Shoulders · Band

Loop Band Single-Arm Archer Pull

Draw the bow and rip the rear delts.

Loop Band Single-Arm Archer Pull exercise demonstration
ShouldersBand

How to do it

  1. Anchor a band at about chin height and grip it with one hand, arm extended, no slack.
  2. Pull the band back by driving your elbow out to the side at shoulder height.
  3. Squeeze your shoulder blade and rear delt at full pull.
  4. Return under control to the start, then switch sides after your reps.

The one cue that matters

Lead with the elbow like drawing a bow and keep your front arm long and steady.

Muscles worked

Drawing the band back like a bowstring, one arm anchored long in front while the other drives the elbow out at shoulder height, puts the rear delt through a strong horizontal pull with a hard squeeze at full draw. Working one side at a time means the pulling shoulder gets full attention while the front arm works quietly to hold the anchor steady. It's a sharp answer to the rear delt neglect built into most pressing-heavy training, and the archery position makes the target muscle almost impossible to miss.

FAQ

What muscles does the archer pull work?

The rear delt at the back of the pulling shoulder does the main work, driving the elbow back at shoulder height. The front arm isn't passive either, it holds the band steady against the draw, but the training effect lands on the pulling side.

Archer pull vs face pull, which should I do?

Both live in the same family. The face pull works both shoulders at once with two hands and more upper-back squeeze, the archer pull isolates one side and lets you focus range and effort on a lagging rear delt. Alternating them covers the territory.

Why does my front arm collapse during archer pulls?

The band tension is beating your holding arm. Keep that arm long with a firm shoulder, like holding a bow steady, and reduce the tension until the anchor arm can stay still for the full set.

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