Band Pull-Apart

How to perform

1. 1Hold the band at shoulder height and stretch it out into a T.
2. 2Squeeze your shoulder blades together and keep your shoulders down.

Technique in detail

Hold a resistance band with both hands, arms straight out in front of you at chest height, hands roughly shoulder-width apart. Keeping your arms straight and your ribs down, pull the band apart by driving your hands out and back, squeezing your shoulder blades together. Stop when the band touches your chest or your range runs out, hold for a beat, then return slowly under control rather than letting it snap back. A narrower grip makes it harder; a wider grip makes it easier.

Common mistakes

• Shrugging the shoulders up toward the ears. Keep the shoulders down and let the squeeze happen between the shoulder blades instead.
• Letting the band recoil fast. The return is half the exercise — take twice as long coming back as you did going out.
• Arching the lower back to get more range. Ribs stay down; if you need to lean back to finish the rep, the band is too heavy.

Equipment

• Resistance band