Resistance bands are making more and more of an impact in gyms. Why?
Resistance bands offer a unique form of exercise called variable resistance training (VRT). This means the resistance you feel changes through the movement. A 25-pound free weight or dumbbell is still 25 pounds whether you’re at the top of your curl or the bottom. With a resistance band, your resistance increases with the movement. Plus, you’ll still have that resistance in both directions instead of using weights where gravity does half the work.
Here are the 10 best bicep and tricep exercises you can do with your resistance bands almost anywhere.
1. Bicep Curl
Who doesn’t know what a bicep curl is, right? With resistance bands, the bicep curl is more based on the position of your body. Bicep curls help you build upper arm strength and stabilize your shoulder muscles.
- Set your resistance bands at a low anchor point.
- Face your anchor point with your arms straight out holding each handle of your resistance bands palms up. Keep your elbows close together and have a soft bend in your knees.
- Perform a basic curl movement by pulling your arms in towards your face and back out, keeping your elbows close together and at eye-level.
- For modification of this exercise, use a staggered stance with your knees slightly bent to support your back. You can also alternate your arms instead of pulling together.
To progress in this exercise, move further back from your anchor point to increase tension on your resistance band, or, if possible, move your anchor point lower to go more against the movement. To regress this exercise, move closer to your anchor point, or raise the anchor. Don’t raise your anchor higher than about your knee level.
2. Hammer Curls
Hammer curls look a lot like bicep curls, but the difference is how you position your arm. The sideways positioning of your hands will focus on the long head of your biceps while also targeting the brachialis and brachioradialis. You’ll also strengthen your grip and stabilize your wrists much more than your would with regular bicep curls.
- Set your resistance bands at a low anchor point.
- Face your anchor point with your arms straight out, holding your resistance bands normally with your palms facing each other. Keep your elbows close to your sides and tucked in. Keep a soft bend in your knees.
- Keeping your hands sideways, perform a basic curl by pulling the band in towards your chest, then back out. Keep your movements slow and smooth.
- You can modify this exercise by alternating your arms to slow it down. With some bands, you could also anchor vertically by stepping on top of the band and performing the movement standing straight up.
Progression of this exercise is accomplished by moving further from your anchor point to increase tension on the resistance band or, if possible, by lowering the anchor. You can regress to make it easier by moving closer to the anchor point.
3. Reverse Grip Bicep Curl
The reverse grip bicep curl is one of the best grip-enhancing arm exercises you can do. This movement will strengthen both your upper arms and your forearms. The video of this exercise features a Stroops Resistance 90 Kit so you can just stand on top of the band and perform the movement upright, but if you don’t have that and need to anchor your band for this exercise, keep the anchor point as low as you can get it.
- Stand on your band or anchor it at the lowest possible point.
- Grip the handles of your resistance bands (or the bar, if you have one) from an overhead position with your palms facing down. Make sure your band is tight enough that you have resistance starting from when your arms are straight at your side.
- Perform the curling motion by bringing your arms up and pull your palms back towards your chest as much as you can. Return your arms to their original position, then repeat.
- Modify this exercise by alternating your arm movements, if you have handles.
To progress this exercise, it depends on how you anchored the resistance band. However you did it, progression is accomplished by shortening the band, whether that’s by rolling it over a bar or moving further away from its anchor point. To regress the exercise, move closer to your anchor point. If you’re standing on the band and have good balance, try performing the exercise on one foot.
4. Wide Grip Bicep Curl
The wide grip bicep curl is best for targeting your inner biceps, or the short head, as well as strengthening your forearms. This exercise will require you to have a band long enough that you can stand on it and hold both ends.
- Place both feet on your resistance band, making yourself the anchor.
- Hold each handle with your arms down at your sides and your palms facing outward.
- Pull each handle in an outward arc up towards your shoulders, then back down. Keep your movements slow and steady.
- You can modify this exercise for slower exercise by alternating arms.
The best way to progress this exercise is with your stance. The wider your stance on the resistance band, the shorter the length and the more resistance on the movement. To regress this exercise, narrow your stance or, if you trust your balance, stand on one foot. If you cannot adjust your stance enough to progress/regress to your appropriate level, change out for a stronger or gentler band.
5. Tricep Pull Down
The tricep pulldown is an effective exercise in targeting all three parts of your tricep muscle: the lateral head, medial head, and the long head. These muscles are responsible for straightening and extending your arm. This exercise will also help you build abdominal muscles as well as your shoulders upper back.
- Set your resistance band at a high anchor point at or above eye-level.
- Stand facing the anchor, and have your arms at your side with your elbows tucked in. Slightly bend your knees while keeping your back straight.
