Resistance Band Workout Routine: Free 5 Day Training Plan

As a Paratrooper in the British Army (9 para RE), personal trainer for over 20 years, and author of multiple books and courses on the topic of resistance band training I know the difficulty involved in choosing the best resistance band workout routine with so many options being out there.

If you are looking to do a resistance bands workout routine at home that gets results fast, this 5 day resistance band workout is focused on muscle tone, fat loss, and general fitness for the whole body.

During the week we will train different body parts and finish with a full-body circuit, to not only keep things interesting but to ensure fitness progression and introduce a cardio aspect to your training.

On a side note, if you want to move into a more advanced routine then you can take a look at my reasonably priced 6 week resistance band training program here.

What you need for this resistance band workout plan

For this resistance band workout routine, you will need a set of resistance bands with handles and a door anchor. It is possible to do this with a single band but to get the best results for you, it’s best to have several bands with different tensile strengths.

This is one of the many benefits of resistance bands! Each body part we train will need a different level of challenge for real progression. Usually, bigger muscle groups like lats and quads will need thicker bands and smaller muscle groups like biceps and triceps will need thinner bands.

But everyone is different, so having a set of resistance bands gives us more scope for progression and challenge.

Guide to using this exercise band workout routine for different goals

Resistance band workouts are an excellent choice if the goal is for general fitness, muscle tone, and fat loss. If this is the goal, we should stick to 3 sets of 12 – 15 reps per exercise and choose a resistance band that challenges us for each exercise.

When it comes to day 5 (Full body circuit), completing the circuit 3 – 4 times will be a great finish to the week and it will mix our training up a bit by adding a cardio aspect to our workout.

5 day resistance band workout schedule

Resistance band workouts are an excellent choice if the goal is for general fitness, muscle tone, and fat loss. If this is the goal, we should stick to 3 sets of 12 – 15 reps per exercise and choose a resistance band that challenges us for each exercise.

When it comes to day 5 (Full body circuit) of the resistance bands workout schedule, completing the circuit 3 or 4 times will be a great finish to the week and it will mix our training up a bit by adding a cardio aspect to our workout.

Day 1: Chest, triceps, and back

• Standing resistance band chest press
• Standing resistance band flys
• Resistance band bent over row
• Resistance band overhead tricep extension

Day 2: Biceps and legs

• Resistance band bicep curl
• Resistance band squats
• Resistance band lunges

Day 3: Rest day

Kick back and relax for today, you’ve earned it!

Day 4: Shoulders and abs

• Resistance band lateral raise
• Resistance band front raise
• Resistance band shrugs
• Resistance band kneeling crunches

Day 5: Full body circuit

• Standing resistance band chest press
• Resistance band bent over row
• Resistance band bicep curl
• Standing resistance band shoulder press
• Resistance band overhead tricep extension
• Resistance band squats
• Resistance band kneeling crunches

How to do the exercises in the resistance bands exercise routine

To perform this resistance band exercise routine optimally, you will need to work on the form for each exercise. It’s a good idea to study and practice the exercises before hitting a full workout. This way you will be familiar with the movement and it will make the workout flow a lot better.

Below are images and written descriptions of each exercise in this program to clarify the movements.

Standing resistance band chest press

• Secure the exercise band using a door anchor to the top of a door or other fixing that’s higher than head height
• Grip the ends of the band with your palms facing down and in line with your chest
• Take a step forward with one foot for stability
• Hinge forward at the hips slightly but keep a flat back and head in a neutral position
• Make sure your forearms are parallel to the floor
• As you exhale, push your fists out to your front bringing them close together
• Once at the top of the movement, return to the start position as you inhale

Standing resistance band flys

• Secure the exercise band using a door anchor to the top of a door or other fixing that’s higher than head height
• Grip the ends of the band in your hands with palms facing towards your body’s midline
• Bring your arms straight out towards your sides so that they are parallel with the floor
• Bend your elbows slightly. Your elbows will be locked in this position throughout the exercise
• Take a step forward with one foot for stability
• Hinge forward at the hips slightly but keep a flat back and head in a neutral position
• As you exhale, bring your fists together keeping your arms parallel or just above
• Once at the top of the movement, inhale as you return to the start position

Resistance band bent over row

• Place a band flat on the floor and step onto the center with both feet. Your fees should be about shoulder-width apart
• Grip each end of the band as you bend your knees and hinge at the hips so your upper body is at about a 45-degree angle from the floor
• Keep your back flat and head in a neutral position
• Your arms should hang down in front of you with tension on the band. If the band is slack, adjust your grip on the band so it’s closer to your feet
• As you exhale, bring your fists to your sides until they are in line with your belly button
• Once at the top of the movement, exhale as you return to the start position

