Band Internal Rotation
Trains the Shoulders and Subscapularis.
- Equipment
- Bands
- Mechanic
- Isolation
- Force
- Not recorded
- Level
- Beginner
How to do it
- Anchor a light resistance band at roughly elbow height and stand side-on to it.
- Take the band in the hand nearest the anchor and tuck that elbow against your ribs, bent to ninety degrees.
- Step away until there is tension with your forearm rotated outward, away from your stomach.
- Keeping the elbow pinned at your side, rotate your forearm inward across your stomach.
- Pause briefly, then let the band draw your forearm back outward under control.
Common mistakes
- Letting the elbow leave the ribs, which turns the movement into a pulling exercise for the lat and pec.
- Skipping it because pressing already involves internal rotation. Pressing does train internal rotation, but the pecs and lats do most of it — the subscapularis is doing front-of-joint stabilising work in a press rather than moving the joint through a range.
- Using too strong a band. Internal rotation is the stronger direction, but this is still a small muscle working alone.
- Doing only external rotation. The cuff works as opposing pairs, and training one direction and not the other is the imbalance the exercise is supposed to address.
Muscles worked
Primary
- Shoulders
- SubscapularisRotator Cuff