Do you ever feel like your shoulders just aren’t getting the workout they need? Maybe you’re struggling to lift heavy weights or maybe you’re just looking to switch up your routine. Whatever the reason, I can sympathize with your frustration. As a personal trainer and avid gym-goer, I know firsthand how important it is to constantly challenge your body and mix things up. That’s why today, I’m excited to share with you a solution to your problem: the resistance band one arm shoulder press. In this post, I’ll teach you how to perform this effective exercise and how it can help you achieve your fitness goals.
Resistance Band One Arm Shoulder Press Summary
- Primary Muscles: Deltoid – Anterior
- Secondary Muscles: Deltoid – Lateral, Obliques, Pectoralis Major – Clavicular, Psoas major, and Serratus Anterior, Trapezius – Lower, Trapezius – Middle, and Triceps Brachii
- Equipment: Resistance Band
- Mechanics Type: Compound
- Force: Push
- Utility: Basic or Auxiliary

Resistance Band One Arm Shoulder Press Instructions
- To set up for the one arm shoulder press, step on the middle of the resistance band with one foot while holding the handles in both hands
- Raise the handle of the arm that will be executing the press up to your shoulder.
- Now press the handle straight up by extending your arm.
- Then lower the handle back to the starting position
- Repeat the should press for 8-12 reps.
Video Tutorial
Resistance Band One Arm Shoulder Press Muscles
Target (Agonist)
Synergists
- Deltoid – Lateral
- Obliques
- Pectoralis Major – Clavicular
- Psoas major
- Serratus Anterior
- Trapezius – Lower
- Trapezius – Middle
- Triceps Brachii
Dynamic Stabilizers
- Triceps – Long Head
- Biceps Brachii
Stabilizers
- Iliocastalis lumborum
- Iliocastalis thoracis
Antagonist Stabilizers
- None

Benefits of Resistance Band One Arm Shoulder Press
The Resistance Band One Arm Shoulder Press is an excellent exercise for targeting the anterior deltoid muscle. This exercise strengthens and tones the muscle, allowing you to achieve better shoulder stability and improved posture. Additionally, this exercise can be used to increase shoulder strength and endurance, allowing you to perform more complex exercises such as overhead presses. By focusing on the anterior deltoid muscle, you can also reduce the risk of shoulder injuries and improve the overall strength of your shoulder.
Tips for Performing Resistance Band One Arm Shoulder Press
If you want to attain the optimal benefits, adhere to these simple and easy tips. Most Importantly, if you would like to avert injuries, follow these tips.
- Add More Bands To Raise The Workout. If you find that you can easily perform 12 or more reps every exercise, then you need to add to the resistance. You can either do this by stretching the band more at the beginning of the move or by attaching more bands. The recommended procedure is to add additional bands given that it is conveniently repeatable to obtain the exact same resistance on every set.
- Make Use Of A Mirror To Check Your Technique. You may feel a little vain looking in a mirror while you are training, but you are not checking yourself out, you are making sure your form is effective.
Benefits and Tips Video
Frequent Mistakes To Avoid
You ought to refrain from these very common mistakes to ensure solid form and strength gains. Additionally
- Don’t have unbalanced resistance both sides, because you will use both sides with an imbalance.
- Don’t Cheat. In nearly all cases, cheating is utilizing momentum as a substitute for the strain of your agonist (target) muscle tissue. Once in a while, some cheating on your final rep can be beneficial to overload your muscle, although not for more than a small number of reps.
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Variations and Complementary Exercises
When it comes to resistance training, sometimes it can be beneficial to mix things up and try different exercises. Below are a few variations, complementary, and alternative exercises for the exercise Resistance Band One Arm Shoulder Press that work similar muscles.
Resistance Band Shoulder Press

The Resistance Band Shoulder Press is a great complementary or alternative exercise to the Resistance Band One Arm Shoulder Press. This exercise targets the shoulder muscles from a different angle and focuses more on the stabilizer muscles. To perform this exercise, stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a resistance band in both hands. Raise your arms to shoulder height, and then press the band up to the ceiling. Hold for a few seconds and then slowly lower your arms back to the starting position. This exercise helps to strengthen the shoulders, arms, and core, and is a great way to add variety to your routine.
Resistance Band Forward Raises

Resistance Band Forward Raises are a great complementary or alternative exercise for Resistance Band One Arm Shoulder Press. This exercise specifically targets the anterior deltoid muscles of the shoulder, providing an effective way to build strength and size. It can be performed either standing or seated, depending on your preference. To perform the exercise, hold a resistance band in one hand and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Raise your arm up to shoulder height and slowly lower it back to the starting position. This exercise helps to increase muscular endurance in the anterior deltoid muscles and can be used as a great alternative to Resistance Band One Arm Shoulder Press.
Resistance Band Lateral Raises

