The 10 Best Resistance Band Chest Exercises + Sample Workout

TRX Coaching

Moveable, inexpensive, dynamic, multiplanar, and practical: resistance bands have all of it.  We’ve put collectively a killer and efficient resistance band chest exercise for all ranges of health. Let’s get began!

What are Resistance Bands?

Initially used for rehab workouts beginning within the early 1900s, resistance bands and tubing regained recognition as a energy coaching instrument within the Nineteen Nineties.  Resistance bands are available all forms, shapes and sizes: bands with handles, braided bands, mini-looped bands, long-looped energy bands, and naturally, our favourite, the TRX Rip Trainer and Bandit handles.  Resistance bands are typically made with light-weight latex rubber, harnessing the advantages of elastic resistance.  However don’t let the light-weight and flimsy look of this health instrument idiot you, resistance bands can actually pack a punch.  

Can You Get a Good Chest Exercise With Resistance Bands?

A number of research (1) have proven that coaching with resistance bands could be simply as efficient at selling energy positive factors as typical resistance coaching.  Just like free weights, resistance bands can present progressive resistance, enable for variable speeds of motion, enhance muscle measurement and energy, and reduce body fat (2).  Above and past free weights, resistance bands present variable resistance, which means the additional the band is stretched, the upper the load on the muscle teams being labored.  This variable resistance is vital to mimicking the energy curve of the muscle, offering greater resistance on the muscle’s strongest level of the train.  Elastic resistance can be excellent for growing velocity and energy (3, 4) in actions.  A decrease power firstly of a motion permits for extra velocity thus higher energy growth because the band is stretched additional.  With the added advantages of being versatile, transportable, and low-cost, these science-backed resistance band chest workouts ought to be a staple in your train routines.

The Greatest Resistance Band Chest Workouts

10. Straight-Arm Pulldown

A strong back and shoulder stability are important to help your chest and shoulders throughout urgent actions.  This train works your latissimus dorsi (aka lats) and serratus anterior muscular tissues and helps with scapular stability.

Setup:

1. Connect one finish of the resistance band to a steady anchor level above your head.
2. Be sure that the band is securely connected, and the anchor level is steady.
3. Stand going through the anchor level.
4. Maintain the opposite finish of the resistance band with each fingers, utilizing a pronated (palms going through down) grip.
5. Your fingers ought to be shoulder-width aside or barely wider.
   

Physique Place:

1. Take a step again to create rigidity within the resistance band.
2. Stand together with your ft shoulder-width aside for stability.
3. Preserve your core engaged and preserve a slight bend in your knees.
   

Motion:

1. Preserve your arms straight all through the motion.
2. Provoke the train by pulling the band down in the direction of your thighs whereas preserving your arms prolonged.
3. Give attention to utilizing your lats to carry out the motion.
4. Squeeze your shoulder blades collectively on the backside of the motion to interact your again muscular tissues absolutely.
   

Managed Return:

1. Slowly return your arms to the beginning place whereas sustaining rigidity within the band.
2. Keep away from letting the band snap again; management the resistance throughout each the pulling and releasing phases.

9. Resistance Band Pushup

Including a resistance band to a standard push-up is a wonderful solution to not solely add load to the motion however to additionally match your pure energy curves via the variable resistance of the band.  These push-ups could be finished at a gradual velocity to concentrate on energy, or at a quicker velocity for growing explosive velocity and energy. 

Setup:

1. Anchor one finish of the resistance band to a safe level at chest top. Be sure that the anchor is steady and will not transfer through the train.
   

Physique Place:

1. Place your fingers on the ground barely wider than shoulder-width aside.
2. Loop the opposite finish of the resistance band round your higher again, slightly below your shoulder blades.
3. Get into a powerful, lively plank place together with your physique in a straight line from head to heels.
4. Maintain onto the ends of the resistance band together with your fingers. Be sure that the band is cosy however not overly tight.
   

Motion:

1. Decrease your physique towards the bottom by bending your elbows. Preserve your physique in a straight line, and keep away from letting your hips sag.
2. Go down till your chest is near the ground or hovers simply above it.
   

Return:

1. Push via your palms to increase your arms and return to the beginning place.
2. Preserve your core engaged all through the motion.

8. Resistance Band Bench Press

The resistance band bench press is a wonderful solution to strengthen the chest and triceps whereas minimizing stress on the shoulder joint. 

Setup:

1. Anchor the resistance band beneath the bench or one other steady floor. Be sure that the anchor is safe.
2. When you have a band with handles, maintain one deal with in every hand. When you have a looped band, place it beneath your higher again on the bench, with one finish in every hand.
   

Physique Place

1. Sit on the bench together with your again straight and firmly planted. Be sure that your head, shoulders, and hips are involved with the bench.
2. If utilizing a looped band, guarantee it is positioned throughout your higher again, and maintain the ends in every hand.
3. Maintain the handles or ends of the resistance band with an overhand grip (palms going through away from you).
4. Place your fingers at chest stage, together with your elbows bent at a 90-degree angle.
   

Motion:

1. Press each fingers upward, extending your arms absolutely.
2. Squeeze your chest muscular tissues on the prime of the motion.
3. Be sure that your wrists are in a impartial place, and your elbows usually are not locked out.
   

Return:

1. Slowly decrease your fingers again right down to chest stage, sustaining management over the resistance band.
2. Permit your elbows to bend naturally through the reducing section.

7. Seated Resistance Band Row

Though this can be a pulling train, it’s excellent for growing correct shoulder stability and motion mechanics that result in higher urgent workouts.  

Setup:

1. Connect the resistance band securely to your ft.
2. Maintain one deal with, or the top of every loop,  in every hand.
3. Sit together with your again straight and preserve good posture.

