8 Resistance Band Arm Strengthening Exercises for Better Function and Less Pain

Arm strengthening exercises can be a game-changer for doing daily chores and tasks, maintaining your independence, and improving musculoskeletal (muscle and joint) health. Arm strength can impact your ability to perform everyday tasks — from opening a jar to lifting a grandchild. Strong, healthy arms can also support your posture, improve grip strength and bone health, and reduce your risk of many injuries. 

The following exercises recommended by Hinge Health physical therapists require nothing more than a resistance band and can be performed in short sessions throughout your day, making them ideal for busy schedules. Ready to get started? 

Interested in getting a personalized exercise therapy plan? Learn more about Hinge Health’s digital physical therapy programs and see if you’re eligible.

Adding Arm Strength Exercises to Your Routine

“Muscles need gradual and progressive strengthening to adapt and change,” says Katie Schaner, PT, DPT, a physical therapist at Hinge Health. That’s why it’s important to incorporate these arm strengthening exercises into your routine at least a few times a week. 

“If you only lift, say, when you carry groceries once a week, that’s probably not enough to create true muscle strength. By adding in just a few arm strengthening sessions per week, you’ll start to notice that the groceries feel lighter and other tasks get easier as your arms get stronger.” 

8 Arm Strengthening Exercises 

You will need a resistance band for the following exercises. You can buy these from a sporting goods store or an online store like Amazon or Target. Read more about the benefits of using resistance bands.

PT Tip: If you don’t have a resistance band, try holding a light weight, water bottle, or soup can for resistance instead.

“This exercise strengthens the biceps muscle, which crosses the elbow and shoulder joint on the front of your upper arm,” explains Dr. Schaner. “Strengthening these muscles makes it easier to lift and carry things like groceries, laundry, or kids.”

How to do it: 

• Start standing, then stretch a resistance band from your hand down to the bottom of your foot. Your arm should be straight and resting at your side. 

• Bend your elbow by moving your hand up toward your shoulder, stretching the band. 

• Lower your arm back down to your side.

This exercise strengthens the triceps muscle, which crosses the elbow and shoulder joint on the back of your upper arm (opposite muscle from your bicep). “Strengthening your triceps helps with a lot of daily activities, like when you push up out of a chair with your arms,” says Dr. Schaner. 

How to do it: 

• Start by standing to the side of a chair. 

• Stretch a resistance band from your target hand to the bottom of your foot, then bend over and place your other hand on the armrest or seat of the chair. 

• Bend the elbow on your target side and place it near the side of your chest. 

• Straighten your arm by extending your elbow to stretch the band. 

• Bend your elbow to return to the starting position. 

• PT Tip: Focus on keeping your elbow near the side of your chest throughout the exercise. 

Get more information on how to do a banded tricep extension.

This exercise strengthens the front of your shoulder and upper arm. “Think about doing tasks like putting away dishes in cupboards and reaching for high shelves in a closet. This exercise is going to help you do those things,” says Dr. Schaner. 

How to do it: 

• Stand on the center of a resistance band and hold the ends in each hand. Your arms should be by your sides with your thumbs pointing forward. 

• Lift your hands to about shoulder height, keeping your arms extended. Your thumbs should be pointing toward the ceiling at the top of the move. 

• Return to the starting position. 

• PT Tip: Make sure to breathe through the motion, and avoid letting your shoulders creep up toward your ears.

This exercise strengthens your outer shoulder and upper arm. Strengthening this area makes reaching out to your side easier. “You might not think about it much, but we do this motion frequently during the day, like when you reach to the passenger seat in your car, reach across a desk, or hand an object to someone else,” says Dr. Schaner. 

How to do it: 

• Anchor one end of a resistance band under your feet and hold the other end in the hand of your target arm. 

• Lift the arm that’s holding the band straight out to your side (to about shoulder height) while keeping your elbow extended. 

• Lower your arm back down to your side. 

• PT Tip: Be sure to sit up straight, and try not to lean to one side as you lift.

This strengthens your outer upper arm, which can help with tasks like pulling on a pair of pants and lifting things. “Choose a band that feels challenging, but that you don’t have to strain yourself to use,” says Dr. Schaner. “You should be able to breathe normally throughout the movement and keep your shoulders away from your ears.” 

How to do it: 

• With the middle of a resistance band under your feet, hold the ends of the band in each hand with your arms at your sides. 

