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Resistance bands come in handy when you do not have access to a gym or barbells and dumbbells. Resistance bands are known for their versatility and flexibility. They are also easy to store and carry around to different places.
A gym contains heavy machines that could help with hardcore chest training1, but there are times when the gym is not accessible.
This is when a resistance band can be of great help. Resistance band training doesn’t need a lot of space and can be done at home, the pros being you can get gym-like results with resistance band training at home.
There are plenty of chest exercises with bands available online. So long as you have a good-quality resistance band2, you can work it out anywhere.
6 Advantages of Chest Exercises with Bands
We all know that weight training with dumbbells or bench presses and chest presses means working against gravity. When someone does a chest press or bench press with a resistance band, it means they are working against the tension of the band.
1. Performing chest exercises with bands is a lot safer compared to using dumbbells. When a person is working out, there are chances that he/she might lose control and drop weight leading to injury. There are very few chances of injury in chest exercises with bands.
2. Resistance bands are available in different lengths and resistances. If a band is more elastic and less resistant, the workout will be easier. If the band is less elastic and more resistant, the workouts will be harder and require more effort.
Therefore chest exercises with bands are equivalent to chest exercises with dumbbells. In the case of bands, one can use higher resistance bands, just like adding extra plates to the barbell.
3. Since resistance bands are very versatile, they can be used in various combinations for targeting different muscle groups.
4. Resistance bands can be tied to pillars or chairs for additional support and unique training methods. Since there are various methods for performing chest exercises with bands, you will never run out of workouts.
5. Chest exercises with bands are known to deliver similar results as gym chest workouts at an affordable price and take up less space compared to a gym setup for the same.
6. There are different types of resistance bands for chest exercises, like tubes with handles and loop bands.
Generally, loop bands are considered the best as they can be used for almost all chest workouts, whereas tubes with handles have limitations to their use. Tube resistance bands with handles need to be anchored to pillars or poles for better use.
Chest Exercises with Bands – 9 Best Exercises Listed!
Now let us check the 9 best exercises to build your chest. The exercises mentioned below are quite versatile, and thus they can be performed by beginners and pros.
1. Resistance Band Floor Press
The resistance band floor press is one of the most effective chest exercises with bands. It isolates the chest and the triceps while also minimizing the pressure on the shoulder.
The person has to lie down on the floor, preferably on a yoga mat, for this workout. The resistance band has to be placed behind the back. The ends have to be pulled upwards at a 45-degree angle, just like in a normal bench press with dumbbells.
While doing this exercise, one must focus on fully extending the elbows upwards. Along with that, the person must maintain a contracted back and focus on contracting the chest and triceps throughout the whole activity.
2. Resistance Band Crossover Fly
Resistance band crossover fly is a variation of chest exercises with bands where one hand crosses over the other at the end of the movement.
A loop band or a tube band with handles can be used for this workout. Also, the resistance band has to be attached to a pole for stability.
This exercise is slightly different from the traditional chest fly. There is an increase in the range of motion, leading to a deeper, more forceful muscle contraction.
One must maintain a sense of symmetry while doing this workout by crossing alternative hands over the top in each rep.
3. Resistance Band Chest Fly
Resistance band fly is one of the classic chest exercises with bands. This workout is great for isolating the pectoral muscle of the chest3.
The resistance band needs to be tied to something stationary (like a pole) for this workout. When the band is attached to the pole, you have to grab each end of the band and pull it down towards the front.
Both loop bands and tube bands can be used for this workout. This workout is similar to the Fly crossover variation as it is a great way to force a muscle contraction4 at the end of the activity.
In fly variations, one must make sure to keep the scapula retracted and depressed down the back to keep the front deltoid as far from movement as possible.
4. Resistance Band Push-Up
A resistance band push-up is a classic push-up with a resistance band. It is known to be one of the most effective chest exercises with resistance bands.
As you go down into the push-up, there is very little tension on the band. As you go up, the tension gradually increases to match your natural strength curves. When you are at the bottom of this move, hold at the bottom and come back up explosively.
