As a personal trainer, I meet with plenty of clients who want to pack on shoulder muscle and size.
While many think that loading up a set of the best adjustable dumbbells is the answer, it’s important to address shoulder stability, range of motion, and inherent strength before trying to overhead press with a heavy weight.
I’ve been dealing with some significant pain and weakness in my right shoulder, so I decided to grab my favorite resistance bands and get back to basics with this 4-move routine. After only a week I noticed some discernible improvements, so I’ll be adding these movements to my warm-up schedule.
If you’ve just begun a fitness regimen, this 4-move workout is a great way to build the strength and endurance you’ll need to do most upper body exercises with good form. For those facing shoulder surgery in the near future, use this routine to prepare for your procedure and potentially shorten your recovery time.
How to do this 4-move resistance band routine
You’ll need a moderately-heavy band for this workout, which consists of internal and external banded rotations, banded pull-aparts, upright banded rows, and overhead banded pull-aparts.
You’ll also need a solid structure where you can attach your band. Most resistance band sets include door anchors, but if you’re missing that attachment you can anchor it to a railing or upright pole.
1. Internal/external banded rotations
- Attach a moderately-heavy resistance band to a solid anchor point, like a door frame or railing
- Stand to the side with your left shoulder parallel to the anchor point
- Grab the end of the resistance band with your right hand and step about a foot away from the anchor point. The resistance band should be taut
- Place a small towel in between your torso and your right elbow
- Engage your core and keep a neutral spine throughout the movement
- Keeping your right elbow close to the body and the towel in place, rotate your right forearm away from your body
- Once you’ve reached the end of your range, return your right arm to the starting position with control
- Continue for 15 repetitions
- Take the towel and place it between your left elbow and torso, and grab the end of the resistance band with your left hand
- Step away from the anchor point until the band is taut
- Keeping your left elbow close to the body and the towel in place, rotate your left forearm towards your body
- Once you’ve reached the end of your range, return your left arm to the starting position with control
- Continue for 15-20 repetitions, or until you’ve reached muscle fatigue
- Turn the opposite direction and repeat both movements
2. Banded pull-aparts
- Grab a moderately-heavy resistance band with your hands about shoulder width apart
- Stand tall with an engaged core and neutral spine
- Lift both hands in front of you so that the band is parallel to the center of your chest
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together and slowly pull the ends of the band apart, keeping your neck muscles relaxed
- Once you’ve reached the end of your range, slowly return to the starting position
- Continue for 15-20 repetitions, or until you’ve reached muscle fatigue
3. Upright banded rows
- Place a moderately-heavy resistance band underneath your feet
- Take the ends of the resistance band in each hand
- Stand tall with an engaged core and neutral spine
- Slowly lift the ends of the band toward the ceiling, squeezing your mid-back, lifting your elbows to the side, and keeping your neck muscles relaxed
- Once you’ve reached the end of your range, slowly return to the starting position
- Continue for 15-20 repetitions, or until you’ve reached muscle fatigue
4. Overhead banded pull-aparts
- Grab the ends of a moderately-heavy resistance band with your hands wider than shoulder width apart
- Stand tall with an engaged core and a neutral spine
- Lift the band above your head and pull the band until it’s taut
- Squeezing your shoulder blades together, slowly pull the ends of the band away from each other. The band should travel behind the back of your head
- Once you’ve reached the end of your range, return to the starting position with control
- Continue for 15-20 repetitions, or until you’ve reached muscle fatigue
Benefits of this resistance band routine
Deep muscles that surround the shoulder joint (like those in the rotator cuff) can be especially susceptible to injury.
The exercises in this routine target these vulnerable muscles of the shoulder, work to improve range in tight areas, and train movements that counteract some of the more common “repetitive motions” found in modern day life.
For example, if you spend your days sitting at a desk, it’s almost certain that your shoulders are rounded forward and your chest muscles are tight. These four moves lengthen the tight muscle fibers in the chest, and activate weaker muscle tissue in the shoulders and back.
More from Tom's Guide
- I ditched the gym and tried this back strengthening resistance band workout instead — here’s what happened to my upper body
- How to do squats with resistance bands
- No, not the gym — you only need 5 minutes and a resistance band to build lower body muscle
