Forget the gym—here's how to build full-body strength with just a resistance band

There's no doubt that a gym membership has its advantages. Access to a wealth of equipment means you can really challenge your body and more easily follow the principles of progressive overload. But home workouts are more convenient, more affordable and you'll still get plenty of benefits from the time you spend training. And with just a resistance band you can replicate many common gym-based movements.

Coaching duo Zoë and Emily recently shared a routine on Instagram that shows how to do just that. Demonstrating both resistance band and gym (using dumbbells and a cable machine) versions of each exercise, the routine is a great way to build full-body strength, wherever you are.

How to do the resistance band routine

Perform 15 to 20 reps of each resistance band exercise, aiming for three to four sets in total.

For the best results, repeat this session regularly. Aim to do this workout two or three times a week. As you get stronger, increase the reps to keep challenging your muscles.

For more resistance band sessions, subscribe to Zoë and Emily's workout library, or try this full-body resistance band workout.

Shop resistance bands

All you need is a long resistance band. If you don't already own one, here are three options from trusted brands.

The benefits of resistance bands

Resistance bands are affordable, easy to store and effectively increase the difficulty of some exercises by adding resistance, helping you build strength.

They can also modify challenging movements such as push-ups or pull-ups, making them easier. An assisted pull-up uses a resistance band attached to the pull-up bar, while in an assisted push-up, you wrap the band around your arms above the elbows. This helps to push your chest back up from the floor.

You can also easily adjust the resistance of many exercises by shortening the band to make an exercise harder or lengthening it to make it easier.