Resistance bands are a cheap and portable alternative to weights for your home gym. Look for a set with a door frame attachment and ankle straps, and a set without handles to get the most functionality out of your resistance bands. You can tone nearly any muscle group in your body, including your legs, right in your own home.
Lying Hamstring Curls
One-legged hamstring curls performed with the resistance band allow you to isolate the muscle along the back of your leg during the movement. Your glutes, lower back and ab muscles work as stabilizers and also benefit from the exercise. Secure your resistance band to a door frame 6 to 12 inches above the floor. Attach the ankle strap to one leg and lie face-down with your head pointing away from the door frame. Bend your knee, keeping your toes pulled in toward the shin, and pull your heel toward your glutes as far as you can. Stop when your heel touches your butt or when your hips or lower back start to move to accommodate the motion. Return your leg to the starting position and repeat.
Traveling Squats
Traveling squats, a Pilates move, target and firm muscles around your hips and thighs, reducing the appearance of saddlebags. The side stepping motion combined with the leg lift tones your inner and outer thigh muscles. Tie a resistance band without handles around your ankles with your feet hip-width apart. Side step to the right as far as you can and bring the left foot to meet the right. Lift your right leg with toes pointed to the side as high as you can, hold for a few seconds and lower the leg back to the floor. Repeat in each direction.
Calf Raises
Calf raises target the muscles along the rear bottom of your leg. Perform calf raises using just your body weight, dumbbells or a barbell in addition to the resistance band variation. Stand with the balls of your feet on the center of a resistance band. Grab the handles and bring them to either side of your head with your palms facing forward. Stand up on your toes while keeping your hands in place. Squeeze your calf muscle at the top of the motion and lower back to the floor. Increase the intensity of the exercise by making a loop with the center part of the band and standing on either side of the loop.
Classic Squats
Resistance band squats give your entire lower body a workout with one exercise. Proper form is key when performing squats to prevent knee and lower back injuries. Stand with your feet a bit wider than shoulder-width apart on your resistance band. Make sure to leave an even length of band on either side. Grab the handles with your palms facing forward and bring them to either side of your face, as if you were about to perform a shoulder press. Squat by slowly bending your knees and lowering your butt until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Do not let your knees extend past your toes during the squatting motion. Push up through your heels and return to the starting position. Squats with the resistance band work your quads, glutes, calves, hamstrings and lower back.
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