What muscles does the band pull apart work?
As we mentioned, the band pull apart exercise works the rhomboid, deltoids, and trapezius. The rhomboids are a muscle group that runs from your spine to your shoulder blades. They are responsible for moving your shoulder blades towards each other (or “retracting” them). The deltoids are the muscles that make up the “cap” of your shoulder. They are responsible for raising your arms out to the side (or “abducting” them). The trapezius is a large muscle that runs from the base of your skull down to your mid-back. It is responsible for moving your shoulders up, down, and towards each other (or “depressing,” “elevating,” and “retracting” them).
Why band pull aparts are important?
Band pull aparts are important because they help to strengthen the muscles that stabilize your shoulder blades. This is important because strong stabilizer muscles will help to prevent injuries, such as shoulder impingement syndrome and rotator cuff tears. Shoulder mobility is also important for healthy shoulders, and band pull aparts can help to improve this by strengthening the shoulders throughout a full range of motion.
In addition, band pull aparts can also help to improve your posture by helping to pull your shoulders back. Many people in modern times have an issue known as upper crossed syndrome, which is characterized by rounded shoulders and a forward head posture. This can lead to pain in the neck and upper back, as well as headaches. By doing band pull aparts on a regular basis, you can help to improve your posture and alleviate some of these issues.
This exercise can also be done daily as part of a warm-up routine. By warming up your muscles before you work out, you can help to prevent injuries and improve your performance. Lastly, it is light enough to include at the end of your workout as part of a cool-down routine. This can help to improve your range of motion and prevent stiffness in the muscles.
How to do band pull aparts with perfect form
Now that we’ve discussed some of the benefits of band pull aparts, let’s take a look at how to do them with perfect form. Cues to keep in mind are to keep your shoulders down and back, pull the band apart with your arms straight, and squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement.
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Start by standing tall with your feet hip-width apart and your shoulders down and back.
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Next, hold a resistance band in front of you with your palms facing the floor. Once you have a good grip on the band, pull it apart so that your arms are straight out to your sides forming a “T”.
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From here, simply squeeze your shoulder blades together and return to the starting position.
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Be sure to keep your shoulders down and back throughout the entire movement. You should also pull the band apart with your arms straight, and only go as far as you can while still keeping good form.
Common Mistakes
Now that we’ve gone over how to do band pull aparts with perfect form, let’s take a look at some of the mistakes people often make when doing this exercise.
One common mistake is to shrug your shoulders as you pull the band apart. This can put unnecessary strain on your neck and upper back, and it takes away from the work your stabilizer muscles are doing.
Another common mistake is to let your arms bend as you pull the band apart. This takes away from the work your deltoids and trapezius are doing, and it puts unnecessary strain on your elbows.
Lastly, some people tend to overarch their back as they pull the band apart. This takes away from the work your stabilizer muscles are doing and puts unnecessary strain on your lower back.
So, be sure to keep your shoulders down and back, pull the band apart with your arms straight, and squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement. By doing this, you’ll get the most out of this exercise and avoid many common mistakes.
Variations of Band Pull Aparts
To make this exercise more challenging, you can try a few variations.
Variation #1: Standing pull aparts
Standing pull aparts are a great way to add some extra resistance to the exercise.
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First, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
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Then, hold a resistance band in front of you with your palms facing the floor in an overhand grip.
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From here, pull the band apart so that your arms are straight out to your sides forming a “T”.
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Next, simply squeeze your shoulder blades together and return to the starting position.
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Remember to keep your shoulders down and back throughout the entire movement. You should also pull the band apart with your arms straight, and only go as far as you can while still keeping good form.
Variation #2: Seated pull aparts
Seated pull aparts are an effective alternative if you really want to focus on your form and execution.
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First, sit on the edge of a chair with your feet shoulder-width apart.
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Then, hold a resistance band in front of you with your palms facing the floor in an overhand grip.
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From here, pull the band apart so that your arms are straight out to your sides forming a “T”.
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Next, simply squeeze your shoulder blades together and return to the starting position.
Variation #3: Bent-over pull aparts
Bent-over pull aparts are a great way to strengthen the upper back muscles in a hinged position. They also strengthen the muscles of the legs such as the hamstrings and glutes.
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First, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hinge forward at the hips until your torso is parallel to the ground.
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Then, hold a resistance band in front of you with your palms facing the floor in an overhand grip.
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From here, pull the band apart so that your arms are straight out to your sides forming a “T”.
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Next, simply squeeze your shoulder blades together and return to the starting position.
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Remember to keep your back flat throughout the entire movement. You should also pull the band apart with your arms straight, and only go as far as you can while still keeping good form.
Variation #4: Underhand grip band pull aparts
Underhand grip band pull aparts target the muscles of the upper back differently than regular band pull aparts.
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First, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a resistance band in front of you with your palms facing up in an underhand grip.
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From here, pull the band apart so that your arms are straight out to your sides forming a “T”.
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Next, simply squeeze your shoulder blades together and return to the starting position.
Variation #5: Overhead Band pull aparts
Overhead band pull aparts are an effective option for emphasizing the shoulders more.
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First, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a resistance band above your head with your palms facing away from you with your palms facing forward.
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From here, pull the band apart so that your arms are straight out to your sides forming a “T”.
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Next, simply squeeze your shoulder blades together and return to the starting position.
Variation #6: Banded Face Pull
The face pull is a great exercise to target the muscles of the upper back, including the rear deltoids and rotator cuff muscles. To perform the face pull, you’ll need a band and something to anchor it around.
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First, stand facing the anchor point and hold the band with your hands shoulder-width apart.
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With your palms facing each other, pull the band towards your face, leading with your elbows.
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As you pull the band taut, squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold for a count of two.
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Return to the starting position and repeat for reps.
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Remember to keep your core engaged and back straight throughout the entire movement
Summary
The band pull apart is a great exercise for targeting the muscles of the upper back. It is also an exercise needed for those who like to improve their posture. It does this by strengthening the muscles that pull the shoulders back. The exercise also strengthens the shoulders and adds mobility to the shoulder girdle. It is important to focus on good form when performing this exercise, incorrect technique can lead to injury. There are many different variations of the band pull apart, which can target the muscles in different ways. The face pull is a great exercise to target the muscles of the rear deltoids and rotator cuff muscles. Remember to keep good form when performing this exercise to avoid injury.
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