Quick Resistance Band Workouts You Should Be Doing

I’m busy. She’s busy. We’re all busy! That’s why I’ve narrowed down some legit follow along resistance band workouts that you should be doing if you’re short on equipment and time.

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Let’s face it, we were all scrambling to get a good gym pump [sans gym] in the wake of COVID-19 and the rollout of the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT). If you’re like me, then you may have already had a semi-solid workout routine that gave you all the gold stars (bronze is pushing it, if I’m being honest with myself) you needed for the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) . . . enter ACFT.

Suddenly, we all needed an actual workout plan that was designed to focus on building full body strength.

The unfortunate truth about that workout plan is that most of us don’t have the access or funding to the appropriate equipment those specific training plans required.

Another harsh reality that came along with the ACFT rollout is that women were marginally effected in comparison to men. (No, we won’t get into discussions about physiological, hormonal, and biological differences that sets most of us at a disadvantage.) Although society has come a long way when it comes to women’s rights and success we are able to achieve . . . there is still something that tends to put a little extra burden on our journey towards success.

Mental load. Default caregiver. Household manager. Pick your poison(s) and/or have it forcefully fed to you the way society has been run for ages around the world.

Ladies, most of us have at least one full-time job and come home to another full-time job.

Where is the time?

If you’re already doing PT with your unit, (which most of us know is pretty useless in building the type of strength we all need to be successful on the ACFT) your regular duty hours, staff duty, CQ, managing your household, tending to sick children, and everything in between . . . how are you going to fit in an hour at the gym?

I’m here to tell you that you don’t need to spend an hour at the gym. Consistency is key, Mamas.

That is why I scoured the internet to find legit resistance band workouts [for free!] that you can do in a time crunch and in the comfort of your own home. No bands? No problem! You can find a top rated set of resistance bands here.

Here are my top picks:

10. Alex Crockford

This short and sweet workout focuses on pull exercises (obviously, it’s in the name!). The muscle groups that this resistance band workout targets are lats, biceps, and shoulders.

Strengthening these muscle groups will improve your leg tuck, hand release pushup, and standard power throw! That’s half of the events in the ACFT (not including the alternate event–the rower)!

One band not doing the trick for you? Double up for more resistance! Build upper body strength is less than 20 minutes by incorporating this into your regular workout routine.

9. Caroline Girvan

If you’ve never tried one of Caroline Girvan’s at home workout videos, then you’re missing out! Let’s just say, she did not build that toned physique by making her workouts anything but challenging.

I hope you don’t expect to put on your eyeliner straight right after completing this upper body resistance band workout. Caroline Girvan has loads of other workout videos on her YouTube channel to choose from if you find that you enjoy her style.

This particular workout comes in at a mere 20 minutes and focuses on biceps, triceps, lats, shoulders and everything else upper body! Bonus–there are some core strengtheners in there too!

After adding this to your regular workout routine, you can expect to improve your leg tuck, plank, hand release pushup, and standing power throw.

8. Alex Crockford

Another Alex Crockford resistance band workout coming in hot! This time focusing on lower body strength.

Only recommendation if you choose to follow along with this video is slow down the movements. This will increase time under tension and make the workouts more effective on improving muscular strength.

In 15 minutes, you can improve strength in your quads, glutes, and calves. Increasing strength in these muscle groups will help you get closer to killing the maximum deadlift, sprint drag carry, and standing power throw.

7. Caroline Girvan

Okay, this is the last repeat of a Caroline Girvan workout for this band series, I promise! But let me tell you, this one burns sooo good! With only 15 minutes of work, you will definitely work up a sweat from this full body resistance band workout.

This one does require a piece of semi-heavy furniture to hold down your band for some leg curls (she has an arm chair in her video for this purpose). So it might just be the perfect workout for your living room.

If you’re short on time, space, and gym equipment, this at home workout video will leave your body feeling all sorts of ways in almost all of your body’s muscle groups. And if you find that you do have a little more time and you enjoy this workout video, click the replay button to go at it again!

With this resistance band workout, you can improve your full body strength for the SDC, SPT, LTK, HRP, and MDL.

6. MyProtein

Since the ACFT is an assessment of total body fitness, most of the videos on this list are going to be full body resistance band related.

The MyProtein channel on YouTube has this great 20 minute follow along workout that only requires a long looped resistance band and a booty band. In this video, she performs pushups, deadlifts, squat walk to jumps, seated rows, and plank jacks–all under resistance.

An optional extra burnout: If you have dumbbells at home, you can also loop them into the resistance band on either side while performing the deadlift and row for a little added weight on the way up.