The more resistance, the harder it will be at this point to push back up. By doing this exercise, you can create forceful muscle contractions and progress your pushup not by doing more reps but by using resistance.
You can do this on a raised surface, which will increase the range of motion and further enhance muscle growth and strength.
5. Banded Clapping Push up
The banded clapping pushup is an advanced version of normal banded push-ups. This variation of chest exercises with bands should only be tried after proper training. It is similar to clap push-ups but includes a resistance band.
This workout is very effective, but you must only try it if you know how to do clap push-ups. If you don’t, there are chances you will fall on your face and get injured.
6. Resistance Band Standing Chest Press
Resistance band standing chest press is one of the best kinds of chest exercises with bands. It is almost the same as the resistance band floor press. The only difference is one workout is done on the floor, and the other workout is done while standing.
For this workout, stand with your feet hip to shoulder-width apart. Just like in bench press, shoulders should be pinched, shoulders back and down, shoulders tucked in at 45 degrees, and chest out.
Squeeze your chest muscles, and to feel the tension while pressing out your arms straight, do it explosively. Make sure your arms are fully extended at the end of the movement.
There are many other variations of resistance band standing chest presses like incline chest press, decline chest press, and one-arm variation chest press.
7. Resistance Band Decline Chest Press
As a variation of the resistance band standing chest press, the decline chest press is one of the best variations of chest exercises which is done with bands. It has the same form of feet hip shoulder-width apart, whereas the hands have to be pressed downwards instead of forward.
8. Resistance Band Incline Chest Press
This resistance band workout also has the same form as the normal chest press, but the person needs to bend slightly backward. Wrap the resistance band around your waist and push your hands forward in an upward direction. The incline chest press is the best variation of chest exercises with bands and really targets the chest muscles.
9. One-Arm Variation Chest Press
This banded chest press variation is a single-arm chest press where you have to press forward using one arm. The resistance band must be tied to an anchoring point, then stand with your feet hip shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Use the arm you want to train and pull the resistance band forward for a single-arm chest press.
Key Takeaways
Warming up is very important before commencing the workout. If you hastily rush into the workout, it might lead to an injury. It would be best if you took the time to get into the workout slowly.
Focusing on the quality of the workout is more necessary rather than quantity. Working out with a resistance band needs proper technique and form.
A person should engage the core, keep the knees slightly bent, and pause at the top of the exercise. If the form is not good, doing more reps will result in nothing and even lead to injury.
The number of reps to do in each workout mentioned above depends on your fitness level and the resistance band you are using. If you are using a high-resistance band5, you probably won’t be able to do many reps.
A proper diet is important in case of every type of workout for the best results. Therefore you should focus on having a healthy diet along with performing chest exercises with bands.
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FAQs
1. Suggest any four chest exercises.
Ans. Four chest exercises are as:
- Incline dumbbell press
- Decline push-ups
- Low to high cable fly
- Chest press machine from a lower position
2. Can resistance bands really help me to build up my chest muscles?
Ans. Yes indeed. Resistance chest bands will not only help you to build up your chest muscles but will also help strengthen your chest muscles.
3. Which is the most popular chest exercise?
Ans. Incline Smith Machine or Barbell Press is the most popular chest exercise.
- McGlashan, Lara. “Pro advice: mold perfect pecs with NPC competitor Colleen Mansfield’s challenging chest routine.” Joe Weider’s Muscle & Fitness 66.11 (2005): 214-219. ↩︎
- Smith, Mark F., et al. “Effects of resistance band exercise on vascular activity and fitness in older adults.” International journal of sports medicine 38.03 (2017): 184-192. ↩︎
- Tobin, Gordon R. “Pectoralis major muscle-musculocutaneous flap for chest-wall reconstruction.” Surgical Clinics of North America 69.5 (1989): 991-1006. ↩︎
- Sweeney, H. Lee, and David W. Hammers. “Muscle contraction.” Cold Spring Harbor perspectives in biology 10.2 (2018): a023200. ↩︎
- Andersen, Lars Louis, et al. “Validity and reliability of elastic resistance bands for measuring shoulder muscle strength.” Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports 27.8 (2017): 887-894. ↩︎
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