Resistance Band Chest / Back Training Guide

One of the most over worked areas of the body when it comes to strength training is the chest. Every guy wants a barrel chest and so spends an inordinate amount of time bench pressing and doing push-ups. Unfortunately, few people spend time to balance the overworked chest muscles with the upper back muscles. This imbalance can contribute to poor posture as well as shoulder and neck problems.

Elastic resistance easily replicates the common exercises performed with traditional strengthening equipment and allows you to perform these exercises while standing, thus making your workouts even more challenging. Strengthening of the chest and upper back may help prevent or rehabilitate shoulder injuries as well as neck injuries. In addition, sport-specific training of the chest and upper back is important in overhead and throwing sports such as baseball, softball, tennis, and volleyball. Strengthening the chest and upper back has functional implications for carrying objects and for pushing and pulling movements. It is important to strengthen opposing muscle groups for muscle balance.

In this article we present you with a smorgasbord of resistance band chest and back exercises to allow you to get a great upper body workout anywhere, anytime. Be sure to match the number of chest and back exercises to ensure balanced development and strength in both the front and back of your body. Select three exercises for each body part and perform 3 sets of 12 reps on each. Train these body-parts twice per week with at least 48 hours rest between workouts.

Chest Exercises

Chest Press

Secure the middle of the band to a stationary object slightly higher than shoulder height. Face away from the attachment point. Use a staggered step with one leg slightly in front of the other one. Grasp the ends of the band at shoulder height with your elbows bent. Extend your elbows, pushing the bands forward. Slowly return.

Variation

Vary the height of the attachment of the band for an incline (lower attachment height) or decline (higher attachment height).

Training Tips

Keep your shoulder blades down; avoid shrugging your shoulders with the movements. Avoid arching your back; keep it straight. Keep your abdominals tight. Keep your wrists straight.

Supine Pullover

Securely attach the ends of the band to a stationary object near the floor. Lie on your back with your knees apart. Extend your arms overhead with your elbows straight and grasp the middle of the band. Keep the elbows straight and pull the band down to the hips. Slowly return.

Variation

Alternate left and right arms.

Training Tips

Avoid arching your back; keep it straight; Keep your elbows and wrists straight.

Dynamic Hug

While standing, wrap the middle of the band around your shoulder blades, pass the ends over your arms and grasp them at or slightly below chest height. Slightly abduct your shoulders and bend your elbows. Bring both hands together across the front of your body as if you were hugging someone

Training Tips

Be sure to keep your elbows flexed and to separate your shoulder blades at the end of the exercise. Keep your neck in a natural position; don’t allow your head to move forward.

Back Exercises

Seated Row

Sit on a bench and secure the middle of the band to a stationary object in front of you. Grasp the end of the band with your elbows extended in front and pull the bands toward your lower ribs, bending your elbows. Slowly return.

Variation

Vary the height that you pull the bands to, such as hip height. Sit on an exercise ball for increased challenge.

Training Tips

Avoid arching your back; keep it straight. Keep the abdominals tight. Keep your wrists straight.

Reverse Fly

Secure the middle of the band to a stationary object at shoulder height. Face the attachment point. Using a staggered step with one leg slightly in front of the other, grasp the ends of the band with your elbows straight. Keep your elbows straight and pull the ends of the band outward. Slowly return.

Variation

Vary the height of the attachment of the band for an incline (lower attachment point) or decline (higher attachment point) fly.

Training Tips

Keep your back straight and abdominals tight. Avoid arching your back or rounding your shoulders. Keep your wrists straight.

Lat Pull-Down

Secure the middle of the band to a stationary object above shoulder height. Face the attachment point. Using a staggered step with one leg slightly in front of the other, grasp the ends of the band above shoulder height with your elbows extended in front. Bend your elbows and bring your hands to your chest, pulling the bands down and back. Slowly return.

Variation

Begin with elbows straight above shoulder height. Keep your elbows straight while extending your arms downward.

Training Tips

Avoid arching your back; keep it straight. Keep the abdominals tight and your wrists straight.

Shrug

Stand on the middle of a long band or tubing with both feet. Grasp the ends of the band at hip height. Keep your elbows straight and shrug your shoulders. Slowly return.