Resistance band overhead tricep extension

• Anchor the exercise band to the top of a door
• Grip the ends of the band in your hands, palms facing towards your body’s midline
• Hinge at the hips slightly but keep your back flat
• Raise your arms so your upper arm is at about a 45-degree angle to the floor
• Bend your forearms so your fists are towards the back of your head
• Your feet should be about shoulder-width apart and your head in a neutral position
• If you do not have tension on the band at this point, take a step forward until you do
• As you exhale, straighten your arms, hinging at the elbows. Ensure that your upper arm position remains the same
• Once at the top of the movement, inhale as you return to the start position

Resistance band bicep curl

• Place a resistance band on the floor, step forward with one foot to stand in the center
• Grip each end of the band, palms facing forward
• Stand with a flat back, head in a neutral position
• Your arms should be almost fully extended and by your sides. (Keep a slight bend in your elbows)
• As you exhale, bring your lower arms up towards your upper body
• Once at the top of the movement, inhale as you return to the start position

Standing resistance band shoulder press

• Place a resistance band flat on the floor and stand in the middle with both feet about shoulder-width apart
• Grip the ends of the resistance band with your arms bent, bringing your fists to line up with your chin
• As you exhale, push your arms directly above your head until your elbows are about to lock
• Some trainers increase the stretch at this point by bringing their fists together
• Once at the top of the movement, as you inhale, return to the start position

Resistance band squats

• Place a resistance band flat on the floor and stand in the middle with both feet about shoulder-width apart
• Grip the ends of the resistance band with your arms bent, bringing your fists to line up with your chin
• Stand with your back flat and head in a neutral position
• As you inhale, bend at the knees as if you were sitting down onto a chair. You should squat down until your upper legs are at least parallel with the floor
• Once at the top of the movement, as you exhale, return to the start position
• It’s important to keep a flat back and heels on the floor throughout this exercise

Resistance band lunges

• Place a resistance band on the floor and step onto the center with one foot
• Grip the ends of the resistance band with your arms bent bringing your fists to line up with your chin
• Your feet should be about shoulder-width apart, have a flat back, and keep your head in a neutral position
• Take a step backward with your free leg to create a fairly wide stance
• Kneel on the floor from this position to test that you create a right angle on the back of your front leg from your calf to your hamstring. If you don’t, adjust the position of your rear leg
• Once you have the correct stance, keep your feet planted and straighten your legs, keeping a slight bend in the knees
• As you inhale, lower your body down by bending at the knees. You should lower until your rear knee is about an inch from the floor to keep tension on throughout the exercise
• Once at the top of the movement, as you exhale, return to the starting position by pushing through the mid-part of your front foot

Resistance band lateral raise

• Place a resistance band on the floor and step onto the middle with one foot
• Grip the ends of the band, palms facing inwards
• Stand with your back flat and head in a neutral position
• Step back with your free leg for stability
• Create a slight bend in your elbows
• As you exhale, raise your arms up and out to your sides until your fists are above your shoulders
• Maintain a flat back and the bend in your elbows throughout the exercise
• Once at the top of the movement, as you inhale, return to the start position

Resistance band front raise

• Place an exercise band flat on the floor and stand in the middle with both feet about hip-width apart
• Grip the ends of the band, palms facing back
• Stand up straight with a flat back, head in a neutral position and elbows slightly bent
• As you exhale, bring your arms up and in front of you, keeping your elbows locked in a slightly bent position until your fists are above your shoulders
• Once at the top of the movement, as you inhale, return to the start position

Resistance band shrugs

• Place a resistance band flat on the floor and stand in the center with both feet about shoulder-width apart
• Grip the ends of the exercise band, palms facing inwards
• Stand up straight with a flat back, head in a neutral position, and a slight bend in the elbows
• If the resistance band is slack at this point, adjust your grip so tension is on
• As you exhale, shrug your shoulders upwards while maintaining the bend in the elbows you started with
• Once at the top of the movement, inhale as you return to the start position

Resistance band kneeling crunches

• Secure a resistance band to the top of a door using a door anchor
• Grip the ends of the band, palms facing inwards and fists close to your forehead
• Kneel on the floor and position your upper body at about a 45-degree angle to the floor by hinging at the hips
• Start with a flat back and head in a neutral position
• As you exhale, crunch your stomach muscles by moving your upper body towards the floor
• Some trainers gauge the range of movement by bringing their elbows to their knees during this exercise
• Once at the top of the movement, as you inhale, return to the start position

You can get great results by repeating this resistance band routine

A resistance band routine is like any other fitness routine when it comes to earning results and progression.

The resistance band routine outlined in this article is a great start and will give a full-body challenge with the added bonus of a circuit at the end. It is essential to stay consistent with workouts and it is also important to maintain the challenge.

There are many ways to ensure that workouts continue to be challenging enough to ensure progression, so if it becomes too easy, here are a few variables to try:

• Increase the workload by trying a thicker resistance band
• Add extra sets to exercises
• Reduce rest time between sets
• Add extra training days
• Use a circuit training method more often

However you decide to change things for progression, it is always good to remember what you do to look back on, so grab a notebook and keep it with your resistance bands. If you’ve not made notes of your workouts before, you might be surprised at how much this helps.

Resistance band program FAQs