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Exercises

Resistance band upper body exercises: rows, presses, raises and curls

Published October 29, 2026

A long loop band and a door anchor are enough to train your whole upper body. The best resistance band upper body exercises are the bent-over row and face pull for your back, the overhead press and lateral, front and rear delt raises for your shoulders, the single-arm chest fly for your chest, and the hammer curl for your arms, with pull-aparts for posture. Do 2 to 4 sets of 12 to 20 reps, three days a week, and move to a thicker band or step farther from the anchor when you can finish every set with 2 reps to spare.

  1. Band Bent-Over Row Lats, Upper Back
  2. Band Overhead Press Shoulders
  3. Band Face Pull Shoulders, Upper Back
  4. Single-Arm Band Chest Fly Chest
  5. Band Lateral Raise Shoulders
  6. Band Hammer Curl Biceps
  7. Band Pull-Apart Shoulders, Upper Back

Back and posture

Bands suit pulling well: the band is hardest at the end of the row, which is exactly where your upper back squeezes. These five cover the lats, the mid back and the small muscles that hold your shoulders back.

Lats and mid back, row

Band Bent-Over Row

Lats, Upper Back

The main back builder with a band: you stand on it, hinge forward and row both hands to your ribs. Shorten the band under your feet to make it heavier.

How to do it

  1. Stand on the middle of a band, hold an end in each hand, and hinge forward with a flat back.
  2. Row your hands to your lower ribs with the elbows tucked near your body.
  3. Straighten the arms slowly and keep the hinge.

Cues

  • Elbows to your hips
  • Hold the hinge

Common mistakes

  • Standing up as you row: keep the same torso angle every rep.

Swap for: Dumbbell Bent-Over Row, Inverted Row, Seated Cable Row

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Rear delts and upper back, face pull

Band Face Pull

Shoulders, Upper Back

Pulling the band to your forehead with the hands splitting apart trains the rear delts and the muscles that turn the shoulders out, which most pressing leaves behind.

How to do it

  1. Anchor a band at about face height in a door and hold an end in each hand, palms facing down.
  2. Step back until there is tension with your arms reaching forward.
  3. Pull the band toward your forehead, splitting your hands apart and lifting your elbows high and wide.
  4. Pause, then let the band return under control.

Cues

  • Elbows high and wide
  • Hands finish beside your ears
  • Pause at the face

Common mistakes

  • Pulling to the chest with the elbows low, which turns it into a row: aim the hands at your eyes.
  • Leaning back to move the band: stand tall and use a lighter band.

Swap for: Band Pull-Apart, Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly, TRX Face Pull

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Upper back and rear delts, pull-apart

Band Pull-Apart

Shoulders, Upper Back

Needs nothing but the band in your hands, so you can do a set anywhere. High reps of these through the week add a lot of upper back work for very little fatigue.

How to do it

  1. Hold a light band at shoulder height with straight arms and hands about shoulder width.
  2. Pull your hands apart until the band touches your chest.
  3. Let the band bring your hands back slowly.

Cues

  • Squeeze the shoulder blades together at the end.
  • Keep your ribs down.

Common mistakes

  • Bending the elbows to make it easier.

Swap for: Band Face Pull, Band Scapular Retraction

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Upper back, shoulder blade squeeze

Band Scapular Retraction

Upper Back

Only the shoulder blades move, so it teaches you to pull them back before every row. Use it as the first exercise of a pulling session or on its own at a desk break.

How to do it

  1. Hold a light band at chest height with straight arms.
  2. Without bending your elbows, draw your shoulder blades back and together.
  3. Let them spread forward again slowly, keeping the arms straight the whole time.

Cues

  • Arms stay straight
  • Move the blades only

Common mistakes

  • Bending the elbows to pull: then it becomes a row and the blades do less.

Swap for: Band Pull-Apart, Band Bent-Over Row, Inverted Row

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Lats, assisted pull-up

Band-Assisted Pull-Up

Lats

Here the band helps rather than resists: looped over a pull-up bar, it takes part of your weight so you can do full reps before you can do a pull-up alone. Each thinner band you graduate to is a step closer to the bar on your own.

How to do it

  1. Loop a strong resistance band over the bar and pull it through itself so it hangs down tight.
  2. Grip the bar a little wider than your shoulders and step one knee or foot into the loop at the bottom.
  3. Pull your elbows down toward your hips until your chin clears the bar.
  4. Lower under control to straight arms, letting the band stretch back out, and repeat.

Cues

  • Thinnest band you can do 8 reps with
  • Full range every rep
  • Stay vertical, no swing

Common mistakes

  • Using a band so thick that the set never gets hard: move down a band once you pass 12 reps at the target reps in reserve.
  • Bouncing out of the bottom off the band: pause for a moment at the hang before each pull.

