Supine Band Straight-Arm Pull-Down
Supine (knees bent) · Bringing the arms down from overhead with the broad back muscles
A strength exercise with a resistance band: bringing the arms down from overhead with the broad back muscles.
How longNew to it: one set of 8–12 with the lightest band, keeping good form. Used to it: 2–3 sets of 8–12, with a band that makes the last few feel fairly hard. Aim for 2–3 days a week, with at least a day between sessions for the same muscles.
Position and focus
Supine (knees bent) · Bringing the arms down from overhead with the broad back muscles
Starting position
Attach the band low in a door (about 40 cm from the floor) with a door anchor, lie on your back with your head towards the door but clear of it, and bend your knees. Hold one end in each hand, reach your arms overhead and shift your body until the band is lightly taut.
Movement phases
1. Set up
Keep your lower back on the floor and your ribs down, arms reaching overhead.
2. Bring down
Breathing out, with soft elbows, bring your arms up past the ceiling and down to above your hips.
3. Hold
With your lower back and head on the floor, hold for 1 to 2 seconds.
4. Return
Breathing in, slowly take your arms back overhead within the range where the ribs do not flare.
What to check yourself
On the return, are the ribs flaring and the lower back arching? Are you bending the elbows and pulling with the arms? Are the shoulders shrugging? Is the head lifting off the floor?
Coaching points for trainers
Taking the arms back overhead only as far as the lower back stays down is enough. Besides the lats, which bring the arms down, the 3D lights up the triceps (long head), which helps bring the arm down behind the shoulder, and the trunk.
Caution
Before use, check the band for nicks, tears or stickiness. Hold or loop it securely on your hands or feet so it cannot slip off, do not pull it towards your face, and do not suddenly let go while it is stretched (it can snap back). Stop if you feel pain, numbness or dizziness. If you are receiving treatment, recovering from surgery or pregnant, check with your healthcare professional. If you are allergic to latex, choose a latex-free band. If you close the band in a door, use a purpose-made door anchor fitted on the hinge side or on the side away from the way the door opens, then close and lock the door (and tell others at home not to open it). Pull gently before you start to check it cannot come loose. If you loop it round furniture, use the leg of a heavy piece that cannot move. The band passes over your face, so check the anchor cannot come loose before you start.
These English notes describe a prototype model. The stretch, foam roller and resistance band lessons are being produced under the supervision of CoconeRu. Move, reviewed in stages. They are not medical advice or an individual exercise prescription.
References
Each note describes what the whole source covers.
NHS — Strength exercises ↗
Strength exercises to do at home (sit-to-stand, wall press-ups and others) and the guide of at least two days a week.
Garber CE et al. ACSM Position Stand: Quantity and Quality of Exercise for Developing and Maintaining Cardiorespiratory, Musculoskeletal, and Neuromotor Fitness in Apparently Healthy Adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011 ↗
Guidance for healthy adults on resistance exercise: how often, how many repetitions and sets, and rest between sessions.
This lesson was put together for this site from the methods for the same area in the sources above. It has not yet been reviewed by an expert.
About this page
It shows a typical way to do the movement. The 3D is a schematic model; it does not decide whether a lesson suits you, prescribe exercise or diagnose anything. Stop if you feel pain or discomfort.
Sources, supervision and revisions