It won’t kill your pump to skip the squat rack for a day or two and get your swole on outside in the fresh air and sunshine. All you need is a set of resistance bands and the right combo of exercises to feel like you’ve hoisted a ton of weight while you work on bronzing your skin.
“Resistance bands are really versatile,” says Kenneth Ferrer, a trainer at Project by Equinox, “and with some creativity, they can be used to create a fun, challenging outdoor workout.”
Ferrer whipped up this five-move total-body workout, composed of both compound and isolation exercises, to boost metabolism, burn calories, and increase strength.
Made with various tensions—from very light to “holy shit, these are tough to move!”—resistance bands can be looped around your feet, a tree, a pole, or any sturdy anchor point for presses, pulls, even squats. And minor body positioning changes along the bands can either increase or decrease its difficulty.
“They can help burn out a muscle group,” Ferrer says. “Additionally, bands can be much easier to control than a dumbbell, and could potentially help a lifter get more reps in.”
Directions
Perform each exercise non-stop for 40 seconds, followed by 20 seconds of rest. Repeat 4-6 times. The workout should take 20 to 30 minutes. “Full-body circuits are great for boosting metabolism and enabling for high-rep productivity due to extra recovery rates from one muscle group to the next,” Ferrer explains.
