Squats - With Bands
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the quads, using a resistance band.
Starting position
End position
How to Do Squats - With Bands
- To start out, make sure that the exercise band is at an even split between both the left and right side of the body. To do this, use your hands to grab both sides of the band and place both feet in the middle of the band. Your feet should be shoulder width apart from each other.
- When holding the bands, they should be the same height on each side. You should be using a pronated grip (palms facing forward) and have the handles of the bands next to your face for this exercise. This is the starting position.
- Slowly start to bend the knees and lower the legs so that your thighs are parallel to the floor while exhaling.
- Use the heel of your feet to push your body up to the starting position as you exhale.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Muscles Worked
Alternatives to Squats - With Bands
10 movements that train the same primary muscle, closest substitutes first — same kind of training, then variations of the movement itself, then a similar difficulty.
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1
Squats
The squat is the king of lower body exercises, targeting the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings while building core stability. It's a fundamental movement pattern that translates directly to everyday activities.
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2
Jefferson Squats
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the quads, using a barbell.
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3
Narrow Stance Squats
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the quads, using a barbell.
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4
Speed Squats
An advanced compound strength exercise that works the quads, using a barbell.
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5
Narrow Stance Hack Squats
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the quads, using a machine.
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6
One-Arm Overhead Kettlebell Squats
An advanced compound strength exercise that works the quads, using a kettlebell.
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7
Zercher Squats
An advanced compound strength exercise that works the quads, using a barbell.
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8
Barbell Squat
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the quads, using a barbell.
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9
Dumbbell Squat
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the quads, using dumbbells.
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10
Front Squats With Two Kettlebells
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the quads, using a kettlebell.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles do squats - with bands work?
Squats - With Bands primarily works the quads. The calves, glutes, hamstrings and lower back assist as secondary muscles.
What equipment do I need for squats - with bands?
Squats - With Bands uses resistance bands.
Squats - With Bands: is it suitable for beginners?
Yes. Squats - With Bands is rated beginner. Movements you can learn in a session, with a low skill floor and a forgiving failure mode.
What can I do instead of squats - with bands?
Squats, Jefferson Squats, Narrow Stance Squats train the same primary muscles and are listed with 7 more alternatives above.
Can Fitnit count my squats - with bands reps automatically?
Not automatically yet. Fitnit's AI rep counting covers push-ups, squats, dumbbell curls, crunches and pull-ups today; squats - with bands can be logged manually in the app, and tracked movements are added over time.
Photographs and step-by-step instructions from free-exercise-db, a public-domain exercise dataset. Muscle mapping and alternatives by Fitnit.
Track Your Squats - With Bands with AI
Fitnit automatically tracks push-ups, crunches, squats, pull-ups, and curls with advanced body tracking technology — and you can manually input any other workout too. Start free — Pro is $8.99/month.