Stephanie Thielen by Stephanie Thielen
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Resistance bands are great for those who want to exercise at home, or who like to take their workouts along when traveling or on vacation. Ideal for small spaces, this lightweight and portable strength-training tool strengthens virtually every muscle group and offers not only an effective and time efficient workout, but a cost-effective one as well.

Resistance bands can be found in nearly every sporting goods store. Sold individually or packaged as a set, bands come in light-, medium- and heavy-resistance levels. You can further adjust the amount of resistance during an exercise by giving more or less slack on the band, combining multiple resistance bands to increase the challenge, or by anchoring the band to an immovable object for additional exercise options. Inexpensive and versatile, resistance bands provide great value for your money, time and space.

Warm-up: 3 minutes

If you have a flight of stairs available, walk up and down the flight of stairs for three minutes, pumping the arms and gradually increasing the pace. If stairs are not available, march in place, gradually adding more movement to the arms and increasing the pace or the height of the knee lifts.

Workout: 12 minutes

Perform each exercise in the order listed, completing 20 reps of each. Rest for one minute after the last exercise and then perform all exercises for a second round.

Standing Chest Fly

Begin in a split stance with the band anchored to the back foot. With palms facing forward and arms in a low “v” position, scoop the arms to chest height and return back to the low “v” position.

Squat to Shoulder Press

Step onto the band with both feet and bring the hands up to shoulder height. Lower down into a squat and then press back up to standing while pressing the arms overhead. Lower back down into the squat and release the arms back to shoulder height.

Seated Back Row

This exercise can be performed either sitting in a chair or on the floor. Place the resistance band underneath both feet and take up some slack on the band so there is moderate tension before you begin the exercise. Pull the arms back toward the hips, keeping the elbows tight to the body.

Lat Pull-down With Lateral Knee Lifts

With the band in your hands, raise your arms overhead then take up some slack so there is moderate tension on the band before you begin the exercise. At the same time, pull the right elbow down toward the hip and lift the right knee up. Switch sides, pulling the left elbow down toward the hip and lifting the left knee up. Each pull-down and knee lift equals one rep.

Stationary Lunge

With the legs in a split stance, place the band underneath the front foot and bring the hands up to shoulder height. Lower down into a lunge and press back up to the start. Complete all reps on one leg before switching to the other leg.

Seated Rotation

This exercise can be performed either sitting in a chair or on the floor. Place the resistance band underneath both feet, cross the band and hold onto the ends of the band with both hands. Maintain a long spine and a slight lean back as you pull the band and rotate toward each hip. Each rotation equals one rep.

Break a sweat with more total-body resistance tubing exercises and don’t forget to enter ACE’s Workout Wednesday photo content on Instagram and Twitter using hashtag #ACEWorkoutWed for a chance to win an all-expenses paid trip for two to the ultra-luxury wellness and spa resort Zoëtry Agua Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic!