Band Pull Apart

What it is

This resistance band exercise strengthens your upper back and shoulders. You will perform a controlled pulling motion, drawing the band laterally away from your body. It primarily works the muscles in your shoulders, with secondary activation of your middle back and trapezius.

Technique tips

• Begin with your arms extended straight out in front of you.
• Keep your elbows mostly straight, avoiding any locking of the joint.
• Initiate the pull by squeezing your shoulder blades together.
• Draw the band apart until it lightly touches your upper chest.
• Control the band's return to the starting position.

How to track your progress

Log the weight and reps of each set. Straddly turns every set into an estimated one-rep max, so a heavier single and a strong set of eight both count as progress, and it flags a personal record the moment you beat your best.