Thera-Band Exercises for Upper Extremities

Whether you're exercising to tone and build your arm muscles or you're recovering from an injury, resistance bands can be used to perform many upper-extremity exercises. These inexpensive and versatile training aids can easily be taken with your while traveling and are perfect for the at-home gym. The bands come in several tensions (usually indicated by color)-- start with one appropriate to your strength level. The classic Thera-Band is a stretchable band. Variations now available include tubing with hand grips at each end. To perform some of the following exercises, the band must be "anchored", often by stepping on it or using an available anchor point.

Forearm Exercises

Two classic exercises used to work your forearm muscles are the wrist flexion and extension. These are also called the wrist curl and reverse curl. The wrist flexion targets your inner forearm muscles while the wrist extension exercise targets your outer forearm muscles.

Upper Arm Exercises

The muscles at the front of your upper arm, your biceps, can be targeted with resistance band biceps curls. Biceps curls can be performed one arm at a time or both together. To focus the muscles at the back of your upper arm, your triceps, perform resistance band triceps extensions or kickbacks.

Shoulder Exercises

Many resistance band exercises are available to target the muscles of your shoulders. To work the anterior deltoids, the muscles at the front of your shoulders, perform front deltoid raises, deltoid rows or the military or shoulder press. To focus on the muscles at the back of your shoulders, the posterior deltoids, perform bent over rear deltoid raises, bent over rear deltoid flyes or the standing rear deltoid exercise.