The Only Piece of Equipment You Need to Get in a Good Full-Body Workout Costs $10

Updated on 8/2/2018 at 9:15 PM

Resistance bands are a great way to get in a strength-training workout: they're cheap, portable, and easy to use anywhere. Specifically, we love booty bands, the smaller resistance bands that are typically used around your legs above your knees for squats or squat walks to burn out your glutes. But this versatile piece of equipment can be used for so much more.

Booty bands can give you an excellent full-body workout if you use them right. The best part? They are less than $15 at most major retailers. We love the Tone It Up Booty Bands from Target ($10 for a set of two) and the Fit Simplify Resistance Loop Exercise Bands ($11 for a set of five).

So take a look at these trainer-approved exercises and put those booty bands to good use.

2 Booty Band Moves For a Tight Butt

This video from Class FitSugar shows how to burn out your glutes using just a booty band and these two moves. The first move requires you to put the bands above your knees, squat it low, and walk forward and backward. The second move is an inchworm with the booty band followed by an air squat. Try to do as many reps as possible in one minute.

The best part about these moves is they just require your bodyweight and a booty band, which means you can do them anywhere.

Bring Booty Bands to the Gym

Fitness influencer and trainer Stefanie Williams shows you how to take a booty band to the gym and kick your workout up a notch. She uses a booty band to perform thrusters (squat and press) with a barbell, squats with a loaded barbell, monster walks and side steps with no weights, and deadlifts with a loaded barbell.

A 45-Minute Low-Impact, High-Intensity Workout That Torches Serious Calories

Burn calories and tone your body with this 45-minute workout from LIT Method founders Justin and Taylor Norris. This workout proves that low impact doesn't mean low intensity. This video uses booty bands, resistance bands, and foam rollers.

Click here for an exclusive two-week LIT Method subscription where you can create your "perfect program" by customizing your very own video playlist from the library of LIT workouts.

Credits: On Anna: Onzie top, Avocado tights, and Athletic Propulsion Labs (APL) shoes. On Justin and Taylor: Puma. Manduka mats and Corkcicle water bottles.

Glute Bridge With Hip Abduction Ladder

If you think bodyweight workouts aren't difficult enough, a booty band really ups the intensity. This ladder from personal trainer Bret Contreras, PhD, who calls himself the "Glute Guy" on Instagram, shows a booty workout that only uses two moves — glute bridges and supine hip abductions — and a booty band.

To really feel the burn, Bret recommends performing them as a ladder, starting with 13 (or 15 if you're really advanced): 13 bridges and 13 abductions, then 12 bridges and 12 abductions, all the way down until you get to one. This will really burn out your glutes, so feel free to take rest breaks in between if you need to!

4-Move Stair Circuit

Trainer Stefanie Williams shows how versatile a booty band can be if you get creative. Using just a booty band and a set of stairs, Stefanie performs a circuit that includes a reverse lunge, alternating leg lifts, single-leg side and back steps, and stair jumps (similar to box jumps).

Barre Move 1: Passé Into Reverse Lunge With Arm Raise

Incorporate elements of barre for this full-body booty band move that targets your arms, legs, and core. Do this move in conjunction with moves two and three for a full-body barre routine.

Begin standing with feet together in parallel stance, right leg lifted to a passé (right foot to left knee), resistance band around wrists with arms stretched out in front of body, palms in.
Step right leg back into parallel lunge and at the same time bend elbows to a 90-degree angle. Push through front heel to bring right leg back into passé as you extend arms back in front of body.
Repeat for eight reps slowly and increase tempo for eight to 16 reps. Repeat on other side.
Focus on engaging abs to initiate movement and balance while pushing through supporting heel to fire off seat muscles. Maintain resistance on stretch band for entire series.

Barre Move 2: Squat Side Leg Raise With Behind-Back Arm Raise

Another barre move, this will fire up your glutes, hamstrings, and triceps.

Begin standing with feet together in parallel stance. Bend both knees as you hinge forward from your hips, maintaining a long line of the spine from your tailbone to the crown of your head. Place band around wrists with hands behind your body.
Extend right leg to the side (keeping in line with left foot), and at the same time, resist the band and lift arms slightly to find a deeper upper-body challenge.
Bring leg and arms back into starting position.
Repeat for eight reps. On the last rep, hold the position and pulse your arms up for eight reps slow and 16 reps tempo. Repeat on the other side.
To amp it up further, lift your right foot off the floor while pulsing your arms.
Focus on long line of the spine, abs in and up, and resisting the band the entire series. Maintain good form by drawing shoulders down.

Barre Move 3: Side Sumo Squat With Arm Extension

This move will work your whole body, challenge your core strength, and test your balance.

Begin standing with feet together in parallel stance, band around your wrists with arms extended parallel to the floor.
Step right leg back into a wide second position plié (turn out from hips and bend knees) and at the same time draw your right arm back into a bend while keeping your left arm strong and straight to the front.
Return arm and leg to starting position. Repeat eight reps, slow 16 tempo.
On last rep, hold the plié and draw your right arm back in little pulses for 16 reps. Repeat this series on the other side, stepping back with your left leg.
Focus on keeping the front arm strong and straight and maintaining the abs in and up.