If you’re looking to get a nice upper body pump with the aid of resistance bands, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s get right into our list of Resistance Bands Chest Exercises.
These chest exercises will use the larger resistance bands also known as pull-up resistance bands, super bands or monster bands.
Lots of different names but they’re all generally the same.
- 82″ in circumference (or 41″ in length)
- Made from latex rubber
- Provides a range of resistance
As far as using resistance bands for chest exercises, you can use them as a standalone piece of equipment or you can use them in conjunction with other machines like attaching them to a barbell while performing a standard barbell benchpress.
This post is going to cover the former so all you need are resistance bands in order to perform these chest exercises.
If you see an exercise with the word anchored, this means you need something to attach the resistance bands to like a resistance band door anchor (shown below).
So let’s get into the 7 Best Resistance Band Chest Exercises!
1. PUSH UP RESISTANCE BANDS
We’re starting strong with my personal favorite from this list: Banded Push Ups.
The banded push ups take advantage of one of the awesome things about resistance bands which is that they offer variable resistance.
In other words, resistance bands get more difficult the further you stretch them.
Unlike dumbbells, barbells or regular weight, the resistance is constant throughout your range of motion.
But not with resistance bands.
The level of difficulty starts out easier with your chest close to the ground and gets harder through the range of motion.
For the banded push-ups, this means you need to contract extra hard at the top of the push-up in order to lock-out.
And trust me, you feel it.
Using one of the larger 2.5″ bands which offers 60-150 lbs of resistance can replicate a super heavy set with conventional weights.
How to do a Banded Push Up
- Loop the ends of the bands in each of your hands
- Drape the band behind your back
- Drop down into a push-up position
- Push your body away from the ground
- Pause at the top to maximize the contraction
- Slowly allow your chest to come back towards the ground
Variation Tips
- Concentric Focus: 3 seconds up – pause for 1 second – down for 1 second – repeat
- Eccentric Focus: 1 second up – pause for 1 second – 3 seconds down – repeat
- Isometric Focus: 1 second up – pause for 3 seconds – down halfway in 1 second – pause for 3 seconds at half push up – down to the ground in 1 second – repeat
2. SINGLE ARM CHEST PRESS
The single arm variation offers 2 great benefits.
The first is that it allows you to focus on one side at a time.
We’re all typically a little unbalanced as far as strength goes so this exercise eliminates our tendency to let our stronger side make up for our weaker side.
No cheating here!
The second benefit is that it recruits the use of your core.
As you push with your single arm, your core will want to rotate.
But you don’t want this to happen.
Engaging your core will keep your back flat against the ground as you extend your hand straight out in front of you.
Focus on doing this exercise in a more controlled manner instead of going for explosiveness.
3. BANDED CHEST PRESS – STANDING OR LAYING
Similar to the banded push-ups in terms of positioning but there’s a twist.
Since your hands aren’t grounded like with the push-ups, your hands will have a tendency to taken an indirect route as you push away.
Focus on keeping your hands steady and their trajectory as linear as possible.
You should feel all of the little muscles helping to stabilize your arms.
It’s similar to comparing a dumbbell bench press to a barbell bench press.
With a dumbbell press, you need to work extra hard to stabilize your arms whereas the rigidity of the straight barbell provides some aid.
For the banded chest press, you can perform it laying on your back or standing.
4. ANCHORED SINGLE ARM CHEST FLY
This exercise requires the use of an anchor mounted just below shoulder height.
One side at a time. Your arm starts straight out to your side with the resistance band in your hand.
So you’ll make a continuous straight line with the resistance band to this extended arm.
While keeping your elbow slightly bent and holding your hand in a neutral position fist, rotate it to straight out in front of your chest.
Adjust your distance so that at the end of your motion when your hand is directly in front of you, there’s a good amount of tension.
Focus on pausing a bit at the end of the movement and contracting your chest.
Repeat for the other side.
5. ANCHORED SINGLE ARM STANDING CHEST PRESS
Mount your anchor just below shoulder height and take a powerful split stance.
If your right hand is holding the band, your right foot should be behind with your left foot in front.
Extend your hand out in front of you while resisting rotation in your core.
Keep your core engaged and facing forwards without twisting.
You’ll be exerting quite a bit of torque so your core will have to work hard to keep everything solid and facing forward.
6. CHEST FLY
This exercise requires the same starting position as the banded push ups.
You can do this one either standing or laying on your back.
Start with your arms straight out to each side of your body.
While keeping your elbows slightly bent, bring your hands together and hold. Focus on contracting your pec muscles.
Slowly return your hands to their starting position and repeat.
7. LOW TO HIGH PEC RAISES
This one is performed standing on the band.
The movement starts with the band in your palms which are facing up.
Your hands start wider than your hips.
Focus on bringing your forearms up to the sky as opposed to bringing your hands to the sky.
Leading with your hands will make this more like a bicep curl which isn’t what we’re going for.
As you bring your forearms up, bring your hands closer to each other so when you reach the top range of motion, they should be within a few inches of each other and parallel to the ground.
This means your arms will finish around shoulder or neck height.
Again, focus on contracting your pecs at the top while pausing momentarily.
Then bring them back down while separating your hands in a controlled manner.