Master the Band Squat: Strengthen Your Lower Body Effectively

Squats are such a fundamental part of movement that there really are no other alternatives. It’s something we do every day even when we’re not training, and our ability to bend at all three joints (Hips, knees, and ankles) is crucial, even more so as we get older. The positive repercussions on your appearance and physical performance are reasons alone to squat!

But you don’t need to go absolutely ham in a squat rack to see the results you want. Heck, you don’t even need weights to make gains. Band squats are a valuable exercise because they can add resistance but you don’t need to balance a bar on your back, handle dumbbells, or even train at a gym. And they’ll still fit in your gym bag.

You can also mimic a barbell or dumbbell squat depending on your preference, and feel free to double up for more resistance, or invest in higher grade bands for max gains.

Let us show you the ropes, err uhh, bands, and the variations you probably never tried before.

Muscles Worked During Band Squats

The forces created during band squats affect most major muscle groups, as it’s a multiple-joint movement. When muscle fibers cross a joint, it helps move that part of the body. So, the ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, elbows, and wrists must carry their own weight.

Let’s go a little deeper into the anatomical roles of the major muscles involved in band squats.

Legs – A quad dominant exercise, squats rely heavily on the five muscles that cover the front upper leg from hip to knee. Unlike a hip hinge technique, you should sit straight down in the squat which requires hip flexion. When you come out of the squat into standing, the quads straighten the knee.

Glutes – You’ll feel your butt muscles working best during a more upright squat where you drive your heels into the floor. The largest gluteus maximus muscle bares most of the load burden, and therefore reaps the rewards of increased strength and growth.

Core – There are crunches and then there are squats. Both work the abdominals just in slightly different ways. In a full body squat, your deeper ab muscles form a tight moat around the midsection, like a weightlifting belt. This stabilizes the midsection to create efficient force transfer, and prevent collapsing under heavy loads.

Back – Not a back exercise, per se, band squats, any squats require strong spinal adductors and lower back muscles, stable scapular retractors, powerful lats, and resilient rear deltoids. Collectively, these muscles move the upper body at various angles, but primarily support posterior movement.

How To Do The Band Squat

The squat is a simple technique that can be completed in just a few steps. However, experience, body structure, and mobility can affect how we do them. It’s totally a good idea to adjust your stance and foot position so that you can maintain an upright lifting posture for back safety and efficiency. 

Let’s go into the steps and then you can watch the short video demonstration.

Steps

1. Step on one end of your band with both feet shoulder distance apart or wider, depending on what feels better for you.
2. Pull the other end of the band behind your head and place it on your upper back/trapezius muscles. You can keep the toes pointed forward or turn them outward depending on what feels better.
3. Pull your shoulders halfway back, and tighten your core.
4. Keeping your back straight, bend your knees and drop your butt down as far as you can comfortably go. 
5. Push your feet into the floor and drive up and out of the squat back to the standing position. 
6. Repeat this technique for the desired number of repetitions. 

Check out the short band squat video example that we included below. 

Benefits of Band Squats 

The band squat is in a league of its own. It may not be the best in all categories but you could call it one of the most useful techniques. 

Build big, strong legs 

It doesn’t take a lot of additional resistance to build impressive wheels. You can utilize simple heavy strength tubed bands and make gains for months. But then when you’re ready to turn things up, you can combine several bands or invest in heavier lopped bands. 

Minimalist’s weighted squat 

If you think about it, band squats are the best option when you don’t have access to weights and machines (They’re great regardless). Aside from bodyweight variations, but those become very limited unless doing single leg variations wearing a weighted vest or backpack. 

Bands are cheaper than weights, take up less room, are safer (No dropping on toes), and still provide excellent resistance with the many options available. 

Plus you could literally carry your bands anywhere like in a suitcase, to a park and still get in a leg workout. 

