By Kelsey Cannon
The miniband looks harmless enough, but the tiny elastic contraption can pack a serious punch to big muscles like your glutes.
Take the 3-move circuit shown in the video above. Looping the band around your shins keeps all three parts of your glute muscle—maximus, medius, and minimus—under tension the entire time, says Stacie Clark, CEO of Tiger Athletics in Plymouth, Minnesota. That’s impossible to do with traditional implements like a pair of dumbbells or a barbell, she explains.
Strengthening your entire glute muscle will not only allow you to squat more weight, but will also protect your spine and knees from injury by increasing your base of strength and stability, says Clark.
Ready to try it? Add the circuit shown to your current lower-body routine. Perform each move back-to-back for 10 seconds without resting. That’s 1 set. If you’re a beginner, Clark advises, start with 3 sets. As you build more strength, work your way up to 6 total sets with as little rest as possible in between.
