To get a strong and fit upper body, the only piece of equipment you need is a resistance band. If you want to work out at home or just not bother with some of the heavier workout equipment, then try the resistance band.
I’m going to share with you a bunch of different resistance band upper body exercises you can do. I’ll try to give you a variety so that you can pick and choose what you want and have a few different exercises to throw into your routine, so it doesn’t become too monotonous.
I think one of the biggest pitfalls with any exercise routine is just doing the same thing over and over again. I think it’s a good idea to switch things up every now and then, which is why I have you given you a number of different exercises to pick from.
Make sure you get a high-quality resistance band that’s going to work well for you. As you do these exercises, you should definitely take your time and start slow and easy. You don’t want to rush into them or do jerky movements. All of the motions for these exercises should be smooth and fluid.
If you’re able to do that and to control your movements, you’ll be less likely to injure yourself, and you’ll get the most benefits from these exercises.
I want you to see great results and experience the weight loss and muscle development results that you want to.
Make sure your form is correct for each of these exercises, and if you need some additional help keeping the right form, it can help to watch instructional videos and to work out in front of a mirror. That way, you can see what you might be doing wrong and make corrections were necessary.
4 Resistance Band Upper Body Exercises
Overhead Resistance Band Pull-Apart
Start by standing with your feet about a hip-width apart. Hold an end of the resistance band in each hand. Lift your arms over your head and bring your hands close toward each other with your palms facing in front of you.
Your hands should be about 6 inches apart and the band should have a little tension but not be pulled taut. From there, pull the band outward, lowering your arms until your upper body makes a T shape. Your arms should be in line with your shoulders and the band should move behind your head.
From that position, return your arms to the center overhead position. You’ve done one rep at that point. I would recommend about 15 reps for a single set.
Resistance Band Push-Up
If you’ve been reading my blog for very long, you know I love push-ups. I like their versatility and how great they are at working a lot of your body at once.
Adding resistance bands to the push up gives you more of a workout, helping you burn more fat and build more muscle in a short time. So, instead of doing more push-ups, you can do fewer and get the same benefits.
We start out by getting down on the ground on all fours. Your hands should be a little wider than shoulder width apart for this exercise. Take the resistance band and wrap it around your back and then use your hands to pin it to the floor.
In the pushup position with your resistance band held in place, bend your elbows to lower yourself to the floor. You want to lower yourself as far down as you can comfortably. Ideally, your nose and chest should be just off the floor.
You don’t need to hold this position for any length of time. Simply return back up to the starting position right away, and do all of this in a smooth, continuous motion.
If you’re doing this correctly, the resistance band should be tight against your back. This can cause some friction, so make sure you have good coverage with your exercise wear.
You can add some variety to this exercise by doing it on your knees or doing it on incline, if you like.
The resistance band pushup is one of the best upper body resistance band exercises because it uses an exercise you already know and just adds the resistance band to it. It should be fairly simple and straightforward for you.
Shoulder Press
If you’re looking for resistance band exercises for upper body that strengthen your deltoids, you can try this modified version of the overhead press.
You will do this exercise similarly to the way you do a shoulder press, but you’re working to stabilize your body and engaging core abdominal muscles as you go through the movements.
Start by standing at the middle of the band and keep your feet about one hip width apart from each other. Grab the handles of the resistance band at the height of your shoulders and then bend your elbows 90 degrees. Your palms should be facing in front of you, and the band should be resting behind your arms.
From this position, push your arms upwards, and keep them straight while you do this motion. If it’s too difficult for you to keep them straight with this exercise, you can use a lighter resistance band. Once your arms are fully extended, you can slowly return them back to the original position and then repeat the exercise.
This is one of those great resistance band exercises upper body workouts will benefit from. You can feel it not just working your deltoids, but also your chest and arms.
The tighter the resistance, the more beneficial it’ll be for you, because it will require more exertion. Don’t push yourself too hard at first, though, and start off with any exercise on this list slow and easy until you get used to it.
Tricep Kickbacks
With upper body resistance band exercises, fitness will likely start in your arms. The tricep kickback is a great way to strengthen your arms and to them to give them a sculpted, muscular look.
This works with the entire range of motion of your arms, which means it’s probably best to start using lightweight resistance bands. It can be kind of challenging at first, and it’s something you want to ease into.
For this exercise, start at the center of the resistance band and keep your feet a hip-width apart. As you do the exercise, make sure your back is straight and bend your knees slightly.
Lean forward so your body is angled slightly over your toes, and do your best to keep your back flat throughout the entire exercise. This will help to reduce stress on your lower back and avoid injury.
Grab the handles of the resistance bands and angle your palms so that they are facing behind you. Your arms should be bent at 90 degrees, and you want to keep your elbows pulled down close to your side.
Push the handles of the resistance bands back until you can feel your arms straighten out fully behind your back. From there, bring your arms slowly and smoothly back to the starting position and then repeat the exercise.
This one can require some flexibility you may not have it first. It’s a really good idea to loosen up your arms with some warm up exercises before you start this exercise, and then be sure to take it slow and easy until you’re comfortable with the range of motion required of you for tricep kickbacks.