Swap for: Assisted Pull-Up, Chin-Up, Band Bent-Over Row

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Shoulders

Standing on the band gives you a press and every kind of raise. Shoulders respond well to the higher reps bands are best at, so most sets here run 12 to 20.

Shoulders and triceps, one-arm press

Band Overhead Press

Shoulders

Pressing one arm at a time lets a single band give enough resistance for real overhead strength. It is also the triceps work in a band-only routine.

How to do it

  1. Stand on one end of a handled band with your right foot and hold the handle at your right shoulder.
  2. Brace your stomach and squeeze your glutes.
  3. Press the handle straight up until your arm is nearly straight.
  4. Lower it slowly to your shoulder. Do all reps, then switch.

Cues

  • Ribs down
  • Press straight up
  • Shoulder finishes by your ear

Common mistakes

  • Leaning away from the working arm: brace harder or use a lighter band.
  • Pressing out in front: end with your arm over your shoulder, not your toes.

Swap for: Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Pike Push-Up, Landmine Press

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Side delts, raise

Band Lateral Raise

Shoulders

The band is lightest at the bottom and heaviest at shoulder height, which matches where the side delts are strongest. It is the band exercise that does most for wider-looking shoulders.

How to do it

  1. Stand on the middle of the band with both feet and hold an end in each hand by your thighs, palms facing your legs.
  2. Raise both arms out to the sides, leading with your elbows, until your hands reach shoulder height.
  3. Pause for a beat at the top.
  4. Lower over two seconds and keep a little tension at the bottom.

Cues

  • Lead with the elbows
  • Pinkies level with thumbs
  • Slow on the way down

Common mistakes

  • Shrugging the band up with your traps: keep your shoulders down and stop at shoulder height.
  • Letting the band go slack at the bottom: widen your stance so there is tension on every rep.

Swap for: Dumbbell Lateral Raise, Cable Lateral Raise, Band Upright Row

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Front delts, raise

Band Front Raise

Shoulders

Direct front delt work to pair with the press. Keep it to shoulder height and lower slowly against the band.

How to do it

  1. Stand on the middle of the band with both feet and hold the ends at your thighs, palms facing you.
  2. Brace your stomach and keep your elbows nearly straight.
  3. Lift both arms forward until they point straight ahead at shoulder height.
  4. Pause for a beat, then lower slowly, keeping a little tension at the bottom.

Cues

  • Arms long
  • Shoulder height
  • No swing

Common mistakes

  • Leaning back to get the band moving: use a lighter band or stand with your feet closer together.
  • Raising above shoulder height: stop when your arms are level with the floor.

Swap for: Dumbbell Front Raise, Plate Front Raise, Band Overhead Press

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Rear delts, bent-over fly

Band Rear Delt Fly

Shoulders

Hinging forward and spreading the arms trains the back of the shoulder, which balances all the pressing and helps your posture.

How to do it

  1. Stand on a band, hinge forward and hold the ends with arms hanging.
  2. Raise both arms wide to shoulder height with soft elbows.
  3. Lower slowly.

Cues

  • Lead with the elbows
  • Flat back

Common mistakes

  • Shrugging: keep the shoulders away from the ears.

Swap for: Band Pull-Apart, Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly

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Side delts and traps, upright row

Band Upright Row

Shoulders, Traps

A heavier shoulder exercise than raises, because the arms are bent and you can use a thicker band. Stop when your elbows reach shoulder height.

How to do it

  1. Plant both feet on the middle of the band, roughly under your hips, and grip the ends palms-in toward your thighs.
  2. Keep your hands near each other and the band brushing your thighs.
  3. Lift your elbows up and out, leading with them, until your hands reach lower chest height.
  4. Pause, then lower slowly to straight arms.

Cues

  • Elbows lead, hands follow
  • Stop at chest height
  • Shoulders up toward your ears at the top

Common mistakes

  • Pulling the hands higher than your chest: stop where your elbows are level with your shoulders.
  • Leaning back to finish reps: use a lighter band or step on it with your feet closer together.

Swap for: Band Face Pull

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Chest and arms

Anchor the band at chest height in a door for the fly and stand on it for curls. Your triceps get their work from the overhead press.

Chest, one-arm fly

Single-Arm Band Chest Fly

Chest

With the band anchored behind you, one hand sweeps across your body against it. Working one arm at a time lets a single band load the chest properly.

How to do it

  1. Anchor a band at chest height in a door or around a post, take the handle in one hand and stand with your back to the anchor.
  2. Step forward until the band is taut with your arm open wide and slightly bent.
  3. Sweep your hand across until it is in front of the middle of your chest.
  4. Let the band pull your arm back open slowly, finish your reps, then switch arms.

Cues

  • Reach across your body
  • Fixed elbow angle
  • Slow on the way back

Common mistakes

  • Standing so close the band goes slack at the stretch: step forward until it pulls the whole way.
  • Turning your torso to finish: brace and move only the arm.

