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"A miniband might not be the first tool you reach for when building a stronger, more powerful lower body, but it should be. \"When placed around the tops of your shins as you move side to side, the miniband hits your hard-to-reach gluteus medius, a mucle that helps rotate your thigh outward and inward,\" says Nick Murtha, a trainer for , and CEO of Elevate Fitness in Miami Lakes, Floria. Waking up this muscle allows you to use all your glute strength when performing moves like a heavy-loaded squat or lunge, he says. Recruiting more muscle means lifting more weight, resulting in greater gains and faster fat loss. You may be tempted to go for a thick, high-resistance band right away. If the band is too heavy, however, you'll notice you lower back curving, which transfers most of the force onto your spine instead of your glutes. You may also notice your knees having inwards. Both are signs that you need to move to a lighter band, says Murtha. So how do you know if it's working? You'll feel a deep burn in the sides of your glutes after just a minute or two. If you don't feel one, challenge yourself with a heavier band, he suggests. Want to try it for yourself? Place both feet inside a miniband. With your feet just beyond shoulder-width, pull up the band to the top of your shinS, right below your knees. Maintaining the distance between your feet, create a square by taking small, short steps. Take 8 side steps to your left, 8 steps forward, 8 side steps to your right, and 8 steps backward. That's round one. For round two, put the miniband around your ankles. For round three, place the miniband around the top and bottom of your feet. Complete all 3 rounds for one full circuit. RELATED VIDEO: ​ ​"
<https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a19538929/thrive-miniband-circuit/>