Pull-up Resistance and Workout bands are great pieces of workout equipment that can give you an effective total-body strength training workout at home, the gym, or even on your lunch break. They’re lightweight and infinitely adjustable, so you can scale up your resistance gradually as your muscles get stronger.
In this blog post, we will discuss 6 different resistance band exercises specifically designed to target the upper body region, which helps build muscle and core strength.
With just 15 minutes of dedicated time, you could be taking steps towards seeing improved physical results with these easy-to-do exercises!
What Are Resistance Bands?
Pull up Resistance bands can be effective for anyone looking to improve their strength and flexibility. Resistance bands come in various sizes, colours, and even resistance levels and are designed to provide varying degrees of resistance when doing exercises.
They are great for targeting specific muscles and can be used in different motions to help build strength and increase agility. What’s great about resistance bands is that being so portable, they can easily be incorporated into almost any workout routine, whether indoor or outdoor, making them an excellent choice for anyone looking to get in shape.
Triceps Kickbacks
The triceps kickback is an effective exercise for strengthening and toning the upper body muscles. Done with light to medium resistance bands, it targets the triceps, deltoids, and core muscles while promoting balance and stability.
- To perform the kickback, stand with feet hip-width apart and a resistance band looped around both hands, arms extended in front of you at shoulder level.
- Engage your abdominal muscles and keep your hips squared forward as you exhale and press all five fingertips back toward your torso while squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Then, slowly return to starting position while inhaling as you control movement.
- Perform 3 sets of 10-15 reps.Wood Chopper
Wood Chopper
Woodchopper exercises with resistance bands are excellent for building upper body strength and core stability. This exercise combination can significantly increase upper body strength, power, and core stability when done consistently.
- Start by holding both ends of the resistance band with each hand while standing in the middle.
- From there, shift your body weight diagonally from side to side while swinging the arms parallel to your body like a wood chopper.
- As you return to the center, you should twist your torso as if chopping wood.
- While this movement is being performed, the band constantly provides resistance throughout, ensuring that all muscles are worked.
- Perform 2 sets of 10-15 reps on each side.
Pull Apart Exercises
Pull-apart exercises with resistance bands can be a great way to increase upper body strength in your workouts. To do this exercise, you will need a resistance band of appropriate difficulty that anchors behind the back.
- Start by gripping both ends of the band with your arms in front of you slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Keep your wrists straight, and elbows stretched as you pull the band outwardly to about chest level, making sure not to rotate or round your shoulders during the motion.
- Then allow tension to come off slowly as you bring your hands back into the starting position.
- Repeat this movement between 10-15 times for 3 sets
Bicep Curl
A bicep curl with a resistance band is an easy, safe and effective way to build strength in the arms.
- Start by leaning away from the anchor point keeping your back straight, and holding the ends of the band in either hand.
- Map out a slow and steady tempo, and gradually curl both hands up towards your shoulders while controlling the tension as much as possible while extending outwards with your head at all times until your triceps are fully contracted.
- Finally, slowly bring arms down to starting position before repeating.
- Perform 3 sets of 8-12 reps.
Overhead Band Pull-Apart
Performing an overhead band pull-apart can be an excellent way to strengthen your back and shoulder muscles.
- Stand tall with feet hip-width apart and a slight bend in the knees.
- Hold one end of the band in each hand directly above your head, gripping it securely with palms facing outward.
- While keeping your arms straight, slightly relax your shoulder blades. From this position, externally rotate your shoulders while pulling the two ends of the band away from each other.
- You should feel the tension in your back as you simultaneously pull and rotate from both sides.
- Once you reach maximum tension, pause for a few seconds before slowly releasing back to starting position.
- Perform 2-3 sets of 10-15 repetitions.
Overhead Press
An overhead press with resistance bands is a great way to work the chest and shoulder muscles without lifting weights.
- To begin, choose a resistance band that will be challenging for you without straining your muscles.
- Take one end of the band in each hand and bring them together in front of your chest while extending your arms outward, forming an inverted V shape.
- Next, press the band above your head until your elbows are locked before slowly lowering it back down.
- Keep your core engaged throughout the exercise to ensure proper body posture and balance.
- Perform 3 sets of 12-15 reps.
The Bottom Line
Try these 6 resistance band exercises to help build upper body muscle and improve your core strength. The beauty of using a DMoose resistance band is that you can target specific muscle groups and get a great workout no matter where you are. So whether you’re at the gym or home, be sure to give these exercises a try!