If you’re struggling to increase your upper body strength, the shoulder press with bands may be just what you need to add to your routine. As a fitness trainer, I often hear people complain about not seeing progress despite their best efforts in the gym. It’s frustrating when you’re putting in the hard work but not seeing the results you want. But fear not, adding the shoulder press with bands to your workout regimen can provide the necessary variation to break through that plateau. In this post, I’ll be sharing tips on the benefits of incorporating the shoulder press with bands into your fitness routine, and how you can perform it correctly to achieve maximum results.
Shoulder Press With Bands 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
Shoulder Press With Bands Instructions
- Start with standing on the middle of the bands with both feet.
- Bring the bands up near your ears with your elbows out to the side.
- Next press the bands up over your head, straightening both arms.
- After a short pause allow the bands to pull your elbows back down to the side.
- Repeat your shoulder presses for a complete set.
Video Tutorial
Shoulder Press With Bands Muscles
Target (Agonist)
Synergists
- Deltoid – Lateral
- Obliques
- Pectoralis Major – Clavicular
- Psoas major
- Serratus Anterior
- Trapezius – Lower
- Trapezius – Middle
- Triceps Brachii
Dynamic Stabilizers
- Biceps Brachii
- Triceps – Long Head
Stabilizers
- Iliocastalis lumborum
- Iliocastalis thoracis
Antagonist Stabilizers
- None
Benefits of Shoulder Press With Bands
The Shoulder Press With Bands exercise is an excellent way to target the anterior deltoid muscles. This exercise helps to strengthen and tone the front of the shoulder, which can improve posture and help to prevent pain and injury. Additionally, it increases overall shoulder strength and stability. It also works other muscles in the shoulder, such as the supraspinatus and infraspinatus, as well as the triceps. It is a great addition to any strength training or fitness routine.
Tips for Performing Shoulder Press With Bands
A shoulder press with bands is a great way to get fit and tone your shoulders. It’s easy to do, requires little equipment, and can be done anywhere. To get the most out of your shoulder press with bands, make sure you follow these tips. With the right technique and regular practice, you can get the toned shoulders you’re looking for in no time.
- To provide more resistance spread your feet on the bands making the bands tighter at the start.
- To lower the resistance you can lower your body, making the bands looser at the start.
- Using a slow cadence and not fully extending your arms will provide you the fastest muscle fatigue and therefore the biggest gains.
Benefits and Tips Video
Frequent Mistakes To Avoid
When performing the shoulder press with bands, it’s important to avoid certain mistakes. These mistakes can not only lead to injury, but also can reduce the effectiveness of the exercise and ultimately prevent you from reaching your fitness goals. Below are some of the most common mistakes to avoid when doing a shoulder press with bands.
- You Must Not Make It Too Easy. The main way to improve strength will be to challenge yourself.
- Stop Yourself From Using Too Little or Too Much Tension. Too little, and you will not be affecting your target muscle; excess, and you’ll probably cheat. Ensure that you can accomplish between 8-12 reps with proper form.
- You’ll Do Better To Not Speed Through Your Exercise Routine. Any time you speed through your exercise, you are liable to use poor form and accidental injuries.
Find More Resistance Band Exercises Here
Variations and Complementary Exercises
If you’re looking to switch up your shoulder press routine, there are plenty of variations, complementary, and alternative exercises that can help you strengthen and tone your shoulders. Here are some of the best exercises you can try.
Standing Dumbbell Military Press
The Standing Dumbbell Military Press is an ideal complementary or alternative exercise to the Shoulder Press With Bands. This exercise works the deltoids, trapezius, and triceps muscles to help you build overall shoulder strength. It is performed standing with a pair of dumbbells held at shoulder level. From here, you press the weights overhead until your arms are fully extended. This exercise can be used to increase shoulder strength and hypertrophy, as well as improve shoulder stability and mobility.
Alternate Shoulder Press With Bands
Alternate Shoulder Press With Bands is a great way to get a good shoulder workout without having to worry about using heavy weights. This exercise is a good alternative to the Shoulder Press With Bands because it works both shoulders at the same time, rather than one at a time. It also helps to engage other muscles in the upper body, such as the triceps and traps. The bands provide resistance and help to strengthen the core while maintaining balance throughout the exercise. By alternating the arms, you can increase the intensity of the exercise and target different muscles on each side of the body. This exercise is great for those looking for an alternative to traditional shoulder press exercises that target just one side of the body.
