This Is the Ultimate 15-Minute Resistance Band Workout You Can Do Anywhere

Updated on June 26, 2018 at 9:50 AM

Rhonda Hunt

Vacations aren't all unicorn pool floats and fancy umbrella drinks. There's actually a $2 trick to staying on track when you're away from home. The resistance band loop (like these here) might be small, but it sure is mighty. Since it's barely bigger than the size of your back pocket, you can stash this little thing in your carry-on suitcase (sans additional luggage fees), and it can be used from your hotel room. Because it comes in varying levels of intensity — the thicker, tighter bans have more resistance than the lighter, thinner ones — you won't even need a gym to get a weight-room body. Research in the Human Kinetics Journal found that resistance bands are actually just as effective as using weight machines.

"Resistance bands increase resistance — or tension — on the part of your exercise that usually has the least amount of resistance," says Rhonda Hunt, master trainer at Barry's Bootcamp in Scarsdale, NY. For instance, during a bicep curl, by the time your arms pass the 90-degree angle, most of the hard work is already done. By adding a resistance band, you force your muscles to work hard all the way to the top of the movement arc. "You're going to increase the strain on your muscles, making the move a little bit harder, and burn more energy overall," Hunt says. Her favorite way to pump up the burn of the bands is by adding pulses to the end of each movement, "this way you're working the muscle fibers to the point of fatigue," she adds. "When you use a resistance band over another tool, like dumbbells or a weight machine, you're being permitted to keep consistent tension on the muscle you're working." Basically, you're just going to be worker a heck of a lot harder if you using one of these, and because it's so little in size, you really have no excuse not to. Am I right?

Check out Hunt's accessible routine that can be done anywhere (hotel room, beach, or maybe the boardwalk) in under 15 minutes, too. You'll be able to get back to your unicorn float in no time.

Squat Kicks

With the looped band above the knees (at least an inch higher than your kneecaps so the bands don't pull on your knees), start in a wide squat position, keeping your weight in the heels and hips back with chest lifted.
Drive through the left heel, as you kick the right leg straight to the side, angled slightly backwards with a flexed foot, tightening your glutes at the top.
Lower down to the start and repeat on the same side. Do 20 to 30 reps. (Switch sides on the next circuit.)

Push-Up-Plank Jack

Place the resistance loop above your knees and get into push-up position. Start with your legs together.
Bend elbows to lower body down to perform one push-up.
As you press up to straighten arms, quickly jump your legs out to the sides with the heels over the toes for a single plank jack.
Jump the feet back in together and repeat the push-up.
After performing 20 to 30 reps, hold your plank position (arms extended straight) and finish with 15 seconds of plank jacks.

Hydrants

Come onto all fours in a kneeling position on the floor, band placed right above your knees and knees together.
Keeping your shoulders and hips level to the ground, lift your bent right leg as high as you can to the side, knee aligned with your hip and toes in line with your knee.
Lower your knee down to start and repeat on the same side.
Hold your last rep in the up position for 8 seconds, then pulse up and down an inch for another 8 seconds.

Squat-Hop

With the band above your knees, lower into a squat sitting back as far as you can, chest facing the floor, and touch one set of fingertips to the ground.
Jump up, bringing your legs together.
Land as softly as you can in the low squat position, bending the knees to absorb the impact and reach the opposite fingertips to the ground.
Continue to hop up and down as high as you can, alternating the fingertips to the ground to work the obliques as well.
After 20 to 30 reps, hold your squat position for an extra 8 seconds, pulsing up and down an inch for another 8 seconds.

Single Leg Glute Bridge

With band above knees, lie on the ground, right foot on the ground, knee bent, and extend left leg up at a diagonal angle.
Press down through the right heel, keeping your hips level, tighten your abs and butt, and lift your hips up as high as possible without putting weight into your neck and shoulders.
Squeeze your glutes and hold position.
Release the hold and lower hips to the ground.
Repeat for 20 to 30 reps. Hold your last rep (hips lifted position) for 8 seconds, then pulse your hips up and down slightly for another 8 seconds.

Resisted Bicycle

Loop the resistance band around the balls of your feet inside the band. Lie down on the floor facing up, extend legs forward, and place your fingertips behind your ears (as opposed to interlacing the fingers behind the head; you might end up pulling on the neck and shoulders as you fatigue).
Feeling the resistance of the band, rise up off your shoulder blades, pulling your navel to spine and closing the ribcage, pull your left knee in toward your chest as you twist your right elbow to meet your knee (right leg remains extended forward and lifted off ground). Keep your elbows wide open to increase your range of motion and deepen your twist, exhale at the end of the movement to get your naval in tighter.
Switch sides, alternating the left elbow to right knee, aiming to touch the elbow to knee each rep, feeling the opposition of the push and the pull of the legs to activate the low abs and obliques.
Perform 20 slow reps, alternating sides. Finish with 20 fast-paced reps.