With consistency, this at home 20 minute resistance band workout will help improve all events of the ACFT.

5. Total Body Training

Another great full body resistance band workout brought to you by Total Body Training. I like this resistance band workout because it incorporates isolated strength work.

For example, the row and tricep kick back is performed with one arm at a time. This is beneficial because you only have one arm pulling at the resistance band (versus a double arm row) and therefore more tension which equals more strength building in the long run.

No need to tell you that this at home resistance band workout will help improve all strength events of the ACFT.

4. Trainer Hub

Trainer Hub actually has a nice little playlist of resistance band workouts that target the upper, lower, and/or full body. More specifically, they have a great band back workout if you’re looking to focus on improving your leg tuck. This is their 30 minute full body resistance band workout.

This video plays as if you’re showing up to a workout class without all that cheesy motivational talk and loud music playing in the background. It’s actually pretty calming and that tends to be the theme for all of their resistance band workouts.

However, if that’s not your jam, then you can always play some music in the background as you get your sweat on.

Another thing that I like about this video is that the instructor switches out bands to increase the difficulty for certain exercises. This serves as a great reminder of strength progression and not to undermine your own progress by sticking with the same resistance for weeks at a time.

3. Jeremy Sry

Jeremy Sry’s 18 minute HIIT resistance band workout is another great example of making the best of limited space, equipment, and time. This video offers great insight to form and he gives polite reminders to check yourself when your form starts to deteriorate as the sets progress.

And alright, I’m going to say it . . . I’m not sure why most of the male instructors have to be shirtless in follow along home workouts and I apologize if this makes you uncomfortable. It was pretty tough to track down full clothed men who lead a good workout video, haha.

It is worth noting that Jeremy Sry obviously needs to go up in resistance because the that little red band looks worn out! I will also admit that I actually struggled with a similar little red band like that when I started my strength training journey.

That is why I’m here to remind you that resistance bands can improve your strength if used properly. So if that is all you have to work with, you’re already doing yourself a solid!

2. Juice & Toya

Juice & Toya have so many amazing at home workout videos. Although this video says it’s 20 minutes, it’s more like 26 minutes and that includes a warm up and cool down.

If you’re looking for a HIIT that incorporates strength training, then you’ve found it. One of my favorite things about Juice and Toya’s videos is that they show modified versions of the exercises. Perfect if you’re on a profile or just brand new to strength training.

This is great video if you enjoy nuance in your strength training routine. They have similar exercises as the other videos listed, but they also show different ways on wrapping the band to get a good resistance and various exercises that work similar muscles groups that aren’t just rows, deadlights, etc.

1. Juice & Toya

Of course I had to finish this list off with another Juice & Toya video! If you read the comments under their videos, I’m not the only fan of their positive vibe, no nonsense without all the cheesy motivational talk style. This one is a little more slow paced and even more variety of exercises you can follow along with to improve full body strength.

It’s about 32 minute total, which just includes a warm up. I love follow along video workouts, but I HATE when other people are in the house and can hear the weird candor that comes from the speakers. The music is neutral and there’s no huffing and puffing coming from the instructors giving you a superficial, “One more rep, don’t quit on me now!”

If you enjoy their workout videos, they also do monthly challenges that directly relate to the videos they upload.

Let me know if you tried and/or enjoyed this list of at home resistance band workouts. There are a multitude of free resistance band workouts on YouTube, but these are my top picks for areas that need improvement in strength in order to be successful for the Army Combat Fitness Test.

If you’re looking for a beginner’s workout plan using resistance band at home videos, I’ve got you covered! Enjoy this freebie for a month’s worth of follow along resistance band workouts. And if you don’t have a set of resistance bands, you can find them in virtually any store. I got this set of resistance bands from Amazon.

Words of wisdom that I will always remember when I was injured: Take care of yourself, but don’t be a bum. Essentially saying listen to your body but also don’t use it as an excuse to be lazy. With this freebie, there will be optional workouts to add into the daily full body routine that target specific muscle groups (e.g. back, lower body, upper body, glutes, etc.)

If you have the time, just add the extra workout– and it doesn’t even have to be all in the same session! Sometimes I will break up workout sessions dependent on time. A quick 15 minute run in the morning and a 20 minute strength training during lunch or after work.

The more consistent you are with your training, regardless of the allotted time you have, you will build strength!

I hope you enjoy this freebie as much as I enjoyed putting it together and testing it out.

Fill out the form below to get your free guide. The template already has built in clickable links to each video for your convenience. Enjoy!