The Ultimate Resistance Loop Band Chest Workout

In previous articles, we have established that resistance bands are able to be used to build muscle. In this article, we put that knowledge into action with a complete muscle building chest workout. We will combine band exercises with bodyweight moves to deliver an awesome pec pumping workout that you can do anywhere, anytime.

The workout involves doing a series of supersets in which you move between a bodyweight and a resistance band exercise with no rest between the exercises.

Superset #1: Push Ups / Single Arm Press

This first superset targets the upper chest. You will begin with decline push ups. With your feet elevated on a bench or chair perform push ups with your hands just a little bit wider than shoulder width apart. Come down until your chin touches the floor. Aim for 30 reps on this set of incline push ups.

For your first resistance band exercise, anchor your resistance band to an upright at about the level of your knees. Now grab the band in a fist and stand about two feet in front of the anchor paint and facing away from it. With your hand at shoulder level, extend your arm out. You should be simulating the position that your arms would be moving if you were doing an incline press in the gym.

With the single arm band press, it is important to really feel the stretch at the bottom of the movement. To achieve the best stretch, keep your elbow out rather than letting it coast in toward your body. You should also pause for a second or two in the loaded stretch position to maximize the time under tension. Rather than push your arm directly forward, focus on moving toward the center of your chest.

The resistance of the band should allow you to get 15 reps on your first set of this exercise. Be sure to do both sides of your body.

You should do 4 supersets of this push-up / single armband press combo. Try to maintain 30 reps on each set of the push ups. On the second and third sets of single arm band presses, use a heavier resistance band and go for 10 reps on each set. Then on your last set, go back to the resistance band that you used for the first set and perform explosive reps where you are punching them out as fast as you can while still trying to get as full a range of motion as possible. Go for another 15 reps.

Your rest between supersets should be kept to a minimum – definitely less than a minute.

Superset #2: Resistance Band Flys / Band Assisted Incline Push Ups

For your next band move, you will want to use a pair of resistance bands that are anchored at the bottom of a pair of posts or other uprights that are about three feet apart. This exercise is similar to a low pulley cable fly. Grabbing the bands in your hands face away from the anchor points and step out a couple of feet. Have your arms slightly bent but locked in that position.

Now, starting with your hands together in front of your torso, stretch your arms back behind you as far as they will go. Be sure to keep your arms locked in a slightly bent position. You will feel a deep stretch through your entire pectoral region as you allow your hands to follow the path of the bands down and back. Hold the fully extended position for a second and then follow through the same arc of movement to return to the start position.

Unlike when you do flys on a cable in the gym, resistance band flys give you a strong resistance at the peak of the movement when your hands come together. You will feel this as a strong contraction in your upper chest. Use a band that will allow you to get 15 reps on your first set of band flys.

With this exercise, you will perform an incline push up with your hands on a chair or bench. You will have the added resistance of a band, which you will double over and hold in your hands as it goes around your trapezius. Doing push ups in this fashion is a great way to target your lower chest. Go for 10 reps on this set.

Remember that you are doing these two exercises as a superset. That means absolutely no rest between sets. You should do a total of four supersets. On the second and third sets, use a heavier band on the flys and go for ten reps on each. The final set should back to your starting weight and done in explosive rep fashion, just like the last set of your single arm band presses.

For the incline band assisted push ups, try to pump out 10 good reps on each set.

Superset #3: Band Assisted Flat Push Up / Single Arm Cross

The final superset of this chest workout starts off with a flat push up, done with a band around your upper back. Be sure to go all the way down until your nose touches the ground and to extend fully to the top position.

For the final band exercise, you will do a single arm cross. This is a great movement to maximize the across body movement function of the chest muscles. This allows you to squeeze the chest all the way across your body and is similar to a cable single arm cross.

Anchor a band at shoulder height. Now grab it in your hand and stand about eighteen inches away from the anchor point. Keep your hand and elbow up at shoulder level, with the up and back from the body. You want your arm back so that you get a complete pre-stretch in the pec before you begin the exercise. Now punch your hand across your body at chest level. You want to achieve as full an extension as possible to in order to achieve a strong contraction in the inner part of the chest.

As with the previous supersets, you should start your single arm crosses with a band that will allow you to perform 15 good reps, with the last 3 being challenging. Then go to a heavier band for the next two sets and drop the reps to 10 on each set. For the fourth set, go back to the starting band resistance level and pump out fifteen explosive reps.

Remember, you’re doing 10 reps on each of your four sets of band assisted flat push ups.

Workout Summary

Superset #1: Decline Push Ups / Single Arm Press

Set 1: Push Ups x 30 / Single Arm Press x 15

Set 2: Push Ups x 30 / Single Arm Press x 10

Set 3: Push Ups x 30 / Single Arm Press x 10

Set 4: Push Ups x 30 / Single Arm Press x 15

Superset #2: Resistance Band Flys / Band Assisted Incline Push Ups

Set 1: Resistance Band Flys x 15 / Band Assisted Incline Push Up x 10

Set 2: Resistance Band Flys x 10 / Band Assisted Incline Push Up x 10

Set 3: Resistance Band Flys x 10 / Band Assisted Incline Push Up x 10

Set 4: Resistance Band Flys x 15 / Band Assisted Incline Push Up x 10

Superset #3: Band Assisted Flat Push Up / Single Arm Cross

Set 1: Band Assisted Flat Push Up x 10 / Single Arm Cross x 15

Set 2: Band Assisted Flat Push Up x 10 / Single Arm Cross x 10

Set 3: Band Assisted Flat Push Up x 10 / Single Arm Cross x 10

Set 4: Band Assisted Flat Push Up x 10 / Single Arm Cross x 15