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Why Should You Own A Mini Band?

The mini band benefits are endless! We love incorporating mini band exercises into our workouts for runners, but resistance bands are great options for arms, abs, legs, and even stretches! Plus, you can easily get these short resistance bands on Amazon for under $10!

What is the Goal of these Mini Band Exercises?

Today we’re compiling our favorite mini band exercises for a quick & effective full body routine in just 15 minutes. Use this workout for a unique way to challenge your upper body and abs without that dreaded plateau. Plus, this is a great workout to do at home or when you’re unable to get to a gym since it can be done from your yoga mat!

This workout is easily modified, which makes it perfect home gym full body workout for beginners or advanced athletes.

See our full workout series here.

15 Minute Full Body Mini Band Workout

Watch the video:

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Suggested:

5-10 Minute Warmup + cool down of your choice.

Optional:

While this workout is focused on using the mini band, you can easily complete the workout using just your bodyweight!

Increase the difficulty!

Mini bands come in a variety of strengths. If you find these workouts to be too easy, increase the intensity by using a stronger band or adding in a pair dumbbells.

Need a modification?

As always, you can remove the mini band to remove the added challenge or scale to a lighter mini band to provide a greater range of motion.

Exercise List:

Perform 20 repetitions per exercise.

Round 1:

Full Sit up & Press

How-to: Start on your back on the mat, with the mini band around your wrists, arms outstretched over head, legs extended long. Sit all the way up. At the top, pull apart the mini band and pull the elbows down to your sides and press the arms back up before returning to your mat.

Form tip: Keep tension on the mini band throughout this entire exercise, but make sure to squeeze the muscles of the lats and back as you pull down.

Bicep Curl

How-to: Start on your back, with your knees stacked over your hips, feet parallel with the ground. Loop the mini band over one quad and grab it with the same side arm. Gather any additional band in your hand and curl your bicep toward your chest, pressing away with the quad to increase resistance. Repeat all curls on the same arm before switching to the other side.

Form tip: This is a great exercise not only to strengthen your biceps, but also to work the muscles of the core and quads. Make sure to keep the working leg at 90 degrees and don’t allow your bicep to pull the knee closer to your face.

Challenge: Lift your head and shoulders from the mat for an added core challenge.

Tricep Skull Crusher

How-to: Lying on your back, take the mini loop band in each hand, elbows by your ears. The non-working arm is pressed against your head, elbow by your ear. Extend the tricep of the working arm by pulling against the mini band. Slowly lower down and complete all repetitions before switching to the other side in this tricep exercise.

Form tip: To get maximum tricep engagement, make sure that the only movement in the exercise is coming from the elbow as you extend the arm. Keep the elbow pressed against the ear and resist the tension in the band as you slowly lower down to prevent the band from snapping.

Round 2:

V-Sit Raise

How-to: Start in a v-sit position, legs extended, back straight, chest towards the ceiling. With the mini band in both hands, keep the tension in the band, arms parallel with the mat in front of you. Raise the arms overhead and lower.

Form tip: To maximize this shoulder exercise, keep the tension in the band as you raise and lower the arms. Keeping the legs long will engage the abs and give you a deep burn in the lower abs.

Modification: If you have issues keeping the legs straight, externally rotate the legs and slightly bend to decrease tension on the hip flexors. If balance is your issue, place the feet on the ground and scoop the tailbone to keep the abs working throughout this entire exercise.

V-Sit Alternating Row

How-to: In the same v-sit position as the previous exercise, hold the mini resistance band in front of you, keeping tension in the band. Start the row movement by pulling the mini band back along your sides, keeping your elbows tight to your side and opposite arm fully extended. Alternate arms throughout this exercise.

Form tip: Avoid rocking through the hips by keeping the scoop in the tailbone and squeezing the core.

Modification: Drop your heels to the ground to help with stability.

V-Sit Chest Press

How-to: In the same v-sit position as the previous exercise, hold the mini band in front of you, keeping tension in the band. Pull the band apart, elbows wide, as you bring it to your chest. Press the band away for your press.

Form tip: This chest press is a great exercise for the muscles of the chest and core. Focus on pulling the elbows wide as you bring the band to your chest.

Slow Bicycle Situps

How-to: Place the loop band around the toes, keeping the feet flexed and the knees stacked over your hips, hands behind your head. Touch and hold your opposite elbow to opposite knee and extend the opposite leg, pressing against the band. Hold for two seconds and then release to the mat. Switch sides.

Form tip: This isometric hold exercise is great for the ab muscles. Make sure to lift the head and shoulders from the mat and maintain the connection between the elbow and knee for maximum burn.

Round 3:

Side Plank Leg Lift

How-to: Place the mini band above the knees. Start in a side plank with your forearm on the ground and the elbow stacked directly underneath the shoulder. Lift through the side body to lift the hips from the ground. Lift the top leg against the band and lower. Lower the hips to the mat. Perform all reps on the same side before switching.

Form tip: In your side plank, don’t let the hips tip backwards. Rotate the pelvis and squeeze the glutes to keep the hips stacked.

Modification: Drop the bottom hip if needed for stability and raise and lower against the band.

Side Lying Leg Press

How-to: Loop the mini band around the top foot and bottom quad. Lying on your mat, hand behind the head for support, press the top leg out long against the band. Perform all exercises on the same side before adjusting the band and switching sides.

Form tip: Use your top hand as support by placing it into the mat in front of you. This allows you to engage the muscles of the gluteus medius and not the lower back for an ideal glute exercise.

Glute Bridge Presses

How-to: With your back on the mat, knees bent, and feet into the mat, press the hips upwards, making sure to squeeze the glutes at the top. Lower back to the mat.

Form tip: Focus on the butt muscles by squeezing at the top of the exercise versus focusing on height as you lift.

Challenge: For an added strength bonus, lift one leg into the air to do a one-legged glute bridge.