These 5 Mini Band Exercises Fight Pain, Improve Posture and Build Strength

As many of us continue to work remotely and huddle over our screens for endless calls, our necks and shoulders are taking a beating. Over time, the muscles in our shoulders and upper back weaken, leading to poor posture.

But slouching isn't something you want to sweep under the rug. Poor posture can take a real toll on your health by affecting your balance and making you more susceptible to falls, among many other issues, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Fortunately, working out with mini bands can take your shoulders and back out of their slump. These tiny but mighty pieces of fitness equipment are great for targeting your shoulder and back stabilizer muscles — aka the smaller muscles that support the large muscle group and assist your joints. Honing in on these muscles is what's going to help you stand with confidence and prevent injury.

These posture-improving mini band exercises can be done while sitting at your desk or at the gym. Many mini bands come in a set of three different resistance options: light, medium and heavy. So choose a band that will challenge you but won't make it too difficult for you to do the exercises with proper form.

 

1. Banded Seated Low Row

The seated low row releases your shoulders from a slouched position and helps keep your spine erect. The more you choke up on the band, the more challenging the exercise will be.


Tense Neck and Shoulders? These 5 Mini Band Exercises Fight Pain, Improve Posture and Build Strength

 

✳ Sit on the ground with your back upright and your legs extended out in front of you.

✳ Wrap the mini band around your feet and hold the band with hands, arms fully extended.

✳ Pull your elbows back by squeezing your shoulder blades together.

✳ Then, release and bring your hands back out to the starting position.

 

Tip

Don't let your shoulders round forward, and focus on using your shoulder blades to move the band as opposed to your elbows. This helps fire up the stabilizer muscles in your back. 

 

2. Banded Front Raise

Banded front raises train your muscles to lift things in front of you with good posture while building shoulder strength and stability.


Tense Neck and Shoulders? These 5 Mini Band Exercises Fight Pain, Improve Posture and Build Strength

 

✳ Loop a mini band around your wrists and stretch your arms, about hip-width apart, to create tension in the band.

✳ Keeping your arms straight and maintaining the tension in the band, raise your arms to shoulder height.

✳ Lower your arms back down to the starting position


Tip

As you lift your arms up, make sure to drive your shoulders down your back to activate your lat muscles. This will help keep the tension out of the shoulders and keep your back open.

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