Variation

Use a staggered step, with one foot in front of the other, and stabilize the middle of the band under your front foot as you pull the band apart.

Training Tips

Avoid arching your back; keep it straight. Keep the  abdominals  tight.

Bent Over Row

Use a staggered step with one leg in front of the other. Stand on the middle of the band or tubing with your front foot. Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight. Grasp the end of the band with your elbow straight. Pull one end of the band upward by bending the elbows, bringing your hand to your trunk. Slowly return.

Variation

Perform the rowing exercise by alternating right and left arms.

Training Tips

Keep your back straight and avoid arching your back or neck. Keep your wrists straight.

Linton External Rotation

Begin by kneeling with he band or tubing secured under one hand and maintaining tension with the other hand, forearm on your abdomen. Start the exercise by externally rotating the shoulder, then abduct and extend the arm simultaneously, pointing your thumb toward the ceiling. Hold; then slowly return, first bringing your elbow into your side.

Variation

Squeeze your shoulder blades at the top of the movement for more scapular muscle activation.

Training Tips

Keep your back and neck straight through the exercise. Return the band to the start position very slowly.

Bilateral Extension with Retraction

Securely attach the middle of the band to a sturdy object in front of you. Grasp the ends of the band at hip height with your elbows straight and palms forward. Extend your arms backward and pinch your shoulder blades together against the band. Slowly return.

Variation

Perform the exercise by alternating right and left arms, extending one at a time.

Training Tips

Keep your back and neck straight; don’t lean back to complete the exercise. Keep your elbows straight and palms forward throughout the exercise.

High Row

Secure the middle of the band to a stationary object in front of you at shoulder height. Grasp the ends of the band with your elbows extended and pull the bands toward your chest, bending your elbows. Slowly return.

Variation

Alternate right and left arms.

Training Tips

Avoid arching your back; keep it straight. Keep your abdominals tight. Keep your wrists straight.

Lower Back

Seated Back Extension

Sit with your legs extended. Secure the middle of the band or tubing around both feet. Grasp both ends of the band with your hands at your chest and take up the slack. Lean back, stretching the bands as you keep your lumbar spine straight. Slowly return.

Variation

Perform the exercise with your arms extended straight in front of you.

Training Tip

Keep your lumbar spine in a neutral position (not too rounded or hyperextended).

Standing Back Extension

Standing in a lunge position with the middle of the band or tubing secured under your front foot. Grasp the ends of the band, keeping your elbows bent and your hands in front of your chest. Keep your elbows and hands steady while you extend your back and hips. Slowly return.

Training Tips

Keep your lumbar spine in a neutral position (not too rounded or hyperextended). Be sure the movement occurs in your hips.

Side Bridge

Lie on your side while holding the band in both hands. Bend your elbows and place it under your shoulder closest to the floor. Keeping your knees and your back straight, lift your hips off the floor until your shoulders and hips are parallel. Simultaneously extend your upper arm upward against the band while stabilizing with the opposite arm. Slowly return.

Variation

Perform the exercise with your knees bent.

Training Tip

Keep your hips and spine aligned; don’t let your hips drop or your trunk rotate.

Quadruped Stabilization

Begin with your knees and hands on the floor. Wrap the middle of the band around the bottom of one foot and stabilize the ends of the band in your hands. Keeping your back and neck straight, extend your leg backward against the band, straightening the hip and knee until they are parallel with the floor. Simultaneously extend the opposite arm in front of you. Slowly return. Repeat on the opposite side.

Variation

Perform a leg extension only, keeping your hands on the floor.

Training Tips

Keep your back and neck straight in a neutral position. Don’t arch your back or overextend the hips. Don’t extend your neck or rotate your back.

Supine Stabilization

Lie on your back with one leg straight and the other flexed. Wrap the middle of the band around the bottom of the foot of the straight leg and stabilize the ends of the band in your hands with one arm extended upward. Alternate flexing your arms while keeping the elbows straight. Keep your back straight and slowly return.

Variation

Perform hip flexion and extension (knee straight) against the band simultaneously with the arm flexion.

Training Tips

Keep your back and neck straight in a neutral position. Don’t arch your back.