Band Push/Pull/Legs Circuit

I recently shot videos showing you two great JYM Bands exercises – band low crossovers as an alternative to low pulley cable crossovers, and band standing rows as a substitute for barbell bent-over rows. (Both of those videos are embedded below.)

These two moves cover chest and back (as well as some biceps with the standing rows), so why not add in a leg exercise and make it more or less a full-body workout? (I posted a similar workout recently with dumbbells, and another with bodyweight only.) As I’ve mentioned in several articles in recent months, full-body training is my preference these days, mainly because hitting all major muscle groups in a single workout has been shown in research to burn more calories and fat than split-body workouts.

So what lower body exercise to add? For me, that typically depends on what equipment I have available. If I’m traveling, which I do most weeks, I’ll either do high-rep bodyweight squats or lunges, or a dumbbell version of one of those movements if the hotel I’m staying at has a decently outfitted fitness center. If I’m at home with a fully equipped gym at my disposal (either in my basement or at The JYM) and I want to incorporate the bands, I may do barbell squats with bands.

At the moment, my knee is still recovering from surgery, so barbell squats with bands is a bit too aggressive. Because of this, I’ll use a bodyweight leg exercise here. Let's go with jump squats. (Full disclosure: My knee is still not at a point where I can do jump squats, but I'm assuming most people reading this aren't recovering from massive knee surgery like me. Plus, one day soon I WILL be able to do jump squats again, at which point I'll definitely do this workout.)

Band crossovers, band rows and bodyweight jump squats make for a great chest/back/legs triset. I'd typically choose all multijoint exercises for this type of workout, and crossovers are obviously a single-joint isolation exercise. But that's okay. There are no set-in-stone rules in a workout like this. Just take every set to failure for anywhere from 3-5 sets and you'll get a great full-body workout, even if it's not fully taxing your triceps and shoulders.

Here's the workout...

Band Push/Pull/Legs Circuit

Complete this circuit 3-5 times, resting 1-2 minutes between each circuit.

*To increase the intensity of the workout, on your last one or two sets each of band crossovers and band rows, perform 1-2 drop sets per move. Here's how you do it: Upon reaching failure initially, take one step in toward where the bands are anchored (which will decrease the stretch and tension of the bands) and continue repping out to failure again. That's one drop set. I demonstrate this bands drop set technique near the end of the below band low crossovers video.

Download This Workout

Band Low Crossovers Video:

Band Standing Rows Video:

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