5 Lower Body Stretches Using Resistance Bands

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In this video, Dr. Michael Risher demonstrates how to use resistance bands for lower body mobility and stretching to improve flexibility and range of motion. These are also great stretches for sore legs! So they are great to do before a workout and after a training session.

If you do them before a workout, do they dynamically. Meaning 3-5 second stretches in reps, not long static holds. If you do these after a workout, or while sore, then you can do them in a static stretch format, holding for 20 seconds up to a couple of minutes.

Bands are really great for recovery as when you are sore, it’s hard to get a deep stretch due to your muscles being tight. Bands make it easy to get into deep stretch positions and holds. It will really help alleviate the soreness of your lower body - glutes, hamstrings, quads, hip flexors and calves.

Warning: Be careful with these exercises. Don’t let the bands slide off your foot and smack you in the face! Do these with shoes if you can, as it will give you some grip on the bands.

- We recommend our green or gray band for these stretches.

Let’s have a look at each of the individual exercises…

Lower Body Stretching Routine:

GLUTE AND HAMSTRING STRETCHES

EXERCISE 1: BANDED HAMSTRING STRETCH
- Put the resistance band around the back of your waist and the bottom of your foot.
- Lie down on your back and bring your leg up while keeping it straight in the air.
- Pull at the band (down and towards you). Keep the opposite leg on the ground.

EXERCISE 2: BANDED CROSSOVER STRETCH (Glute and lateral hamstring)
- Put the resistance band around the back of your waist and the bottom of your foot.
- Lie down on your back and bring your leg up while keeping it straight in the air then cross it over your body completely.
- Pull the band towards you for a deeper stretch and make sure to keep your torso and shoulders flat to the ground.

EXERCISE 3: BANDED FIGURE FOUR STRETCH (Glutes - internal rotator muscles on your glute - and hamstring)
- Put the resistance band around the back of your waist and the bottom of your foot.
- Slide your leg underneath the band, so that your ankle is on the outside of your opposite knee.
- Bend the knee with the band and lie on your back. The crossed leg should be resting on your quad just above your knee.
- The band will be pinned against your leg. You can push at the crossed leg’s knee for a deeper glute stretch OR just pull the band towards you.

QUAD AND HIP FLEXOR STRETCH

EXERCISE 4: LYING BANDED QUAD STRETCH
- Wrap the band around your foot or ankle.
- Pull the band over the contralateral shoulder. Feel the quad stretch.
- If you want to feel it more in the hip flexor, pull up on the band, allowing the banded leg to rise up.
- Be sure to keep the non-banded leg on the ground and your pelvic bone to the ground.

CALF STRETCH

EXERCISE 5: BANDED CALF STRETCH
- For this one, you can loop the band around your back like the first 3 exercises or you can hold the band in your hands.
- Loop the band around your foot, at the ball of your foot, and pull at the band towards you. Relax your ankle on this.
- Your calf has two muscles important muscles, one crosses the knee and the other doesn’t. So, if you want to get the muscle that crosses the knee (gastrocnemius), then keep your knee straight. If you want to get the muscle that doesn’t cross the knee (soleus), get a slight bend in your knee. Then pull at the band towards you. Again, keep your ankle relaxed.

STRETCH TIME:
Be sure to do both sides equally. If it’s before a workout, short dynamic stretches. If post-workout or recovery, hold for 20-120 seconds. Use a timer so you do it equally.