Swap for: Single-Arm Cable Fly, Push-Up, Dumbbell Chest Fly

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Biceps and forearms, alternating curl

Band Hammer Curl

Biceps

Standing on the band and curling one hand at a time with the palms facing in trains the biceps and the forearm muscle on the thumb side together.

How to do it

  1. Stand on a light band and hold the ends with palms facing each other.
  2. Curl one hand up toward your shoulder, keeping the elbow beside your ribs.
  3. Lower slowly and alternate sides.

Cues

  • Elbows still
  • Squeeze, then lower slow

Common mistakes

  • Swinging the band up with your hips: use a lighter band.

Swap for: Hammer Curl, Bodyweight Bicep Curl, Dumbbell Curl

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Put them together: example sessions

Each session below picks from the exercises above for one situation, with the sets, reps, rest and RIR filled in.

Session 1

Bands only at home, three days a week

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts3× a week
  • Working sets35 a week
  • Per workout~20 min
  • EquipmentResistance Bands

Bands and a door anchor are all your equipment, and you want to build the muscle in your back, shoulders, chest and arms.

Day A presses, rows, flys and curls for 11 sets; day B pulls and raises for 12. Alternating them over three days trains every upper body muscle at least twice a week, with each set taken close to failure so the band does the job of heavier weights.

A: Press, row, fly, curl
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Band Bent-Over Row 3 × 12–20 2 75 s
Band Overhead PressPer arm. 3 × 10–15 2 75 s
Single-Arm Band Chest FlyPer arm. 3 × 12–15 1 1 min
Band Hammer CurlPer arm. 2 × 12–15 1 1 min

Open A: Press, row, fly, curl in the session builder

B: Pull and raise
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Band Face Pull 3 × 12–20 2 1 min
Band Upright Row 3 × 10–15 2 1 min
A1 Band Lateral Raise 3 × 12–20 1 1 min
A2 Band Rear Delt Fly 3 × 12–20 1 1 min

Open B: Pull and raise in the session builder

How to run it
Train on three days with a rest day between them, and always do whichever session you did not do last time, so A and B take turns.
How to progress
Use double progression with bands: when every set reaches the top of the range at 1 to 2 reps in reserve, move to the next thicker band or stand farther from the anchor, and restart at the bottom of the range.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

15 minutes between desk hours

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts4× a week
  • Working sets44 a week
  • Per workout~20 min
  • EquipmentResistance Bands

You sit most of the day, your shoulders roll forward, and you want a short band session you can do at home or in the office.

The muscles that hold the shoulders back are small and recover quickly, so 11 light sets four times a week works better than one long session. Every exercise needs only the band in your hands or under your feet.

Shoulder blades and rear delts
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Band Scapular Retraction 2 × 12–15 3 1 min
Band Pull-Apart 3 × 15–25 2 1 min
Band Rear Delt Fly 3 × 12–20 2 1 min
Band Face Pull 3 × 12–20 2 1 min
How to run it
Do it on four workdays, at lunch or in a break. It can sit on the same days as other training.
How to progress
Add reps until you reach the top of every range with 2 reps in reserve, then use a thicker band or a narrower grip on the pull-aparts.
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Session 3

Working toward your first pull-up

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets22 a week
  • Per workout~25 min
  • EquipmentPull-Up Bar, Resistance Bands

You have a pull-up bar and a set of bands, and you cannot yet do an unassisted pull-up.

The assisted pull-up trains the exact movement with less weight, and rows and face pulls build the back that finishes the rep. 11 sets twice a week, with the pull-up first while you are fresh.

Assisted pull-ups and rows
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Band-Assisted Pull-Up 4 × 5–8 2 2 min
Band Bent-Over Row 3 × 10–15 1 75 s
Band Overhead PressPer arm. 2 × 10–15 2 1 min
Band Hammer CurlPer arm. 2 × 12–15 1 1 min
How to run it
Do it on two non-consecutive days. Test one unassisted pull-up at the start of every fourth session.
How to progress
When you can do 3 sets of 8 with your current band at 2 reps in reserve, switch to the next thinner band and drop back to 5 reps. Add reps on the rows and press each week.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

Can you build muscle with resistance bands?

Yes, if the sets are hard. Muscle grows from sets taken close to failure, and a band set of 15 to 20 reps that ends 1 or 2 reps short of failure works as well as a lighter dumbbell set.

How many times a week should I do band upper body exercises?

Two or three sessions a week, with a day between them, suits most people. Light posture work like pull-aparts can be done most days.

What resistance band should I use for upper body?

A long loop band or a tube band with handles, plus a door anchor. Most people need two or three strengths: a light one for raises and rear delts, a medium one for presses and curls, and a heavy one for rows.

How many reps should I do with resistance bands?

Usually 12 to 20 per set. Bands are hardest at the end of each rep, so higher reps keep the whole range working. Stop when you have about 1 to 2 good reps left.