What are the best resistance band exercises for legs?

Fitness expert Laura Williams recommends:

Quadruped hip extensions

"These work your glutes and also your core (the stomach, hip, and back muscles around your mid-region)."

1. The starting position is the table-top pose (on hands and knees with knees, hips and shoulder joints all at right-angles, with elbows straight). Wrap the resistance band above your knees, around both thighs.
2. Engage your core by squeezing your stomach muscles and pull your left foot up towards the ceiling while keeping your knee bent at 90.
3. Slowly lower this knee back down to the ground.
4. Repeat with your other leg.

The bridge

"With a resistance band, this works a little more of the hip muscles."

1. Lie with your back, bottom, and feet flat on the floor, and your knees bent. Position your feet hip-width apart.
2. Wrap the resistance band around both your thighs, just above your knees.
3. Keeping your arms on the floor at your side and your feet flat, lift your hips off the floor and towards the ceiling.
4. Squeezing your glutes tightly, hold for a few seconds, then return your hips to the floor.

The clamshell

"This resistance band exercise is a great way to strengthen the main muscles of your glutes, and can help prevent and alleviate overuse injuries."

1. Lie on your side with one leg on top of the other and both knees slightly bent. Position the resistance band above your knees around both thighs.
2. Lift the knee of your top leg towards the ceiling while keeping your feet together.
3. Slowly lower your knee back down to the other knee position.
4. Repeat with your other leg.

Fitness and nutrition expert Penny Weston recommends:

Squats

1. Put your resistance band just above your knees around your thighs.
2. While keeping your feet flat and squeezing your glutes and your core, sit back into a squat: with your feet hip-width apart, bend your knees and push your bottom back and down until your thighs are just higher than your knees.
3. Stay in this position, keeping your weight in your heels and hold your arms stretched out in front.

Lateral walk

"This is a good exercise for engaging your glutes and hip muscles. It strengthens all major muscles in your hips, thighs, and legs and can help prevent injuries."

1. Wrap the resistance band around your thighs and sink into a half-squat position.
2. Lift your right foot and take one step to the right, followed by the left foot.
3. In the same position, step your left foot and then right foot to the left to return back to your starting point.
4. Repeat in the other direction.

Side leg raises

"This resistance band exercise builds strength in the hip muscles."

1. Lie down on your side with the resistance band looped above your knees.
2. Keep your bottom leg bent but straighten the top leg.
3. Slowly raise your top leg as high as you can and then lower it until it's hovering above the floor.
4. If you also actively push the bottom leg into the floor, you will exercise both legs at the same time.
5. Lie on your other side and repeat.

Leg curls

"These will help strengthen your glutes and hamstrings (the muscles that run down the back of your thighs), which is particularly important if you're a runner."

1. Lie on your stomach with your legs straight, looping the resistance band around your ankles.
2. Slowly curl your left leg by bringing your heel up to your bottom.
3. Hold this for several seconds, and then slowly lower the bent leg down to the starting position.
4. Repeat with the right leg.

Donkey kicks

"These will work the muscle groups in your glutes and core."

1. The starting position is the table-top pose. Loop the resistance band around your left foot, and put the other end under both hands (which should be in line with your shoulders).
2. Extend your left foot as far behind you as you can while squeezing your glutes.
3. Slowly return to the starting position.
4. Repeat with the right leg.