Alternating Dumbbell Overhead Press
The Alternating Dumbbell Overhead Press is a great alternative or complementary exercise to the Shoulder Press With Bands. This exercise works the same muscle groups as the Shoulder Press With Bands, but it also adds an extra challenge by incorporating the stabilizing muscles of the arms, shoulders, and core. The alternating motion of this exercise helps improve coordination, balance, and stability, while also providing a more intense workout. This exercise can be done with lighter weights than the Shoulder Press With Bands to provide an effective workout while reducing the risk of injury.
Check Out These Top Resistance Band Exercises
Barbell Seated Behind Head Military Press
The Barbell Seated Behind Head Military Press is a great complementary or alternative exercise for the Shoulder Press With Bands. This exercise requires the user to sit in an upright position with a barbell held behind the head. The user then presses the barbell up and down in an overhead motion, engaging the deltoids and trapezius muscles of the shoulders. This exercise also helps to build strength and stability in the upper body, making it a great choice for those looking to improve their shoulder press.
Barbell Seated Bradford Rocky Press
The Barbell Seated Bradford Rocky Press is an effective alternative or complementary exercise to the Shoulder Press With Bands. It allows you to work the same muscles with a heavier weight, while still allowing you to maintain good form and posture. This exercise targets the shoulders, upper back, and triceps, and requires the use of a barbell and a bench. The barbell should be held in a seated position on the bench with your feet flat on the ground. You then press the barbell up and away from your body as you would with a shoulder press with bands, keeping your elbows tucked in and driving your elbows up towards the ceiling. This exercise can be performed for 3-4 sets of 10-12 repetitions for optimal results.
Barbell Seated Shoulder Press
The Barbell Seated Shoulder Press is a great alternative or complementary exercise to the Shoulder Press With Bands. It helps to build strength and stability in the shoulder joint and also helps to develop overall upper body strength. The barbell seated shoulder press is done by sitting with your feet flat on the ground, your back straight and the barbell at shoulder height. You then press the barbell overhead while keeping your core tight and your shoulders pulled back. This exercise can be done with lighter weight for more reps or heavier weight for fewer reps. This exercise can be used in place of the Shoulder Press With Bands to target the same muscles, but with greater resistance and intensity.
Find More Shoulders Exercises Here
Opposing Complementary Exercises
To further enhance the benefits of the Shoulder Press With Bands, we recommend adding in a few exercises to strengthen the opposing muscle groups. Below are a few exercises that you can incorporate into your routine to target those muscles.
Wide Grip Pull Up
The wide grip pull up is a great exercise to pair with the shoulder press with bands. The pull up targets the back muscles, specifically the latissimus dorsi, and is considered an opposing muscle group to the shoulder press, which targets the front deltoids and pectorals. This opposing muscle group relationship helps to balance out the body, leading to improved posture and overall strength. Additionally, because the wide grip pull up requires gripping the bar with both hands wider than shoulder width, it also increases the range of motion of the back muscles and can lead to better overall shoulder health.
Wide Grip Rear Lat Pulldown
The Wide Grip Rear Lat Pulldown is a great exercise to pair with the Shoulder Press With Bands. This exercise works the opposing muscle group of the Shoulder Press With Bands, targeting the lats, rhomboids, and middle back muscles. By combining these two exercises, you will be able to create a balanced workout for your upper body. The Wide Grip Rear Lat Pulldown helps to engage the back muscles in order to help stabilize the shoulder press, and also helps to create a stronger upper body overall.
Assisted Pull Up
Assisted Pull Up is a great complement to the Shoulder Press With Bands exercise as it works the opposite muscle group. This exercise involves placing your feet in the foot straps attached to the bar and using your arms to pull yourself up. As you pull, your back and shoulder muscles are engaged, and as you lower yourself down, your arms are being worked. This exercise helps to build strength and stability in the upper body, and is especially beneficial for those looking to develop their back and shoulder muscles. By combining this exercise with Shoulder Press With Bands, you can work both opposing muscle groups for an effective and balanced workout.
Stronger Shoulders with Bands
Using bands for shoulder presses is a great way to strengthen your shoulder muscles. Bands are a safe and effective alternative to traditional weights because they provide consistent resistance through the range of motion. By adding shoulder presses to your workout routine, you can improve your posture, stability, and overall upper body strength. With consistent practice, you can achieve toned shoulders and prevent injury. Incorporating band shoulder presses into your fitness routine can help you achieve your fitness goals faster and safer.
References: Wikipedia | ExRx.net | PubMed.gov | Comprehensive List of Shoulders Resistance Band Exercises
