Tiny But Mighty

Training your rotator cuffisn’t just for injury prevention — it also can give your upper back defi nition and help improve pressing and pulling strength as well as deceleration capacity.

- Erin Calderone

FORM: SINGLE ARM STRAIGHT ARMBAND PULL DOWN

Four little muscles make up the rotator cuff that surrounds each scapula: the supraspinatus, infraspinatus and teres minor on the posterior, and the subscapularis on the anterior. Though the prime movers for shoulder extension are actually the teres major and larger back muscles, the infraspinatus and teres minor help keep the head of the humerus in place as you move your arm down past your torso. Straight-arm pulldowns train this action without the assistance of your biceps and will give you killer definition on either side of your racer-back tank.

Anchor a resistance band at shoulder height or slightly above, and stand with your feet hip-width apart facing the anchor. Keep your knees slightly bent and your core engaged to avoid tipping forward or using momentum.

Hold one handle with your palm down and your arm at shoulder height, then step away from the anchor. A band provides variable resistance, meaning there is less tension at the top than at the end range of motion, so play with your distance from the anchor to find that sweet spot.