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Pilates has gained popularity as a low-impact full-body workout mainly boosted by athletes and celebrities, making it part of their fitness regime.

Anyone can benefit from Pilates as it is a workout focused on form and alignment. If you want to build strength and improve flexibility, Pilates offers the solution. Another great thing about Pilates is that you can do it on a mat, a reformer, or with resistance bands.

There are several benefits of using resistance bands for Pilates. Resistance bands are highly portable and easier to use than other Pilates apparatuses. They can easily replace free weights to assist several challenging Pilates workouts. When you use a resistance band, you can further strengthen your muscles. 

Resistance band provides stability to challenging postures which makes your Pilates workout even more efficient.

Here are the top 5 Pilates band exercises for a full-body workout.

1. Straight Side Leg Lift

1. Lie down on the mat on your right side and keep your legs straight.
2. Support your head with your right-hand underneath.  
3. Place the resistance band around the arch of the left foot and grab both ends of the resistance band with your left hand.
4. Extending your left leg out, keep your feet and hips stacked, and bring your left hand down to the floor for more stability.
5. Now point to your toes and engage your core, bringing your left leg up with power in a controlled motion.
6. Hold, then lower it to the starting position.

Repeat it ten times before switching to the left side.

2. Leg Circle

1. Start with the same starting position as above.
2. Loop the resistance band around the right foot arch and anchor it to the ground grabbing the ends with your left hand.
3. Do not arch your lower back, keep it straight to engage your core.
4. Extend your right left, pointing to your toes.
5. Now draw a big circle with your right toes by extending your leg forward, up, and back down.
6. In the movement, keep your hips steady and only.

Repeat for ten reps and then switch to the left side.

3. Lunge with Biceps Curl

1. Stand firmly on the ground with feet hip-width apart.
2. Place the resistance band under your right foot.
3. Step back with your left foot in a position where your left leg is extended, and your right knee is bent 90 degrees.
4. In this position, activate your core by inhaling and keeping your lower back straight.
5. Now lunge by lowering your hips gradually and simultaneously curl your biceps by bending your elbows, bringing your hands to your shoulders.
6. As you exhale, relax your lunge position and extend your elbows to 90°.

Repeat for 15 reps or as per your stamina. Once done, repeat the same with your left leg.

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4. Kneeling Bent Knee Lift

1. Rest on all fours with your hips over your knees and your shoulders over your wrists.
2. Tuck your toes in and put the resistance band on the arch of the right foot.
3. Grab the ends of the Pilates band with your right hand and secure it firmly on the ground.
4. Get in position by squeezing your glutes, bending your knees, and engaging your core.
5. Now lift your right foot off the ground with your palm facing upward.
6. Bring your right thigh parallel to the ground, and ensure your back is not over-arched.
7. Bring your knee back to the ground and repeat.

Switch sides after ten reps.

5. Kneeling Extended Leg

1. Take the same starting position as above and rest on all fours.
2. Place the Pilates band around the arch of the right foot, and ensure that your back is not overarching.
3. Slide your right thigh in between both resistance band sides.
4. Now anchor the ends of the band to the ground with your right hand.
5. Bend your knee 90 degrees and keep your palm of the foot facing upwards.
6. Ensure enough tension in the resistance band to challenge your muscles.
7. Inhale and engage your core, and keep your shoulders and hips square to the ground.
8. Now flexing your right foot, extend your left leg behind and bring it to parallel to the floor.
9. Bend your knee again to repeat the movement as many times as you can before your muscles are exhausted.

When you are ready, switch to the left side.

Conclusion 

These are the best resistance band Pilates exercises that we recommend for you. All these exercises use resistance bands to tone and strengthen your muscles even more than usual Pilates. One of the significant reasons to use resistance bands for Pilates is the versatility they offer. You can intensify your Pilates workouts in multiple ways using resistance bands. Therefore, if you want to include powerful Pilates in your training to target your abdominal, glutes, legs, and arms, use resistance bands for the listed exercises.

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Related Pages

• The Pilates Training Method
• A simple Resistance Band Workout
• Training Your Core - exercises and programs for improving core strength
• Circuit Training - The 7-minute Workout
• List of Exercise Program Workouts
• More Fitness Workouts