A 30-Minute Resistance Band and Jumping Workout to Level Up Your Strength Sesh

To make a strength workout more challenging, you don’t need to use the heaviest weights or do the most reps of an exercise. Simple tweaks, like adding jumping or an inexpensive, easy-to-find piece of equipment like a resistance band, can make a world of difference.

This 30-minute workout from Or Artzi, CPT, a lead group fitness instructor at Equinox and creator of the fitness platform Orriors, uses both of the above examples to take your exercise sesh to the next level.

Join the club

If you’re following along with our January 2025 Good Moves Club Winter Challenge (sign up here if you haven’t already!), this is the workout for day 2, week 1. You can follow along with Artzi and the full-length workout below. This efficient workout includes a warmup and six strength-based exercises.

The warmup

Do each exercise for 30 seconds. Complete one round. 

1. Walkout

1. 1.
   Stand with your feet hip-width apart and arms by your sides.
2. 2.
   Hinge forward at your hips and reach toward the floor.
3. 3.
   Keeping your feet in place, walk your hands forward and come into a high plank so that your shoulders are over your wrists.
4. 4.
   Pause, engaging your core.
5. 5.
   Walk your hands back to your feet, then return to standing.
6. 6.
   Repeat.

2. World’s greatest stretch (alternating sides)

1. 1.
   Start in a high plank with your feet hip-width apart and your shoulders stacked over your wrists.
2. 2.
   Step your right foot forward and place it outside of your right hand.
3. 3.
   Keeping your hips square, lift your right hand toward the ceiling, rotating your chest toward your right leg. Allow your gaze to follow your fingertips.
4. 4.
   Pause, then return your right hand to the floor and extend your right leg back to plank position.
5. 5.
   Repeat on the opposite side.
6. 6.
   Continue alternating sides.

3. Cat-cow pose (Bitilasana Marjaryasana)

1. 1.
   Start on all fours with your hands and knees on the floor. Align your elbows and shoulders over your wrists and your hips over your knees.
2. 2.
   Slowly arch your spine, dropping your belly toward the floor. Look up as you draw your tailbone toward the ceiling (cow pose).
3. 3.
   Slowly transition into a rounded spine, tucking your chin toward your spine as you tilt your pelvis forward (cat pose).
4. 4.
   Continue alternating between cow and cat poses.

4. Deep squat with thoracic twist (alternating sides)

1. 1.
   Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and hands clasped in front of your chest. 
2. 2.
   Inhale, then bend at your hips and knees, lowering your butt until your thighs are parallel to the floor (or lower if that’s comfortable).
3. 3.
   Exhale, pressing evenly through your feet as you place your left hand on the floor and lift your right arm up to the sky while still in a deep squat.
4. 4.
   Twist your torso toward your right hand, reaching for the ceiling.
5. 5.
   Pause, then return your torso to center. 
6. 6.
   Repeat on the opposite side. 
7. 7.
   Continue alternating sides.

5. Hamstring sweep (alternating sides)

1. 1.
   Stand with your feet hip-width apart and arms down by your sides.
2. 2.
   Bend your left knee slightly and step forward with your right foot, flexing your toes up. Your right leg should be straight.
3. 3.
   Lean your torso forward until it’s nearly parallel to the floor, reaching your arms behind you.
4. 4.
   Then, sweep your arms forward and up so your biceps are next to your ears. You should feel a stretch in the muscles behind your right thigh.
5. 5.
   Repeat on the opposite side.
6. 6.
   Continue alternating sides.

6. Jumping jack

1. 1.
   Stand with your legs together and arms at your sides.
2. 2.
   Jump your legs out to the sides while lifting your arms up over your head.
3. 3.
   Finish the rep by jumping your feet back together and returning your arms to your sides.
4. 4.
   Stay light on your toes and keep a soft bend in your knees as you jump.
5. 5.
   Repeat.

The workout

You’ll need a looped resistance band for this workout. If you don’t have a resistance band, you can use a dumbbell or any light weight you have. Perform each exercise one time through, then rest for 60 seconds before moving on to the next round. Do 2-4 rounds total. 

• Beginners: Do each exercise for 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds before moving on to the next exercise. 
• Intermediate: Do each exercise for 40 seconds, then rest for 20 seconds before moving on to the next exercise. 
• Advanced: Do each exercise for 60 seconds, then move on to the next exercise. 

1. Good morning

1. 1.
   Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Place your hands behind your head, elbows flared out to the sides. 
2. 2.
   Hinge forward at your hips, pushing your butt back. Lower your torso until it’s nearly parallel to the floor, keeping your back straight and core engaged.
3. 3.
   Squeeze your glutes and drive through your hips to return to the starting position.
4. 4.
   Repeat.

2. High plank

1. 1.
   Start in an all fours position with your shoulders stacked over your wrists, hips stacked over knees. 
2. 2.
   Engage your core, glutes, and step back one foot at a time to come into a high plank.
3. 3.
   Hold for the allotted time.

3. Bicycle crunch

1. 1.
   Lie on your back with your arms at your sides and your knees bent at 90 degrees so your shins are parallel to the floor.
2. 2.
   Place your hands behind your head and keep your elbows out wide.
3. 3.
   Lift your head and shoulders a few inches off the floor.
4. 4.
   Twist your torso to the right and extend your left knee so that your left elbow crosses your body and reaches toward your right knee.
5. 5.
   Then, twist your torso to the left, bending your left knee and extending your right knee. 
6. 6.
   Continue alternating sides.

4. Glutes bridge

1. 1.
   Lie on your back with your arms by your sides, knees bent and feet flat on the floor hip-width apart. Your feet should be close enough to your hips that if you reach one hand at a time toward each heel, you could just touch it with your fingers.
2. 2.
   Tuck your tailbone slightly. Squeeze your glutes and core, then press your heels into the floor to drive your hips up toward the ceiling until you form a diagonal line from knees to hips to chest.
3. 3.
   Squeeze your glutes at the top of the exercise and pause for a moment.
4. 4.
   Then slowly return your hips to the floor.
5. 5.
   Repeat.

5. Half-kneeling single-arm row with resistance band (each side separately)

1. 1.
   You’ll need a looped resistance band for this exercise.
2. 2.
   Start in a half-kneeling position with your right foot out in front. 
3. 3.
   Place one end of a long-looped resistance band underneath your right foot and grab the other end with your left hand. 
4. 4.
   Lean forward and place your right forearm on your right knee. 
5. 5.
   Pull your left elbow up toward your side until it touches your ribs while squeezing your shoulder blade to your spine, performing a row.
6. 6.
   Return to start, extending your left arm down toward the floor.
7. 7.
   Do all reps on one side, then repeat on the other side.

6. Fast feet to twist jump

1. 1.
   Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Tuck your elbows to your sides as if you were running.
2. 2.
   Push your hips back and bend your knees slightly.
3. 3.
   Run in place as quickly as possible, staying light on your feet.
4. 4.
   After five steps, pause to jump and twist your body to the left. 
5. 5.
   Next, jump and twist your body back to the starting position. 
6. 6.
   Run five more times, then jump and twist your body to the right.
7. 7.
   Continue running your feet, alternating which side you twist and jump to.