March 14, 2026, 8:14 am | Read time: 8 minutes

Having trained gluteal and thigh muscles has many benefits: it leads to a healthy upright posture, more stability, and can prevent knee and back pain. Exercises with the resistance band are ideal for training at home, without the need for a gym or expensive equipment. FITBOOK author and fitness trainer Alina Bock presents seven exercises with the resistance band that effectively train the muscles in your bottom and legs. Sore muscles included!

Benefits and Effects of Training With a Resistance Band

Resistance bands are fitness bands that work with a certain amount of resistance to make an exercise more intense. Examples of resistance bands are fitness bands with handles, therabands, or large and small loop bands. They are also available in many different strengths. This series of exercises uses a small loop band, which is ideal for training the leg and gluteal muscles.

A major advantage of the loop band is the resistance you work with. Unlike training with weights, fitness bands create tension in the muscles during the entire exercise: this means that the corresponding muscles are also tensed in the negative (eccentric phase), for example, when bending during a squat. This creates a high level of intensity.

Also interesting: 6 Effective Exercises With the Step That Burn Fat Effectively

Fitness bands are also versatile. All muscles of the body can be trained using this tool, which cannot be said of many fitness machines. In addition to the versatility of exercises, the fitness band can also be taken anywhere, allowing you to train whenever and wherever you want.

Exercise 1: Squats

This exercise with the resistance band trains the muscles in the legs—more specifically in the thighs, buttocks, and abductors.

1. The resistance band is positioned slightly above the knees. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. The tips of your toes point slightly outwards. In the starting position, the knees are slightly bent and the upper body is slightly bent forward.
2. Now squat down. The heels remain firmly on the floor and do not lift off. On the way into the bend, press the resistance band outwards.
3. Then go back up, maintaining the tension in the resistance band. To maintain the basic tension in the leg muscles, the knees remain slightly bent in the end position.

Perform three rounds with approx. 15 to 20 repetitions. Advanced users can hold at the bottom at the end of the repetitions, bring the knees together while inhaling and push the band apart again while exhaling. Now perform as many repetitions as possible to burn out.

Exercise 2: Squat Walk

This exercise also effectively trains the thigh and gluteal muscles and abductors. The squat walk is slightly more intense than the squats with the resistance band, as you continuously hold the squat position.

1. The band is positioned slightly above the knees. Your feet should be at least shoulder-width apart. If you want to increase the intensity of the exercise, you can also position your feet even further apart. The tips of your toes point slightly outwards.
2. Now go into a squat position. Hold the position at the bottom. Actively press the fitness band outwards for the entire duration of the exercise.
3. Then the walk begins: the right foot takes a small step outwards, the left follows. Always take small steps! Turn around at the end of the training area. Now the right foot starts and the left follows.

Three sets of 45-60 seconds are suitable for this exercise.

Exercise 3: Squat jump

Not enough squat variations yet, but I promise this is the last one: the squat jump with the loop band. In this exercise with a resistance band, the thighs in particular are made to burn.

1. In the starting position, your feet are shoulder-width apart, the tips of your toes are pointing slightly outwards, and your knees are slightly bent. The band is fixed slightly above the knees. You are already creating a slight tension in the band here by pushing it slightly outwards with your knees. You can bring your hands together in front of your body.
2. From the starting position, move into a half squat, pushing the band apart as you do so. However, your feet remain firmly on the floor!
3. Then push yourself up from your feet at a fast pace and jump up explosively. Keep your legs straight during the jump. Tense your thighs.
4. Your knees are bent when you land. The exercise flows into a squat and then back into the squat jump.

For this exercise, perform three rounds with 15-20 repetitions each.

Exercise 4: Standing Kick Backs

Many people are familiar with kick backs. They are often performed in the gym on the cable pulley. However, this exercise with the resistance band for legs and buttocks can also be done easily at home. It primarily trains the large gluteal muscle. The leg biceps, i.e., the back of the thigh, provide support. If you perform the exercise in a one-legged stance without holding on, the muscles around the ankle, as well as the calf, hip, and leg muscles of the supporting leg, also work. The core also works by providing stability and balance.

1. Position the loop band on both legs above the ankle joint. Now it’s time to stand on one leg. The supporting leg is slightly bent. Bend your upper body slightly forward. To create stability in the core, tilt the pelvis forward and pull the belly button inwards. If the exercise is still too unstable and difficult, you can hold on to a chair, a wall, or something similar.
2. Now lift your free leg as far back as possible. Important: The upper body does not move with it!
3. Then lower your leg again. Make sure that you maintain a slight tension in the band in the end position.
4. Change legs after 12 to 15 repetitions.

This exercise is performed three times per side with 15 to 20 repetitions each time.

Exercise 5: Jumping Jacks

Another intensive and sweat-inducing exercise is jumping jacks with the loop band. This exercise primarily trains the gluteal muscles and abductors.

1. The loop band is fixed at ankle height. Your feet are so far apart that you can feel a slight basic tension in the band. The knees are slightly bent, and the hands are fixed on the pelvis.
2. From here, perform a jump outwards. The tension in the band increases, and the abductors are activated. This is followed by a jump inwards, then outwards again, and so on… During the jumps, you only ever land on your front foot. This saves energy and increases your speed.

Important: Keep pushing your knees outwards, as the band wants to pull your knees inwards, especially during the jumps.

This exercise is also performed in three sets lasting 45 to 60 seconds. You can take a break of 30 to 45 seconds between sets.

More on the topic

Tips From Personal Trainers 6 Exercises With a Resistance Band That Will Make Your Leg Muscles Burn

10 exercises How you can recreate gym equipment exercises at home

Exercise 6: Glute Bridge

From a standing position, move onto the training mat in a supine position. The Glute Bridge exercise with a resistance band effectively trains the muscles in your buttocks and legs. The loop band also strengthens the abductors.

1. The loop band is fixed slightly above the knees. The legs are bent and the feet are placed flat on the ground. Your feet are at least hip-width apart. The tips of your toes point slightly outwards. Now tilt your pelvis, pull your belly button inwards, and gently press your lower back against the mat. You have reached the starting position.
2. Breathe in. As you exhale, lift your bottom upwards until your hips are fully extended. Tighten your buttocks firmly while pushing the band apart.
3. From the end position, return to the hip flexion position. Maintain tension in the band throughout the exercise. Reverse just before reaching the mat and lift the buttocks again.

Three sets of 15 to 20 repetitions are performed here.

Exercise 7: Prone Leg Curls

For the last exercise with a resistance band for legs and buttocks, you lie on your stomach on the mat. The following exercise mainly strengthens the leg flexors.

1. Position the loop band so that it is attached to the ankle of the passive leg and to the sole of the shoe of the active leg. Keep the passive leg firmly on the floor until it’s time to switch legs. The arms can be bent and the head placed on the hands in front of the body.
2. Now bend the active leg to create tension in the band. The upper leg remains firmly on the floor. Only the lower leg moves.
3. The lower leg then moves back towards the floor. To maintain the basic tension, the leg is not fully extended again, but reversed when the foot is just in front of the mat/floor.
4. Now switch sides.

To challenge the leg flexors, this exercise is performed in three sets per leg with 15 to 20 repetitions. You can take a break of 45 to 60 seconds between sets.