14 Booty Band Workout Exercises You Should Be Doing!

No matter what kind of training you are doing, resistance bands are ALWAYS a must! They can give you all the resistance you are looking for with heavy weights but are much safer, easy to carry with you, and a great way to add some new exercises to your workout!

While this booty band workout includes band exercises for buttocks, these exercises are a great way to up your entire lower-body workout! Not just your butt!

What does a booty band do?

A booty band or hip circle is a really versatile piece of gym equipment.

• Booty bands (or resistance bands) are rubber loops that you place around different parts of your body to create extra resistance when you're doing exercises like squats, lunges, and stretches.
• Loop band exercises let you target specific muscle groups and vary the resistance by using different strengths of booty bands, or combinations of more than one band. This workout set includes resistance band exercises for legs, glutes, hip abductors and adductors, and overall core strength.

Booty band exercises

We've put together a list of 14 targeted booty band workouts that will transform your training sessions. All you need is your resistance band, a gym mat, and for some of the later exercises a door anchor, bench, squat rack, or hip thrust frame.

1. Fire hydrant exercise

• Position yourself on all fours on a gym mat, with your thighs and arms vertical and your shins parallel to the floor.
• Loop your resistance band around both legs, just above knee level.
• Tighten your abdominal muscles and arch your back slightly.
• Now, swing one of your legs outwards from the hip, keeping your lower leg straight so your foot comes out to the same extent as your knee, and then back to the starting position. The movement should be slow and controlled, with no jerking.
• When you've completed your set, switch to the other leg.
• Repeat

2. Glute kickbacks

• To start, stand up straight with your feet together, and your booty band looped around your legs just above your knees.
• Positioning your weight on your dominant leg, kick your non-dominant leg back, moving from the hip and without bending the knee.
• Push back to the full extent possible, stretching the band.
• Return smoothly to the starting position and repeat for the other leg.
• Repeat

3. Lateral band walk

This booty band workout is ideal for building the leg muscles to help avoid knee pain or injury.

• Loop a resistance band around your legs just above the knee, and stand with your feet planted flat on the floor, about shoulder-width apart.
• Lower yourself about halfway to the classic squat position, with your thighs around 45-degrees from vertical.
• Now, take two side steps to your right, stretching the band as you step, and then two steps back to the starting position. That's one rep.
• Repeat

4. Side leg lifts

• Start this exercise lying on your side.
• Your lower leg should be bent at the knee to provide a stable platform, and your upper leg should be straight.
• Wrap a booty band around both legs, above the knee joint.
• Keep your torso straight, in line with the upper leg, and don't lean forward or backward.
• Now, raise your top leg as far as you can without moving the muscles in your lower back. You should aim for an angle of at least 45-degrees.
• Smoothly return to the starting position to complete one rep.
• Repeat

5. Resistance band squats

This exercise is very similar to the classic squat, but the added resistance of the booty band works the thigh muscles and hip abductors to a greater extent.

• Start with feet planted squarely and with a resistance band wrapped around your thighs just above the knee.
• Now, lower yourself into the classic squat, but as you do so, move your knees upwards, stretching out the band as far as you can without moving your feet.
• Return to your starting position smoothly to complete one set.
• Repeat

6. Glute raises / banded glute bridge

• Sit on the floor or a gym mat with your knees bent at a right angle, and your feet roughly hip-width apart.
• Loop a resistance band around both legs above the knee.
• Now, lie down with your back on the floor, knees still bent, and arms out, pressing onto the floor for stability.
• The first move is to push your knees apart from the band until they are around 45-degrees from the vertical.
• Next, thrust your hips up until they are at around knee height.
• Then, relax back to return your hips to the floor, and finally, bring your knees together to the starting position.
• Repeat

7. Ankle jumping jacks

This version of the classic jumping jacks exercise adds resistance through the use of a booty band.

• Loop the band around your ankles, and start with your feet close together, toes facing forward.
• Next, jump, and as you do so, move your legs apart to land with your feet spaced wide, and toes pointing outwards at a 45-degree angle.
• Jump again and bring your feet back together before you land. That's one complete rep.
• Repeat

8. Banded walk

• This exercise starts from a standing position, with your booty band placed around both legs, in the middle of your thighs. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart.
• To begin, take one step to the left, then bring your right foot the same position the left foot started in.
• Now, repeat the movement back to the starting position.
• Step to the right, and bring your other foot to the same position your right foot started in.
• Repeat the movement back to the starting position. That is one rep.
• Repeat

9. Clamshell exercise

• This exercise starts in a similar way to the side leg lift described above, however, this time keep both legs bent, with your feet together and level with the line of your back.
• Place the resistance band around your thighs just above your knees.
• Now, lift your upper knee, keeping your feet together, as far as you can, before slowly bringing it back down.
• Remember to switch to your other side and repeat the exercises with the other leg.
• Repeat

10. Donkey kick

• Start in the same position as the fire hydrant drill, but this time instead of moving your leg outwards, move it backward, so that your thigh forms a straight line with your back, keeping your knee bent so that your foot kicks upwards with each repetition.
• You can either alternate between legs on each rep, or do a whole set with one leg and then switch for the second set.
• Repeat

11. Banded hip thrust

You can perform the band hip thrust from either a standing or seated position.

Standing version

• Wrap the band around your hips and anchor it behind you.
• Then, gripping the poles of a squat rack or similar piece of equipment with both hands, thrust your hips forward, (don't use your arms to pull) stretching the band.

Seated version

• You'll need a hip thrust frame.
• Attach the band to the anchor points so it passes over your hips.
• Then with your shoulders and feet supported by the frame thrust upwards with your hips, working your glutes.
• Repeat

12. Banded seated abductions

For this exercise you'll need a bench.

• Sit with your legs bent at the knee, and feet planted firmly on the floor.
• Keep your back relaxed throughout the exercise, either straight or slightly leaning forward.
• With a resistance band or hip circle looped around your legs above the knee, move your knees outwards in a controlled motion, and then gradually return them to the center. Make sure there's no uncontrolled or jerking movement.
• Repeat

13. Plank kickbacks exercise

• For this exercise, start in the plank position, with your core tensed and your back and legs forming a straight line.
• The only parts of your body in contact with the floor should be your forearms and toes.
• Loop a resistance band around your ankles, and then slowly raise your dominant leg off the ground, stretching against the band as hard as you can.
• Switch to the other leg for the next rep.
• Repeat

14. Curtsy lunge

• Start with your feet placed a little wider than shoulder-width apart, and your resistance band positioned just above your knees, looped around both legs, and hands on hips.
• Swing your dominant leg behind and inwards, and drop so that your toe and knee touch the floor in a classic "curtsy".
• Your other foot should stay planted in place.
• Repeat, but this time leading with the non-dominant leg.
• Repeat

Booty band workout takeaway

Any good booty band workout will include most if not all of these exercises, but don't forget these exercises are great for more than just your butt! Your whole lower-body will be thanking you in no time at all if incorporate all of these exercises into your leg day routine!

And remember! For all the exercises mentioned above, as you get used to using resistance bands, workout with increasing band strengths, or combine more than one band to ensure a consistent difficulty as you grow in strength.