External Rotation with BandMuscles Worked
Band external rotation works your shoulders, specifically the small rotator cuff muscles at the back of the shoulder that turn your upper arm outward, with some help from the rear delts. It's a light, controlled exercise often used in warm-ups or as shoulder accessory work.
PrimaryShoulders
- Equipment
- Resistance band
- Level
- Beginner
- Type
- Compound
- Force
- Pull
How to do it
- Anchor a light band at elbow height and stand side-on to it, a couple of steps away.
- Hold the band in the hand farther from the anchor, so it crosses in front of your body.
- Bend that elbow to 90 degrees and keep it tucked against your side. A rolled towel between your elbow and ribs helps hold it there.
- Turn your forearm out and away from your body, keeping your elbow in place, until you reach a comfortable end point.
- Pause briefly, return slowly to the start, and switch sides after your set.
Form tips
- If your elbow drifts away from your side, switch to a lighter band.
- Move slowly and stay in a pain-free range, since the goal here is control rather than load.
- Keep your wrist straight and your shoulder down rather than twisting your torso to get more range.
Why it made the list
No. 13 of 13
Best Shoulder Exercises
Band external rotation strengthens rotator cuff. Critical for shoulder health and injury prevention, especially for pressing athletes.
More shoulder exercises
See it on your own body map
Log your External Rotation with Band sets in KasMaker and watch your shoulders fill in on the map, weighted by how much you did. Logging and the body map are free on iPhone.
