# Upper-Body Primer Before Lifting

A short band warmup for the shoulders, upper back, and chest before pressing or pulling work.

- URL: https://formaroutines.com/routines/upper-body-primer-before-lifting/
- Duration: About 3 min
- Admin slug: upper-body-primer-before-lifting

## Before you start

Move gently and stop if you feel sharp pain, dizziness, numbness, or symptoms that feel unsafe. This routine is general fitness guidance, not medical care.

## Exercises

### 1. Band High Face Pull

1 set · 12 reps · 20s rest

Pull to the face with the elbows high. Keep the tension light — this is a primer, not a working set.

#### Steps
- Anchor a band at slightly above eye level and grip both ends with your palms facing the floor.
- Step back until the band has tension at full arm extension and stand tall with your feet shoulder-width.
- Pull both hands toward your face, leading with your elbows and keeping them at or above shoulder height.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the end of the pull, feeling the rear delts and mid-back engage.
- Slowly return to the starting position over 2 to 3 seconds, keeping tension on the band the whole time.
- Repeat for 12 to 20 reps, prioritizing a clean squeeze over heavy band tension.

#### Cues
- Elbows high.
- Pull to the face.
- Squeeze upper back.

#### Common mistakes
- Letting the elbows drop below shoulder height, which turns the movement into a row and skips the rear delts.
- Pulling with the biceps instead of the elbows, leaving the upper back understimulated.
- Using too heavy a band so form breaks down — light tension with clean reps beats heavy ugly reps here.
- Shrugging the shoulders up to the ears at the end of the pull, loading the traps instead of the rear delts.

### 2. Band Row

1 set · 12 reps · 20s rest

Pull the band to your waist and lead with the elbows. Let the shoulder blades travel back rather than shrugging up.

#### Steps
- Anchor a band at chest height and grip both handles with arms straight out in front of you.
- Step back until the band has tension at full extension and stand tall with feet shoulder-width apart.
- Pull both handles toward your ribs, keeping your elbows tucked close to your sides.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the end of the pull, feeling the mid-back engage.
- Slowly return your hands forward over 2 to 3 seconds, fighting the band's pull the whole way.
- Repeat for 10 to 15 reps, prioritizing the squeeze at the back rather than the speed of the pull.

#### Cues
- Lead with elbows.
- Blades back.
- No shrug.

#### Common mistakes
- Letting the elbows flare out wide — keeps the lats out of the lift and loads the rear delts only.
- Leaning back to use bodyweight instead of pulling cleanly with the back.
- Shrugging the shoulders up at the end of the pull, swapping mid-back work for trap engagement.
- Snapping the band back forward and skipping the eccentric, where most of the muscle-building tension lives.

### 3. Incline Push Up

1 set · 8 reps · 25s rest

Hands on a counter, desk, or wall. Lower with control and keep the body in one long line.

#### Steps
- Place your hands on a bench or sturdy box, slightly wider than shoulder-width, with arms straight.
- Walk your feet back until your body forms a long line from your head to your heels.
- Brace your core and squeeze your glutes so your hips don't sag or lift through the rep.
- Lower your chest toward the bench by bending your elbows at about a 45-degree angle from your torso.
- Stop just before your chest touches the bench, then press through your palms back to the start.
- Lock out the arms at the top with your shoulder blades spread, then start the next rep.

#### Cues
- Body stays long.
- Lower with control.
- Shoulders stay away from ears.

#### Common mistakes
- Flaring the elbows out wide, which strains the front shoulders and reduces chest engagement.
- Letting the hips sag toward the bench, which removes core tension and overloads the lower back.
- Cutting the range short by lowering only halfway, which skips the deepest chest work.
- Looking up and craning the neck instead of keeping the head in line with the spine.