How to Set Up Men's Health Resistance Band Anchors

A resistance band anchor is a short strap closed in a door to provide a secure anchor point when performing resistance tube exercises. One end of the anchor has a loop, while the opposite end is made with bulky material or some other stopping device to keep the strap from pulling through from the back of a closed door. Three different anchor set-ups are possible -- each one is at a different height. The different positions allow you to perform several upper-body and lower-body resistance tube exercises.

Things You'll Need

  • Door
  • Door anchor
  • Resistance tubing with handles
  • Resistance tubing with end clips
  • Ankle straps with D-rings
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Instructions

    • 1

      Set the door anchor in a high position to do upper-body exercises. Open the door and lay the door anchor across the top of the door so that the loop end is on your side of the door. Shut the door tight and thread your tubing with its handle through the loop. With the anchor set in this position, you can perform a variety of upper-body exercises. For example, you can perform triceps pushdowns to work the muscles at the back of your upper arms. Back building and strengthening exercises, such as lat pulldowns, can also be performed, as well as shoulder forward presses to work the muscles in front of your shoulders, the anterior deltoids.

    • 2

      Keep the tubing threaded through the anchor, open the door, remove the anchor and move it, chest high, on the side of the door. Shut the door to keep the anchor in place. With the anchor set in this position, you can perform several chest, shoulder, back and arm exercises. For example, while facing the door, you can perform standing rows to work your back muscles. To target and build your pectoral muscles, you can stand with your back to the door and perform forward chest presses. Focus on the muscles at the back of your shoulders with reverse flyes.

    • 3

      Remove the anchor from the chest-high position, put it at the bottom of the side of the door and shut the door to keep it in place. With the anchor set in this low position, you can perform a variety of arm and lower body exercises. For example, you can work the muscles in the front of your upper arms by performing biceps curls. To work your butt and thigh muscles, you can perform squats. If you want to work your hamstrings, the muscles at the back of your upper legs, you'll need a slightly different set up. Remove the tubing with handles and thread a tube with end clips through the loop. Clip the tube to an ankle strap with a D-ring and perform hamstring curls.