Amazing cardio workout

When you get the whole body moving, not just a single joint (i.e., biceps curls), your heart beats much faster, and your body works a lot harder to support your efforts. Combining cardio and resistance training is a great way to become stronger, fitter, and healthier. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends adults get in a minimum 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise, or 75 minutes of moderate-high intensity exercise per week. That includes a combination of cardio and resistance training activities (1). 

Band overhead squats are a great total body activity that trains all muscles in the body. So it has some really important benefits. 

Drawbacks of Band Squats 

A band squat is good for a lot of reasons. However, it does have its limitations like everything else. Here are some drawbacks to consider but that should not discourage you from utilizing such a beneficial movement. 

Not challenging enough for advanced lifters

For the hardcore lifter, there’s no way a band is going to replace very heavy squats. But it can be a nice tool in addition to heavy barbell squats, especially for building top range lockout strength without using as heavy of weight. As the bar moves up, the band stretches, creating more of a challenge in that part of each rep. Then, during the negatives, the resistance decreases. 

One major benefit of adding a band to your free weights is that the added difficulty at the top never lets you rest in that position. Bands throw a little more stress into the movement. 

Harder to manage your gains progress 

More advanced exercisers will have a better handle on determining when and how to progress with resistance bands. For those with less training background, it’s important to have a strategy so that you’re not sitting idle, but continually challenging your muscles. 

How to make progress with bands and not spin your wheels?

• Get several bands of the same or varied resistance (You can also use two at one time).
• Keep track of your stance (A narrower stance causes more resistance and wider feet lightens the load).
• Aim for a higher rep range. This is a form of progression. 

The stretch!

Not a bad thing, per se. Because sometimes the stretchy nature of a band goes well along with the natural strength curve. But… unlike with a free weight, machine, or cables, the resistance is not entirely consistent with bands as the more they stretch, the more intense the movement. 

For this reason, we recommend training in various rep ranges, including low rep sets with very heavy bands. This way, you’ll get that extra stress at the bottom from stronger bands. 

Common Mistakes During Band Squats

Like any squat variations, there is good form and then there’s bad form. These are basic squat tips and what to avoid. 

Leaning too much forward 

You can hinge forward at the hips in a squat. However, you don’t want to be doing a deadlift. Of course, your height, limbs, and body structure will determine your movement. But you need to sit down into a squat, and with a barbell on your shoulders, it’s even more important, to prevent serious injuries, but to also get that up most efficiently. 

Not adjusting your stance and foot position

If you don’t feel comfortable in a squat, then you may be in an unsafe or ineffective position. Just avoid a too narrow or wide stance. When it feels right, you’ll know it. Additionally, your knees should move in the direction of your feet or you could have some problems. 

Going too heavy 

While you need a challenge to see progress, it’s better to train light with good form than heavy with bad technique. First focus on your squat technique and range of motion, and the bands will follow. 

Variations and Alternatives of Band Squats 

This is a list of the top-tier bilateral squat variations that can replace a band squat. 

Bodyweight squat

There are gains to be had before you ever pick up a weight. Your body’s resistance is a safe and effective way to learn the squat technique while practicing good training mechanics and preventing future injuries (1).

Both ego lifters and beginners alike sell themselves short in a weighted squat as they choose weights beyond their capabilities. Learn how to get deep in a squat or at least below parallel with your body before you start stacking on the plates. 

Single leg band squat

Challenge yourself even more with the banded single leg stationary front lunge. The band is anchored by the lead foot while the rear foot is on the floor. You could go as deep as kneeling down on one leg. 

We really like the variation shown via the video tutorial below. 

Steps

1. Grab your looped band in both hands and anchor one end with either foot. Bring the other foot behind you in a split stance. 
2. Then come into a half kneeling position, bringing the rear knee to the floor.
3. Grab the band down low to shorten its length.
4. Straighten your back, engage your core, and retract your shoulders slightly.
5. Now drive your midfoot and heel into and push yourself back as you stand up. 
6. As you drop into the squat, shift slightly forward then continue for as many reps as needed. 
7. Switch your feet and do an equal amount of reps, then alternate your feet, performing the same number of sets for each leg.