- Grip the handles of your resistance bands with palms facing upward and hold them in front of you.
- Holding the handles, extend your arms downward, straightening your arms down to your sides, then return them to their original position.
You can progress this exercise by moving further away from your anchor point or by anchoring your resistance band higher, if possible. Regress it by moving close to the anchor point.
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6. Tricep Kickback
The tricep kickback is effective for building muscle in your upper arm. This exercise will help you isolate your triceps brachii muscle. While it works to exercise the entire muscle, special emphasis is put on the lateral head.Â
- Anchor your resistance band just below mid-level, or slightly below your waistline.Â
- Take a staggered stance, putting one foot back—the foot on the same side as the arm you’re exercising—then tilt your body forward at a 45-degree angle.
- Hold the resistance band by the end with your arm curled forward.
- With the band, extend your arm backward until it straightens completely out. At a straightened position, your arm should go behind your back to roughly a 180-degree position. Finish the movement by retracting the band back to a curled position.Â
Progression or regression of this exercise is achieved simply by adjusting your distance from your anchor point. Move closer to regress, or move further away from the anchor point to progress. You can also progress your exercise by using a strong resistance band or adding another band.
7. Tricep Pushdown
The tricep pushdown is a high-anchor exercise that focuses on your upper arms and will engage both sides of your body at once. This movement works best if you can supplement your resistance bands with a bar attachment, such as the Fit Stik Pro being used in the accompanying video. If you don’t have one, that’s alright! Just remember to keep your arms stabilized and even during your movements for the best results.
- Anchor your resistance band at a high point, ideally at or above eye-level.
- Move away from your anchor point until the band is at its full length.
- Grip the bar or handles from an overhead position (palms down) and keep your elbows to your sides at a 90-degree angle. Your elbows should stay at the same position at your sides throughout the entire movement.
- Engage your triceps by pushing the bar or handles down towards your thighs, then slowly raise back to the original position, keeping your elbows at your side and your shoulders back.
Progression or regression of this exercise is dictated by your distance from the anchor point. To regress, simply move closer to the anchor. To progress, you can either bring the bar or handles lower by kneeling with both legs, or you can move further back from the anchor point. Keep in mind that your line of pull is diagonal, so just moving away or straight down may not progress you very much. Make sure your diagonal distance from the anchor point is actually increasing as much as will compliment your workout level.
8. Overhead Tricep Extension
The overhead tricep extension will work out all three heads of your tricep muscle and can increase our flexibility and range of motion. This activity is also easily modifiable.
- Set your resistance band at a mid-low to low anchor point.
- Face away from the anchor point and take a staggered stance with one foot just behind the other.
- Bring the handles of your resistance bands behind your head with your elbows up by your ears.
- Extend your hands above your head, straightening your arms while keeping your elbows close to your head, then return your hands behind your head. Repeat this movement for the exercise.
To progress in this exercise either move further away from your anchor point, or if you haven’t already, move the anchor point to its lowest possible position. To regress, raise the anchor point, or move closer to it.
9. Standing Tricep Extension
The standing tricep extension will strengthen your triceps at the same time as it will help to sculpt your arms and increase stability in your shoulders and elbows.
- Anchor your resistance band at mid-level.
- Stand facing your anchor point with a soft bend in your knees, and keep your elbows tucked into your sides.Â
- Grip the handles of your resistance bands from an overhead position (palms facing down).
- Extend your arms downward until they are straight. Your arms should go slightly behind your hips at full extension. Then, return your arms back to their starting position. Repeat this movement slowly and smoothly.
Progression and regression on this exercise depends solely on your distance from the anchor point, thereby adjusting the tension on your resistance band. Move closer to regress, further away to progress. Keep in mind not to engage other parts of the body with this exercise, such as moving your hips or bending your back. Keep your elbows as the only moving joint throughout the exercise.
10. High Anchor Overhead Tricep Extension
The high anchor overhead tricep extension is just as it sounds, a high-anchor variation of the standard overhead tricep extension. It will strengthen the upper arm to stabilize your shoulders and increase your flexibility and range of motion.
- Anchor your resistance band at or above eye-level.
- Face away from your anchor point in a staggered stance with one foot behind the other, and bend forward, keeping your back as flat as you can.
- Hold the handles of the resistance bands behind your head and keep your elbows tucked in beside your head.
- Extend your arms forward over the head, then return them to behind your head. Keep your elbows in throughout the movement.
To progress in this exercise, move your anchor higher, if possible, or move further away from the anchor point. To regress, move closer to your anchor point.
This list is not every exercise out there, but it’s a great start in helping you get the arms you want without having to pick up the dumbbells.
Do you have another exercise that should be on this list? Leave a comment below and tell us more!
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