The band trunk rotation hold is a seated core exercise where your job is to stay still. You sit tall toward the front of a chair holding one end of a resistance band, while a helper standing to your side holds the other end and slowly pulls. They change the direction of the pull, straight across, then angled up and down, and you hold your arms and body steady against it. The muscles around your waist and back work to stop the band from turning you, without your spine having to move.

How to do the band trunk rotation hold

Sit toward the front edge of a firm chair so only your bottom is on the seat, feet flat and about hip width apart. Sit tall.
Hold one end of the band in both hands, clasped together in front of your body at about the level of your lower ribs, with your elbows bent and close to your sides. Your helper stands to one side of you, a few steps away, holding the other end.
Tighten your stomach muscles a little. Then your helper slowly takes up the slack and builds the pull, while you keep your hands, arms and trunk still.
Hold steady for a few seconds, breathing normally, then your helper eases the band off slowly.
Your helper repeats the pull from other angles: level with your hands, then from higher and lower, as the video shows.
Finish that side, then your helper moves to your other side and you repeat.

What you should feel

Steady work around your waist, across your stomach and along your back, with some effort in your arms and shoulders. Nothing should move much, and you should be able to keep breathing easily.

Common mistakes

Letting the band turn your shoulders toward the helper.
Leaning away from the pull instead of sitting tall.
Holding your breath as the pull builds.
The helper jerking the band or letting go suddenly.

How often

Many programs use 3 to 5 holds of 5 to 10 seconds from each direction, on both sides, once a day or a few days a week. Your physio will adjust this.

Stop and check with your physio if

Your back, ribs or stomach hurt sharply while you hold, or pain, tingling or numbness runs down an arm or leg.
Pins and needles in your arm or hand that do not go away after you stop, or part of your arm or hand goes numb. Get medical advice the same day. If one side of your face or body suddenly goes numb or weak, or your speech becomes slurred or muddled, call emergency services, even if it goes away.
Your shoulder catches or hurts sharply as the pull builds.

From the clinic

In the video her hands stay close in front of her body, at about the level of her lower ribs. The voice guide suggests holding the arms straight out in front, which lengthens the lever and makes the hold harder, so treat that as a later step. The helper should add tension over a couple of seconds, hold it, then ease off just as slowly. Start with a light band.

Your helper should stand far enough away for the band to be slightly tight before they start pulling, and change angle only while the band is slack. Check the band for nicks or tears before each session, because a band that snaps or slips can whip back and hit either of you in the face. The video shows the helper crouching for the low pull and reaching overhead for the high one, so they need to be steady on their own feet too. Without a helper, the seated band trunk rotation uses a fixed band and a slow turn instead.

If you have high blood pressure, breathe steadily through every hold and never hold your breath. If you have low bone density (osteoporosis), ask your physio whether resisted trunk work suits you and how hard to push. If you have had a fracture in your spine, check with your physio before you begin. If you have had surgery on your spine, chest or heart in recent months, get the go-ahead from your surgical team or physio first. After shoulder surgery, ask your surgeon or physio whether your arm is ready to hold against a band.

If you have a hernia or have had stomach surgery in recent months, ask your physio or doctor first. If you are pregnant, check with your midwife or physio before you start. If you have recently given birth, including by cesarean section, or you have a gap down the middle of your stomach muscles (diastasis recti), ask your physio, midwife or doctor first.

Written and checked by the PocketPhysio editorial team. Last updated 2026-09-28.

This page is general education, not a diagnosis or a personal treatment plan. If you have pain, an injury or a health condition, see a physiotherapist or doctor before starting new exercises.

Band trunk rotation hold