Bulgarian band squat

Can vouch for the amazingness of this exercise. The only downside is you need good balance but that could also be a positive. 

As insisted, the Bulgarian band squat is a split squat variation, with the front foot anchoring the band and the back foot elevated behind you on a bench, chair, etc. 

The question is why would it be beneficial to lift the rear leg up rather than keep it on the floor like you would in a lunge. Well, that’s a good question. And the answer is that it encourages more of an upright position like you would during squats, rather than lunging forward in a lunge. 

When you have only bands to train with and need a leg exercise, you’ll be happy to have this one in your toolbox. 

Read: The complete guide to Bulgarian split squats

Explosive band squat

While you’re wrapped up tight in your band, you may as well take advantage of this low impact explosive variation. Not only is it much safer to jump with bands, it’s also easier on the joints. 

Just make sure the band doesn’t come out from under your feet and whip you in the mouth. And definitely don’t use the tube shaped bands cause those will roll out and it won’t be pretty. 

Watch the video example included for the band front squat variation right after this, and you’ll have an idea of how to do a band jump squat. 

Band front squat

A study published in 2009 found that front squats activate the legs as much as back squats, while being safer for the knee joint (2). Although, you probably won’t be able to move as much weight in a front squat if you’re a hardcore lifter. Although the difference is negligible otherwise.

Steps

1. Stand on the band with both feet roughly shoulder width apart. 
2. Keeping your back straight and core tight, bend down pull the band up onto your shoulders then stand up slightly to get in position. Bring your hands together under the chin for balance and stability. 
3. With a neutral spine, drop your butt down as low as you can, then drive through your feet back to standing. 

Band overhead squat

Learn how to stabilize, and move the body in unison with a squat and isometric overhead press/squat (OHS) combo. A 2020 study found that the overhead and front squat activates the shoulders, scapula, and lower back (3). OHS is a good variation to mix up your training and challenge yourself in a position you’re probably not used to. 

Steps

1. Grab your band on step on it with both feet, in a slightly wider than shoulder width stance. 
2. Squat all the way down.
3. Curl your wrists back, then stand up and hold the band in the pressing position at chin level. 
4. Squat down, and simultaneously stand up and press the band until your arms are fully extended overhead.
5. Now sit straight down into a squat while keeping the arms overhead. 
6. Stand up to complete the squat. Keep your arms overhead. 

Barbell squat

The most praised squat variation in all of existence, you can never go wrong with the raw nature of a barbell squat. If your goal is to be a human machine, then it’ll build you up like no other. Not just because of the strength and muscle building benefits but you’ll learn how to engage every muscle to balance and stabilize the weight, then performing the actual movement. 

Machines may allow you to move as much weight but they cannot challenge your natural, innate movement awareness and various human skills in the same way. 

Dumbbell squat

The crowd favorite for unilateral free weight training, and we can see why. Having to control two (Heavy) implements at the same time shows what you’re really made of. These bells have the freedom to swing as they like but locking down and engaging your core will facilitate the squat, and subsequent reps. 

Dumbbell squat vs. barbell squat: Which one should you do? 

Machine squat

We’d put this one above a cable squat, which is also useful. But the major thing a machine holds over free weights, or bands, or anything is that you don’t have to worry about balance. Pick your weight and go at it. But that’s not all, the machine can allow you to operate massive weight, and even more so than with a loaded barbell. 

Free weight barbell squat vs. smith machine squat: Which is better for gains? 

FAQs

Wrapping Up

Grab a band, take a squat, then stand back up, and you have a superior leg movement. No weights, machines or gym membership required. Just an ultra affordable, lightweight and portable training tool that can replace all other forms of resistance training if it’s all you have available, and depending on your goals. 

And the beautiful thing about band squats is you can use them like a barbell or dumbbell, seated on the traps or held in the hands next to the legs. You can also use a variety of bands, or modify your foot position to train with various levels of resistance. Easy, but still requires a plan to make progress as you must change your variables to make gains. 

---