The resistance band row is a pull. You stand facing a band fixed in front of you and draw your elbows back, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the end. It works the muscles between and around the shoulder blades (rhomboids and middle trapezius) and shows up in many shoulder, neck and posture programs.

How to do the resistance band row

Fix the middle of the band to something sturdy in front of you at about waist height. Hold one end in each hand.
Stand tall facing the anchor, with your elbows bent and your hands in front of you at waist height. Step back until the band is slightly tight.
Pull your elbows straight back, close to your sides, until your hands reach the sides of your waist.
At the end of the pull, squeeze your shoulder blades together. Your back stays straight and your chest does not move.
Let your hands travel forward again slowly to the start, controlling the band the whole way.

What you should feel

Work between and around the shoulder blades and at the back of the shoulders, not in the neck.

Common mistakes

Leaning back to help the pull. Only your arms and shoulder blades should move.
Hitching the shoulders up toward your ears.
Letting the band yank your arms forward on the way back.

How often

Many programs start with 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15, once a day or every other day. A lighter band done well beats a heavy one that makes you lean back. Your physio will adjust this to you.

Stop and check with your physio if

Pulling gives you a sharp pain or a catching feeling in the shoulder.
You notice tingling or pain spreading down an arm.
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.
A sudden pop or tearing feeling in the shoulder that brings sharp pain, new weakness or trouble lifting the arm. Stop and contact your surgical team the same day, or get medical advice the same day if you have not had surgery.
The shoulder feels as if it has slipped out of place, looks a different shape or suddenly locks so you cannot move the arm, or your hand turns cold, pale or blue. Go to an emergency department straight away, without driving yourself, and do not try to put the shoulder back in yourself.
Chest pain or pressure, dizziness or feeling faint, a racing or irregular heartbeat, or being far more out of breath than the effort should cause.
A sudden pop or snap at the front of your elbow, sudden sharp pain there, or the muscle at the front of your upper arm bunches up or changes shape. Stop and go to an urgent care center or emergency department the same day, even if you can still bend the elbow, as this can be a torn biceps tendon.

From the clinic

Think of the pull starting from the shoulder blades, with the arms following. People who lead by bending the elbows often end up doing a biceps exercise and feel very little between the shoulder blades.

There is also a seated version, sitting on a mat with your legs out straight and the band looped around your feet. The movement is the same. The band pull-apart works much the same area with straight arms.

Look the band over for nicks or small tears before each session, and give the anchor a firm tug to be sure it will not slip. A band that snaps back can hit you. After shoulder surgery, including a rotator cuff repair, or after a shoulder fracture or dislocation, follow your surgeon's or physio's plan, and do only the movements and range they have cleared. Many plans allow only passive movement at first, where the arm is moved for you and its muscles stay relaxed. Banded rows are not usually an early exercise after shoulder surgery, so ask when you can add them.

After a broken or dislocated elbow, or elbow surgery such as a tendon repair, follow your surgeon's or physio's plan, and start this exercise only when they have cleared you. If you have just hurt your arm and have severe pain, cannot move the elbow or heard a snap, do not exercise it. Go to an urgent care center or emergency department the same day. If the arm looks a different shape or sits at an odd angle, a bone is showing, or your arm or hand tingles, feels numb or turns cold, pale or blue, go to an emergency department straight away or call emergency services, and do not drive yourself.

If chest pain, pressure or tightness does not ease quickly when you rest, spreads to your arm, neck, jaw, stomach or back, or comes with sweating, feeling sick, feeling light-headed or being short of breath, call emergency services straight away, as this can be a heart attack. If it eases quickly and none of these happen, get medical advice the same day, and do not exercise again until you have been checked. If you faint while exercising, call emergency services, even if you feel fine again quickly.

Reviewed by the PocketPhysio by VirtueLife expert physiotherapy team. Last reviewed 2026-09-25.

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.

Resistance band row