Pull Up Bands: How to Use Them to Get a Killer Back

If you are not familiar with pull-up bands, know that these ultra-affordable, portable, and user-friendly bands will offer you a great resistance training workout.

I love bands because I can take them traveling or move my workout outdoors with convenience. Bands are a fantastic addition to your home gym as they offer effective training, varied resistance levels, and a massive range of exercises.

• The Physix Gear Sport pull-up bands are offered in four different resistance levels, ranging from light strength (at an estimated 10-25 pounds of resistance) all the way to X-Heavy, which provides an estimated 120-175 pounds of resistance.

Your PhysixGear Sport pull-up band purchase also comes with a free video guide, which will take you from a beginner user right up to advanced exercises. Exercises done correctly are far more effective and safe than those done in poor form.

• A killer back begins with excellent posture and robust, functional core strength, so be sure always to include exercises and movement training to improve both your posture and core as well as the rest of your body.
• Whenever I consider ideal upper back exercises, I look for functional movement patterns; practical exercises will give you a lean, defined body and serve you well as you go about your daily activities.
• I also consider safe and effective practices; avoid back movements that may cause injury to your shoulders and spine.

Many traditional weight-room exercises done with machines or free weights can be replicated using a pull-up band.

• If you want to focus on the standard bar pull-up to get those shoulders and back muscles working hard, the pull-up band assistance feature will allow you to build your strength and endurance gradually.
• While it’s dependent on your current fitness level, in general, you can shoot for 12-15 repetitions of each exercise and two to three sets of these repetitions.
• Give yourself a rest day between training the muscles of your back.

The pull-up move is an excellent workout for your “lats” or latissimus dorsi; this largest back muscle runs from the middle of your back to your armpits and shoulder blades.

• This tried and true exercise also targets your “traps” or trapezius muscles, which extend from your neck toward both shoulders.
• The erector spinae ( a group of muscles that runs along the spine in your upper back) also gets worked in this move.
• Bonus benefits of the pull-up include improved grip strength and more muscular shoulders!

Your Physix Gear Sport video guide will take you through a wide range of pull-up band exercises, but here are a few more great choices to get you thinking about how you can develop a killer back!

• Lat pulldowns are a solid choice, as this movement also focuses on your largest upper back muscle. You have likely done bent over rows using a free weight; imagine the convenience of completing this exercise using pull-up bands in your home gym or anywhere you want to go!
• The standing row is another great option; when working these new exercises into your routine, don’t think that you have to do them all. 

Experiment with your new bands, your video guide, and choose exercises that you can complete in the correct form and that you can feel your muscles working hard.

• If you have ever done deadlifts, you know that they are a super workout for your glutes and hamstrings, but did you know they also put your erector spinae to work? This is another excellent exercise that can be done with resistance bands.

No matter your fitness goals or whether you are new to resistance training, pull-up bands are an affordable and convenient way to give your back a solid workout. A strong, functional back that enjoys a high level of muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, and a wide range of motion will get you through your work and leisure activities and have you aging optimally.