Resistance Band Pull Apart

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a resistance band at chest height with both hands, palms facing down and hands positioned slightly closer than shoulder-width.
2. Engage your core and maintain a neutral spine position while pulling your shoulder blades slightly down and back.
3. Inhale and begin to pull the band apart by drawing your hands away from each other while keeping your arms parallel to the floor.
4. As you exhale, continue pulling until your arms are fully extended to the sides, forming a T-position with your torso while maintaining level shoulders.
5. Focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together at the end position, keeping your wrists straight and elbows soft (not locked).
6. Hold the fully extended position for 1-2 seconds, maintaining tension across your upper back muscles.
7. Inhale as you slowly return to the starting position with controlled movement, resisting the band's tension.
8. Keep your chest up and shoulders down throughout the entire movement, avoiding the tendency to hunch forward as the band creates resistance.

Important information

• Select a band with appropriate resistance—you should be able to complete the movement with proper form while still feeling challenged in the final repetitions.
• Keep your neck relaxed and in a neutral position throughout the exercise, avoiding the tendency to jut your chin forward.
• If you feel the exercise primarily in your arms rather than your upper back, decrease the band resistance and focus more on the shoulder blade squeeze.
• Try different hand positions (palms up, palms down, or thumbs up) to target slightly different areas of the upper back muscles.