Body Coach's Corner: Standing Double Arm Row | TB12

Welcome to the TB12 Body Coach's Corner! Here in The Body Coach’s Corner, we’ll be answering questions that we hear from clients here at the TB12 Sports Therapy Center and on our social media channels. You’ll meet our Body Coaches and they’ll share knowledge that will help you feel and perform your best.

To complete this exercise you will need a resistance band, ideally one of the handle bands, which can be securely fastened to an anchor point. Before starting, attach one end of the band to the anchor at chest height.

To start the exercise, grab one handle in each hand and take three to four steps away from the anchor, so there is a moderate amount of tension on the band. Facing the anchor, get into an athletic position, with your feet hip-width apart, your hips flexed to 60 degrees, your knees flexed to 15 degrees, your shoulders back, your head and neck in a neutral spine position, and your stomach tight.

Prior to the movement pattern, you’ll want to “set your shoulders.” Failing to do this is a common mistake, since people tend to shrug their shoulders during this movement. That changes the emphasis of this exercise, and makes it more counter-productive than anything else. Instead, we want to depress and retract our shoulder blades; in other words, try to stick each shoulder blade in your opposite back pocket.

To perform the exercise, explosively pull or “row” both hands toward your body so that at the end of the movement, your elbows are at 90 degrees and your shoulders are slightly extended. Pinch your shoulders together at the end of this contraction, making sure not to shrug, then return your hands to the starting position. Repeat. The focus for this exercise is to maintain a strong core and good shoulder posture throughout the movement pattern. Always remember: form first.