• Bend your elbows out to the sides as you lift your hands up toward the bottom of your chin to stretch the band. 

• Lower your hands down to the starting position. 

This exercise targets your shoulder blades and the back of your arm muscles. “Your shoulder blades are essentially what connect your arms to the rest of your body. So it’s important to keep this area strong for optimal arm strength,” says Dr. Schaner. 

How to do it: 

• Secure a resistance band by opening a door, wrapping the band around the handle, and then closing the door. 

• Take a few steps back from the door with the ends of the band in each hand so your arms are straight and raised to about chest height. 

• Stretch the band by pulling your hands to the sides of your ribcage while your elbows bend. 

• Relax your arms back to the starting position. 

• PT Tip: Squeeze your shoulder blades together as you stretch the band to really engage your muscles. 

Get more information on how to do shoulder rows.

This exercise strengthens the forearm and wrist muscles that flex your wrist. Strengthening these muscles can help with tasks like pulling weeds and cleaning up around your home.

How to do it: 

• Sit in a chair and secure one end of a resistance band around the bottom of your foot, and the other end around your hand. Your palm will be facing the ceiling with your forearm resting on your thigh. 

• Keeping your forearm on your thigh, bend your wrist as you lift your hand toward the ceiling. 

• Relax your hand back toward the floor to return to the starting position.

This strengthens your forearm and wrist muscles that extend your wrist. “These muscles start in the elbow area, and then tendons go down into your wrist and hand. It’s important to strengthen these muscles for tasks like carrying a box or working on a computer,” explains Dr. Schaner. 

How to do it: 

• Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor and place the end of a resistance band under one foot.  

• Wrap the other end of the band around your hand and rest your forearm on your thigh, palm facing the floor. 

• Slowly lift your hand up toward the ceiling, extending your wrist. 

• Hold at the top, then relax back to the starting position.

Get more information on how to do a resisted wrist extension. 

The information contained in these videos is intended to be used for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice or treatment for any specific condition. Hinge Health is not your healthcare provider and is not responsible for any injury sustained or exacerbated by your use of or participation in these exercises. Please consult with your healthcare provider with any questions you may have about your medical condition or treatment.

Benefits of Arm Strengthening Exercises

• Enhanced grip strength. Strengthening your arms also helps strengthen your grip, which is essential for activities that involve lifting or holding objects. 

• Better posture. There’s no such thing as perfect posture, and you don’t need to sit up straight all day to have a healthy back. Strong arm muscles support your shoulders and upper back so you can move and change positions frequently and keep pain and stiffness at bay. 

• Increased bone density. Weight-bearing exercises — which include arm strengthening activities — are crucial for strengthening bones, avoiding fractures, and preventing the development of osteopenia and osteoporosis. This is important for men and women of all ages.

• Pain relief. Strengthening the muscles in your arms can alleviate pain associated with conditions like arthritis and tendonitis by reducing the strain on affected joints and improving overall function. “This makes it easier to do tasks, like vacuuming or yard work, with less fatigue,” says Dr. Schaner. 

• Injury prevention. By improving muscle balance and coordination, arm strengthening exercises can help prevent common injuries, such as rotator cuff tears and tennis elbow.

How Hinge Health Can Help You

If you have joint or muscle pain that makes it hard to move, you can get the relief you’ve been looking for with Hinge Health’s online exercise therapy program.

The best part: You don’t have to leave your home because our program is digital. That means you can easily get the care you need through our app, when and where it works for you.

Through our program, you’ll have access to therapeutic exercises and stretches for your condition. Additionally, you’ll have a personal care team to guide, support, and tailor our program to you.

See if you qualify for Hinge Health and confirm free coverage through your employer or benefit plan here.

This article and its contents are provided for educational and informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or professional services specific to you or your medical condition.

References 

1. Calik-Kutukcu, E., Arikan, H., Saglam, M., Vardar-Yagli, N., Oksuz, C., Inal-Ince, D., Savci, S., Duger, T., & Coplu, L. (2015). Arm strength training improves activities of daily living and occupational performance in patients with COPD. The Clinical Respiratory Journal, 11(6), 820–832. doi:10.1111/crj.12422

2. Sato, S., Yoshida, R., Murakoshi, F., Sasaki, Y., Yahata, K., Nosaka, K., & Nakamura, M. (2022). Effect of daily 3‐s maximum voluntary isometric, concentric or eccentric contraction on elbow flexor strength. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 32(5). doi:10.1111/sms.14138