Resistance Band Exercises To Kick-Off The New Year

Resistance Band Exercises for Your Thighs

Your legs are the foundation to achieving fitness goals or health goals, so get them in optimum shape this New Year for a powerful year to come!

Temperature too cold to step outside or budget tight? Home exercises are a great way to start healthy habits you can maintain. Now you can work on your thighs with exercises at home, no gym membership or fancy equipment required! Here's 8 resistance band exercises for your thighs that will help you tone and tighten, but best of all, it can be done anywhere to help you get on your fitness track easier.

Resistance bands are compact, you can pack them into a bag and perform numerous thigh exercises that target each of your problem areas including your inner, outer and the backs of your thighs. Look below to discover a series of exercises you can do from your office, while watching TV or even at a park if your kids or pet is having a play date. 

Standing Hip Adduction

This exercise works your adductors, glutes, and abs from a standing position. 

1. Secure the resistance band to a door with the door anchor at the bottom of the door.  Attach the other end of the resistance band to an ankle strap and wrap your left ankle.
2. Pull your left leg away from the door and cross it in front of your right shin.
3. Return your left leg to the start position.
4. Repeat with right leg.

Squat Press with Resistance Band

While working on your thighs, you can also target your shoulders and glutes. 

(Tip: Stand with legs farther apart in a squat to work inner thighs and glutes more than quads)

1. Attach the handles to the band or switch to a resistance band with attached handles. Stand on the resistance band with your feet shoulder-width apart.  Bend your arms with your palms facing out and hold the resistance band handles at your shoulders.
2. Lower into a squat position.
3. Slowly stand bringing your hands up overhead.
4. Return to the starting position.

Lying-down Leg Adduction

You are able to target one inner thigh adductor at a time with this exercise.

1. Secure the resistance band to a door with the door anchor at the bottom of the door.  Attach the other end of the resistance band to an ankle strap and wrap your right ankle.
2. Lie face up on the floor.  Extend your right leg.
3. Bend your left knee and place your left foot on the floor.
4. Lift your right leg several inches off the floor.  Pull it away from your body.
5. Move your leg back to the start position.
6. Repeat with left leg.

Band Stationary Lunge

Elevate your heart rate while also targeting the hamstrings and quadriceps in your thighs and the glutes in your hips and butt.

1. Step forward with your right leg.  Secure the resistance band underneath your right foot, and drop your left knee until it nearly touches the ground.  Hold the resistance band handles with your hands on top of your shoulders with your palms facing forward.
2. Push yourself up by extending your legs and allow yourself slowly back down after a short pause.
3. Repeat with right leg.

Standing Sweeps

 This is another standing adductors exercise.

1. Secure the resistance band to a door with the door anchor at the bottom of the door.  Attach the other end of the resistance band to an ankle strap and wrap your right ankle.
2. Pull your left leg away from the door and cross it in front of your right shin.
3. Swing your leg back and then cross it behind your right calf.
4. Move your leg back to the start position.
5. Repeat with right leg.

Standing Leg Extension

These extensions focus on your quadriceps, but also strengthen your hips and sartorius or inner thigh.

1. Secure the resistance band to a door with the door anchor at the bottom of the door.  Attach the other end of the resistance band to an ankle strap and wrap your left ankle.  Move far enough away from the door (3-4 feet) so the resistance band stretches.  Place your hands on your hips for balance.
2. Raise your left leg up until your thigh is parallel and your calf is perpendicular to the floor. 
3. Straighten your left leg out in front of you until your knee is almost totally straight.
4. Bend your leg back and return to the starting position.
5. Repeat with the right leg.

Seated Abductor Taps

These taps will ignite both your inner and outer thigh muscles. Feel the burn!

1. Using a tube resistance band with attached handles.  Lie on the floor and wrap the resistance band around the bottom of both of your feet. 
2. Hold the resistance band handles in each hand and cross the bands so it makes an “X” in front of you. Flex your feet so they are straight up.
3. With your arms at your sides, lift your feet 3 inches off the mat.
4. Open and close your legs keeping tension on the resistance band.

Side Kicks

Side Kicks work on your hip abduction muscles.

1. Secure the resistance band to a door with the door anchor at the bottom of the door.  Attach the other end of the resistance band to an ankle strap and wrap your right ankle.
2. Extend your right leg upward to the side as high as you can.
3. Lower your leg back down.
4. Repeat with left leg.

With these exercises, you will launch the New Year with healthy habits you can maintain (while become a thigh master)!

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