Lateral Raise with Bands

beginner · isolation

Setup

Check the band before you step on it: swap out a band that is nicked, scuffed or faded, because a band that snaps mid-set whips back at your face. Stand on the middle of a light-to-medium resistance band with your feet hip-width apart, a handle in each hand resting at your sides, palms facing your thighs.

Execution

Put a soft bend in the elbows and keep that same bend for the whole set.
Set the shoulders down away from the ears and brace the belly so the torso cannot swing.
Exhale and raise both arms out to the sides up to shoulder height, leading with the elbows rather than the hands.
Pause a beat at the top, with the wrists and elbows at the same height.
Inhale and lower slowly over 2-3 seconds, without letting the band tension drop to zero.
At the end of the set lower the arms all the way to your thighs so the band goes slack before you step off it, and never lift a foot while the band is still pulling.

Breathing

Exhale as the arms rise, inhale as they lower. The load here is light, so there is no need to brace and hold your breath.

Quick cues

Lead with the elbows, not the hands.
Stop right at shoulder height.
Stand tall on the band.
Tension never drops to zero.
Shoulders down, neck long.

Common faults

Fault: Swinging the torso to help throw the arms up
Fix: Stand narrower on the band to reduce the resistance, brace the core and control the raising speed.
Fault: The feet placed unevenly on the band, making the resistance uneven
Fix: Check that both feet are placed symmetrically on the band before starting each set.
Fault: Raising the arms above shoulder height and shrugging with them
Fix: Stop exactly at shoulder height and use a side mirror to find that line.
Fault: Letting the band go fully slack at the bottom of every rep
Fix: Stand narrower on the band so some tension remains even at the bottom of the rep.

Equipment

resistance_band

Muscle groups

shoulders