Resistance Band Lateral Raises are a great complementary or alternative exercise for the Resistance Band One Arm Shoulder Press. This exercise works your shoulders, upper back, and core muscles to help build strength and stability. To perform this exercise, stand with feet shoulder-width apart and hold a resistance band in both hands. Raise your arms out to the sides and up until they are parallel with the ground. Hold this position for a few seconds before slowly lowering your arms back to the starting position. This exercise can be performed with light to heavy resistance bands depending on your fitness level and goals.
Check Out These Top Resistance Band Exercises
Resistance Band Upright Rows

Resistance Band Upright Rows are an excellent complementary or alternative exercise for the Resistance Band One Arm Shoulder Press. This exercise works the muscles in the shoulders, back and arms to improve strength, stability and posture. To do this exercise, you stand on the resistance band with your feet hip-width apart and hold the band in one hand. Bend your elbows and raise your arm up to shoulder height, keeping your back straight throughout the motion. Lower your arm to the starting position and repeat for desired number of repetitions. This exercise is great for targeting the muscles in the shoulders, upper back and arms without putting strain on the lower back.
Dumbbell Lateral Raise

The Dumbbell Lateral Raise is a great complementary or alternative exercise for the Resistance Band One Arm Shoulder Press. This exercise involves holding a pair of dumbbells at your sides and raising your arms out to the side and up in an arc until your elbows are at shoulder level. This exercise helps to strengthen the deltoid muscles, which are important for shoulder stability and strength. It also helps to build strength and stability in the shoulder joint, while also targeting the smaller stabilizing muscles that don’t get worked as much with other exercises. Furthermore, the Dumbbell Lateral Raise helps to improve posture, making it an effective exercise for overall shoulder health.
Bent Over Rotating Dumbbell Row

The Bent Over Rotating Dumbbell Row is a great alternative or complementary exercise to the Resistance Band One Arm Shoulder Press. This exercise is performed by standing with feet hip-width apart and leaning forward from the hips while keeping the spine straight. Hold a dumbbell in one hand and rotate the torso as the arm goes back, keeping the elbow close to the body. The core and glutes are engaged to keep the back straight throughout the entire motion. This exercise works the lats, rhomboids, and rear deltoids and is a great way to increase strength and size in these areas.
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Opposing Complementary Exercises
In addition to Resistance Band One Arm Shoulder Press, there are a few other exercises that can help to balance out the opposing muscle groups. These exercises will help to strengthen your shoulder and arm muscles while helping to prevent any potential injuries. Below is a list of exercises that will complement the Resistance Band One Arm Shoulder Press.
Resistance Band High Chest Flys

Resistance Band High Chest Flys and Resistance Band One Arm Shoulder Press are complementary exercises that work opposing muscle groups. Resistance Band High Chest Flys target the chest muscles, primarily the pectoralis major, while Resistance Band One Arm Shoulder Press works the deltoids and trapezius. By doing both exercises, you can achieve a balanced workout for the upper body muscles. Resistance Band High Chest Flys involve stretching the band across the chest and performing a fly motion, while Resistance Band One Arm Shoulder Press involves pushing the band up above your head. Both exercises require proper form and technique to ensure maximum benefit and safety.
Resistance Band Flys

Resistance Band Flys are a great exercise to complement the Resistance Band One Arm Shoulder Press. The Resistance Band Flys work the opposing muscle group of the shoulder press, engaging the chest, back and shoulder muscles. It helps to build stability in the shoulder and chest muscles, while also improving posture. Resistance Band Flys can be done standing up or sitting down, with a slight bend in the elbows, by stretching the band out in front of you and then bringing it back to the starting position. This exercise is great for building strength in the chest and back muscles and can be used to improve overall shoulder health.
Resistance Band Chest Press

The Resistance Band Chest Press is a great way to complement the Resistance Band One Arm Shoulder Press exercise. This exercise works the opposite muscle group of the shoulder press, allowing for a complete upper body workout. The chest press primarily works the chest muscles and helps to build strength in the triceps and deltoids. It also helps to improve posture and promote good shoulder health. The chest press is a great way to strengthen the opposing muscle group, while also providing a full body workout.
Get Stronger Shoulders with Resistance Bands
Resistance bands aren’t just for warm-ups and stretches! They’re also a great tool for building strong and defined shoulders. Resistance band exercises can target all three heads of the deltoid muscle, as well as other muscles in the shoulder girdle. By incorporating resistance bands into your shoulder workout routine, you can improve shoulder stability, increase range of motion, and enhance overall shoulder strength. Plus, resistance bands are portable and affordable, so you can easily get a great shoulder workout anywhere, anytime.
References: Wikipedia | ExRx.net | PubMed.gov | Comprehensive List of Shoulders Resistance Band Exercises