdominal muscles and push the band out and away from you and then slowly bring it back to the starting position.
14. Bicep Curls
- If you are going to perform this exercise on your right side then start by stepping on the resistance band with your right foot.
15. Tricep Extension
- If you want to work on your left arm then stand on a resistance band with your left foot and hold the top of the band with your left hand.
- Start with your elbow bent and then straighten it towards the ceiling.
Resistance Band Warm Up Shoulder
These resistance band warm-up sets for the shoulder include 16. Shoulder External Rotation in Neutral 17. Shoulder External Rotation at a 90-Degrees Angle 18. Horizontal Abudction, I’s, Y’s, T’s, lateral raise and shoulder press. Each of these exercises can be performed in the comfort of your home with just a light band.
16. Shoulder External Rotation Neutral
- This is a great exercise for the rotator cuff.
- Tie a long resistance band to sturdy surface at shoulder height.
- Now hold onto the end of the resistance band, keeping your elbow bent at 90 degrees and rotate your shoulder outwards in the opposite direction.
- For better form you can place a small rolled up towel underneath your armpit to keep your shoulder in alignment throughout the exercise.
17. Shoulder External Rotation at 90-Degree Angle
- Start in the same position as the previous exercise, except now raise your shoulder so it is at 90 degrees and face away from the resistance band.
- Now keep your arm and shoulder and 90 degrees and rotate your shoulder downwards so your palm faces towards the floor.
18. Horizontal Abduction
- Hold a resistance band in both of your hands with either your palms facing the ceiling or the ground and your arms straight out in front of you.
- Now pull both of your arms in opposite directions.
- Slowly and controlled return to the starting position.
19. I’s or Resisted Shoulder Flexion
- Stand on a resistance band and hold the other end of the band in your hand.
- Now slowly raise your shoulder upwards.
20. T’s or Lateral Raise
- Stand on one end of a resistance band and hold the other end of the band in your hand.
- Now slowly raise your arm out to the side.
21. Y’s
- Stand on one end of a resistance band and hold the other end of the band in your hand.
- Now slowly raise your arm in a Y shape while keeping your thumbs pointing towards the ceiling.
22. Shoulder Extension
- Stand with a long resistance tied to a sturdy surface.
- Keep your palms facing down and your arms straight and pull the band down to your sides.
23. Shoulder Press
- Step on one end of a resistance band and hold onto the other end with your hand.
- Start with your shoulder and elbow each at 90 degrees and then push your arm up until your arm is full straight and then return to starting position.
- You can perform this with one arm at a time or with both arms at the same time as seen in the picture.
You can find more shoulder exercises specifically for the rotator cuff at 7 Best Subscapularis Muscle Exercises For Rotator Cuff.
Resistance Band Warm Up Chest
These resistance band warm up exercises are designed specifically for the chest and can be performed at home with just a resistance band. These exercises include 24. Chest Press 25. Chest Fly and 26. Banded Push Up.
24. Chest Press
- Secure the resistance band to a sturdy object.
- Start by standing away from the resistance band.
- If you are using a resistance band with handles you can grab the handles, however if you are using a resistance band without handles you can wrap the end of the resistance band around your hands for a better grip.
- Start with your arms bent in front of you and then push them out in front of you.
- This is a great way to activate the chest muscles.
25. Chest Fly
- Stand in a staggered stance.
- Secure a resistance band on a sturdy surface behind you and hold onto the resistance band in each hand.
- Now slowly pull your arms out to the side in a “fly” position.
- Now pull your arms back to the starting position until both arms are straight out in front of you.
26. Banded Push Up
- Place a resistance band around your back with each end of the band on each of your palms.
- Now perform a push up as you normally would
- On the way up from the push up you will feel the resistance of the band.
Resistance Band Warm-Up Back
This resistance band warm up-protocol is designed to be low impact while improving the muscles of the upper and lower back. This resistance band warm up back includes 27. Lat Pull Down 28. Rows and 29. Bent Over Rows.
27. Lat Pull Down
- Secure a resistance band above you and sit in a chair.
- Start with your arms straight and holding onto the resistance band above you.
- Now bend your elbows and slowly pull the resistance band downwards towards your chest level and then return to the starting position.
28. Rows
- Start by holding a resistance band, one in your left hand and one in your right hand with your arms straight.
- Now squeeze your shoulder blades and pull your shoulders and arms back until your hands are at your sides.
29. Bent Over Rows
- Start by standing and stepping on a resistance band.
- Hold onto either side of the resistance band.
- Now slightly hinge or bend your hips forward while keeping your back straight.
- Pull the band up while squeezing your shoulder blades together.
Summary
As always you should consult with a doctor prior to starting a new exercise routine if you have underlying health conditions. It is important to start slow with a light resistance band in order to reduce the risk of injury.
Incorporating these band warm exercises into your routine would be a great addition to any workout routine. One of the main reasons for performing these exercises is to improve overall strength and quality of life.
Katie Good, PT, DPT, CSCS is a licensed physical therapist and strength coach specializing in injury rehabilitation and exercise-based recovery. After tearing her ACL four times and going through extensive rehab herself, she became passionate about helping others recover from injuries and return to the activities they love. Through her website and virtual coaching sessions, Katie shares evidence-based physical therapy exercises designed to reduce pain, improve movement, and build strength.