As many of you know and many are finding out, resistance bands are an excellent addition to gym weight training, or a great substitute for it if you need to work out at home or on the go. If you haven’t yet started an exercise program using fitness tubes then you should strongly consider it. Resistance bands are effective at building muscle mass, they’re portable and can be used at home, work or in a hotel room and they are very affordable.

Once you’re set up with your resistance bands, try these 10 awesome strength training exercises that will produce strong legs.

Thigh Exercises

#1 – Squats

Stand on an exercise band with feet spread shoulder width apart while holding a handle in each hand. Make sure you have an equal distance of band between each foot and hand. Begin from a squatting position with back straight and press the weight resistance upwards until you are standing erect. Squat again and repeat.

This lower body exercise is equivalent to doing machine, dumbbell, or barbell squats.

#2 – Seated Leg Extensions

Securely fasten one end of a resistance band to an object at floor level, running the band underneath a chair. While sitting in the chair, attach the other end of the fitness tube to one leg with the ankle strap. With back straight and hands gripping the sides of the seat for support, slowly raise your leg until it is parallel with the floor. Slowly release and repeat. Complete one set and change legs.

This lower body exercise is equivalent to using a seated leg extension machine.

#3 – Lunges

From a standing position, stand on a resistance band with one foot and hold the handles of the bands in each hand at shoulder height. Make sure the length of the band on each side is equal. Lunge forward with the leg that contains the fitness tube, keeping resistance held with the hands as you proceed. Do not allow the lunging knee to pass the plane of your toe. Go back to a standing position and repeat until you complete a set. Change legs and repeat from the other side.

This lower body exercise is equivalent to doing barbell or dumbbell lunges.

Hamstring Exercises

#4 – Laying Hamstring Curl

Securely attach a resistance band to an object one or two feet from the floor. Attach the other end of the band to your leg using the ankle strap and lay on the floor face down so that the exercise band has no slack in it while your legs are stretch out on the floor. Slowly raise your legs up and back as far as you can. Slowly release and repeat.

This lower body exercise is equivalent to using a laying hamstring curl machine.

Calf Exercises

#5 – Calf Raise

Anchor two exercise tubes securely at the same point at floor level. Hold the handles of the other ends in each hand and walk away from anchor point until there is no slack in the tubes. With your back to the anchor point and holding the handles at shoulder level, raise up on your toes, leaning slightly forward. Use the resistance of the tubes to balance you as you lean. Release and repeat.

This lower body exercise is equivalent to using a stationary calf raise machine.

Glute Exercises

#6 – Standing Hip Extension

Anchor a resistance band to a secure point approximately one foot from the floor. Attach the other end of the band to your leg using the ankle strap and stand at a distance from the anchor point which removes all slack from the band. Hold onto a chair or other object with the opposite hand for balance and keep your back straight. Slowly extend your leg back, keeping your leg straight and tighten your glutes as you pull. Slowly release and repeat until your set is complete. Change legs and repeat.

This lower body exercise is equivalent to using standing hip extension machine.

Outer Thigh Exercises

#7 – Standing Leg Abduction

Anchor a resistance band to a secure point approximately one foot from the floor. Attach the other end of the band to your leg using the ankle strap and stand at a distance from the anchor point which removes all slack from the band. Stand sideways to the anchor point with the strapped leg farthest from the anchor point. Hold onto a chair or other object with the opposite hand for balance and keep your back straight. Slowly raise your leg out to the side and away from your body as far as you can. Be sure to keep your leg and back straight. Slowly lower and repeat to complete your set. Change legs (you will need to turn around and face the other direction) and repeat.

This lower body exercise is equivalent to using the standing leg abduction machine.

#8 – Seated Leg Abduction

Anchor a resistance band to a secure point approximately one foot from the floor. Attach the other end of the band to your leg using the ankle strap and sit on the floor at a distance from the anchor point which removes all slack from the band. Sit sideways to the anchor point with the strapped leg farthest from the anchor point. With hands on the floor for balance, raise the strapped leg up about one foot and slowly move it out and away from your body as far as you can, keeping the leg straight. Slowly move your leg back to the starting point and repeat to complete your set. Change legs (you will need to turn around and face the other direction) and repeat.

This lower body exercise is equivalent to using a seated leg abduction machine.

Inner Thigh Exercises

#9 – Standing Leg Abduction

Anchor a resistance band to a secure point approximately one foot from the floor. Attach the other end of the band to your leg using the ankle strap and stand at a distance from the anchor point which removes all slack from the band. Stand sideways to the anchor point with the strapped leg nearest to the anchor point. Hold onto a chair or other object with the opposite hand for balance and keep your back straight. Slowly move your leg across your standing leg and away from your body as far as you can. Be sure to keep your leg and back straight. Slowly return to the starting point and repeat to complete your set. Change legs (you will need to turn around and face the other direction) and repeat.

This lower body exercise is equivalent to using a standing leg abduction machine.

#10 – Seated Leg Abduction

Anchor a resistance band to a secure point approximately one foot from the floor. Attach the other end of the band to your leg using the ankle strap and sit on the floor at a distance from the anchor point which removes all slack from the band. Sit sideways to the anchor point with the strapped leg nearest to the anchor point. With hands on the floor for balance, raise the strapped leg up about one foot and slowly move it across your other leg and away from your body as far as you can, keeping the leg straight. Slowly move your leg back to the starting point and repeat to complete your set. Change legs (you will need to turn around and face the other direction) and repeat.

This lower body exercise is equivalent to using a seated leg abduction machine.