Physique Place

1. Sit tall and proud, with a impartial backbone and shoulders down and away out of your ears.
2. Prolong your arms in entrance of you, preserving a slight bend in your elbows.
   

Motion:

1. Provoke the rowing motion by pulling your elbows again and squeezing your shoulder blades collectively.
2. Preserve your wrists straight, and concentrate on utilizing your again muscular tissues to carry out the row.
3. Deliver the handles towards your ribcage.

Return:

1. Slowly prolong your arms again to the beginning place, sustaining management over the resistance band.
2. Preserve rigidity within the band all through your complete vary of movement.

6. Resistance Band Incline Press

No anchor level? No drawback.  This straightforward urgent train not solely promotes chest energy, however can be efficient for shoulder and core stability.  

Setup:

1. Place the middle of your lengthy band beneath your again foot, firmly securing it to the ground.
2. Step ahead with the opposite leg in order that your ft are in an offset stance.

Physique Place:

1. Holding one finish of the band in every hand, start together with your fingers simply above your shoulders.  

Motion:

1. Sustaining shoulder stability, push ahead and up at a few 45 diploma angle.

Return:

1. Slowly return the band to the beginning place.
2. If the band is rubbing in your arms, experiment together with your angle of press and the angle of lean together with your higher physique. 

5. Resistance Band Cable Flys

An amazing variation of traditional cable flys, with emphasis on motion on the shoulder joint and bonus core energy and stability.  

Setup:

1. Connect the resistance band to a steady anchor level. This might be a door anchor, a sturdy pole, or any fastened level at chest top. Be sure that it is safe.

Physique Place:

1. Stand going through away from the anchor level with ft shoulder-width aside.
2. Maintain the handles in every hand, arms prolonged straight in entrance of you, palms going through one another, and elbows barely bent.
3. Take a step ahead with one foot to create rigidity within the band.

Motion:

1. Preserve a slight bend in your elbows all through the train to keep away from joint pressure.
2. Open your arms in a large arc, bringing the handles towards the edges of your physique, however not previous the road of your shoulders.
3. Give attention to squeezing your chest muscular tissues as you carry your fingers collectively in entrance of you.

Return:

1. With the core engaged, slowly reverse the movement, returning your arms to the beginning place.

4. Huge-Stance Low Crossover

The Low Crossover is a straightforward motion but fairly difficult isolation exercise that targets the chest and anterior shoulders.  

Setup:

1. Place your ft large on prime of an extended resistance band with handles.  The broader your ft, the more difficult the train!

Physique Place:

1. Grasp each handles with palms going through ahead and a slight bend in every elbow.
2. Posture ought to be tall and proud, with an engaged core and shoulders down and again.

Motion:

1. Whereas sustaining a barely bent elbow, raise the best hand up and throughout the physique in order that it ends consistent with the middle of your chest.  

Return:

1. Whereas sustaining fixed rigidity within the band, slowly decrease and repeat on the opposite facet.
2. Keep away from any extra motion from the remainder of the physique.

3. Resistance Band Pullup

One other again train to assist steadiness out this listing of chest-focused actions.  Resistance band pull-ups are an ideal stepping stone to an unassisted pull-up.  And for many who can already full a normal pull-up, including a band may help enhance the amount of pull-ups accomplished in a working set.  

Setup:

1. Join an extended loop band to an overhead pull-up bar.

Physique Place:

1. Stand on an elevated floor, and place one foot into the underside of the looped band.  
2. Palms ought to be in an overhand grip and barely wider than shoulder width on the pull-up bar.

Motion:

1. With a straight and tight physique, interact the lats and pull your chin above the bar.

Return:

1. Slowly decrease to the beginning place and repeat.  

2. Fencer Crossover Pull

One other train designed for shoulder stability, this one will assist shield your shoulder joints and emphasize glorious posture.  

Setup:

1. Choose both a low anchor or stand in your lengthy resistance band so that there’s rigidity on the band when held on the beginning place.  

Physique Place:

1. Standing sideways to the anchor level, grasp the band together with your outdoors hand, in order that it begins low throughout your physique.  

Motion:

1. Like unsheathing a sword, interact behind the shoulder blade and bend the elbow of the working arm.
2. Pull the deal with throughout your physique and prolong the arm about 45 levels off of the shoulder.

Return:

1. Slowly return the arm to the beginning place, by no means dropping rigidity on the band
2. Guarantee the remainder of the physique stays stationary, sturdy, and steady all through the motion. 

1. Resistance Band Pullover

This train not solely feels good with an amazing stretch and vary of movement, it additionally targets a number of muscle teams: pecs, lats, triceps, and the core.  The fixed rigidity on the band permits for a higher vary of movement than doing this train with dumbbells, a kettlebell, or plates.

Setup:

1. Anchor your resistance band low to the ground behind your bench or on the ground.    

Physique Place:

1. Lay supine (in your again) on a bench or on the ground.
2. Grasp each ends or handles of the band in every hand.
3. Start with the fingers instantly over your chest, palms going through ahead, and elbows barely bent.

Motion:

1. Sustaining a bend within the elbows, slowly decrease your fingers in order that your arms are consistent with your ears.
2. Urgent into the handles, drive the fingers down towards your hips.

Return:

1. Slowly return to the beginning place whereas sustaining management and rigidity within the band.

Pattern Resistance Band Chest Exercise

This chest exercise begins with a warm-up to make sure the shoulders are prepared for the entire pushing actions.  After the warm-up, choose a resistance band for every train that permits the ultimate rep of every set to be close to unattainable.  This ought to be finished with out compromising type.  A number of again workouts are woven into the exercise to assist in shoulder stability and to permit the chest to get better.

Heat-Up:

Train Units/Reps Relaxation between units Notes

Exercise:

Train Units/Reps Relaxation between units Notes