When it comes to upper-body exercises, you may discover that most focus on the “mirror muscles” (if it wasn’t obvious, these are the muscles you see when you stand in front of the mirror) — think: your biceps, chest, and abs. But neglecting the muscles you need to look back at — in your upper body, that can often mean the large muscles in your back, your rear deltoids, triceps, and transverse abdominis, which encircles your entire core — is setting you up for muscular imbalances, not to mention poor posture.

With a little dedication and repetition, this back and shoulders workout from Sweat strength training pro Kelsey Wells, will help you stand up straighter, improve the muscle definition in your back and shoulders, and increase your overall upper-body strength.

The best part: All you need is a resistance band to get the job done. The advantages of using a resistance band for your strength training exercises are many: You can do the workout anywhere. Bands offer a low-impact alternative to using free weights. Plus, you can increase the resistance or tension just by shortening the band (either by folding it in half or gripping it tauter).

“When it comes to strength training, resistance bands are an easy and effective piece of equipment you can utilize to add additional load to your exercises without using weights,” says Wells. (P.S. You can also use resistance bands to fake heavier weights with this genius hack.)

The below back and shoulders workout from Wells includes an activation to engage your upper body, a superset to help build strength in the back and shoulders, and a circuit to get the heart rate up through targeted exercises.

SWEAT

20-Minute Back and Shoulders Workout

How it works: Perform 3-5 minutes of a light warm-up to awaken your muscles and get your heart pumping

(Try running in position or performing leaping jacks.)

Next, you’ll perform four minutes of the initiation exercises followed by three complete rounds of the paired set, taking 30 seconds of rest between each round of the paired set.

Then, you’ll do three complete rounds of the circuit — taking 30 seconds of rest between each round of the circuit.

Finally, you’ll engage in a cool down with 3-5 minutes of walking or static stretching to decrease your heart rate.

You’ll require: a moderate-weight, elongated, open-ended resistance band (Buy It, $13, amazon.com) and a yoga mat (Buy It, $20, originally $30, amazon.com) for comfort.

Activation

X-Plank

1. Commence in high plank position with hands under shoulders and legs extended, forming a straight line from head to heels.
2. Inhale, stabilizing through the core, lift hips and reach left hand toward right foot (or as far as possible).
3. Exhale to lower hips and place left hand on the mat to return to the starting position. That constitutes one repetition.
4. Repeat with the opposite hand. Continue alternating sides.

Sprawl

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart with toes turned slightly outward. Lower into a squat, bending at the hips and knees until the quads are parallel to the floor, ensuring the knees remain aligned with the toes and the back remains within 45-90 degrees of the hips to begin.
2. Inhale to place hands on the mat between the feet, ensuring the spine remains neutral. Jump both feet backward so the legs are fully extended, moving into a plank position, resting on the balls of the feet. The body should be in a straight line from head to heels.
3. Exhale to jump the feet forward outside the hands, ensuring the feet are wider than the shoulders and the feet are slightly turned outward. Release the hands from the mat and raise the torso to return to the starting position.

Repeat the initiation exercises for a total of 4 minutes.

Superset

Standing Shoulder Press with Resistance Band

1. Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, with the center of the resistance band under both feet.
• Grasp the edge of the band in front of the shoulders with a grip where the palms are facing away from the body to begin.
• Take a breath in. Breathe out while straightening the elbows and pushing the band directly over the head. Prevent any “shrugging” by pulling the shoulder blades down and back.
• When the arms are completely stretched out, breathe in and bend the elbows to bring the band down to the chest and return to the starting position.

Perform 12 repetitions.

Row with Resistance Band while Bent Over

1. Stand with feet positioned shoulder-width apart, place the middle of the resistance band underneath both feet, and grasp the ends of the band in each hand. While keeping a slight bend in the knees, hinge forward at the hips so that the torso is parallel to the floor. Extend the arms directly below the chest, holding the band with a neutral grip (palms facing inward) as a starting position.
2. Inhale. Exhale and flex the elbows to pull the ends of the band towards the lower ribs, ensuring that the elbows stay close to the sides of the body and squeezing the shoulder blades.
3. Inhale, and extend the elbows to return to the starting position.

Perform 12 repetitions.

Complete a total of 3 rounds of the superset. Rest for 30 seconds between each round.

Circuit

Raise the Band from Side to Front

1. Stand with feet together, placing the middle of the resistance band underneath both feet. With the arms hanging down by the sides, hold one end of the band in each hand with a neutral grip (palms facing inward) to begin.
2. Inhale. While maintaining a slight bend in the elbows, exhale and raise the ends of the band outward and upward to shoulder height. As they reach shoulder height, move the arms forward directly in front of the chest, making sure to retract the shoulder blades down and back.
3. Extend the arms out to the sides until they are in line with the shoulders once again.
4. Inhale, and slowly lower the band to the sides to return to the starting position.

Repeat for 30 seconds.

Perform the Bent-Over Reverse Fly

1. Stand with feet together, placing the middle of the resistance band underneath both feet. While keeping a slight bend in the knees, hinge forward from the hips so that the torso is parallel to the floor. Extend the arms directly below the chest, holding one end of the band in each hand with a neutral grip (palms facing inward). This will be your starting position.
2. Inhale. While maintaining a slight bend in the elbows, exhale and pull the ends of the band outward and upward until the arms are in line with the shoulders, palms facing down, and squeezing the shoulder blades at the top.
3. Inhale, and gently lower the band to return to the starting position.

Repeat for 30 seconds.

Perform the Seated Row

1. While seated on the mat, extend both legs forward with the feet together and flexed. Wrap the middle of the band around the bottom of both feet, and hold one end of the band in each hand.
2. Sit tall and retract the shoulder blades down and back. Extend the arms forward, and hold the ends of the band with a neutral grip (palms facing inward) as a starting position.
3. Inhale. Exhale and bend the elbows backward to increase tension in the band, ensuring that the elbows stay close to the sides of the body and squeezing the shoulder blades.
4. Inhale, and extend the elbows to return to the starting position.

Repeat for 30 seconds.

Complete a total of 3 rounds of the circuit. Rest for 30 seconds between each round.

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