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Exercise library · Abs

Band pallof press

Trunk rotation for the abs with a resistance band.

How to do it

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Stand side-on to the band anchor

  1. Starting position

    Stand sideways to the band anchor, place your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the band at your chest with both hands.

  2. The movement

    Press your hands straight forward, keep your torso still and then return your hands slowly to your chest.

Most common mistake

Don't rotate your torso toward the band, keep your hips and shoulders facing straight ahead throughout the movement.

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Muscle group
Abs
Equipment
Resistance band
Where
Home or gym
Logged as
Reps

Muscles worked

The band wants to twist your upper body towards the anchor, and your job is not to let it. The obliques and the deep transversus abdominis carry most of the load, helped by the rectus abdominis and the muscles around your hips that keep your pelvis still. The hardest moment is when your arms are straight, because the band then pulls on your hands far from your body and has a longer lever to twist you with.

Common mistakes

  • The band is slack at your chest. Stand too close to the anchor and there is no tension until your arms are halfway out. Step sideways away from the anchor until you feel a clear pull at your chest.
  • Your hands drift towards the anchor. It is easy to press at an angle, so the band loses leverage. Press straight out from your breastbone, so your hands finish right in front of you.
  • The anchor is at the wrong height. If the band is fixed much higher or lower than your chest, it pulls you up or down at an angle. Fix it at chest height so the band runs level to your hands.

Variations and alternatives

  • The pallof press is the cable version in the gym, where the resistance goes up one weight step at a time.
  • The band woodchopper also uses a band but lets your trunk rotate instead of resisting.
  • The side plank needs no equipment at all and fits well in the same session.

Sets and reps

Eight to twelve reps per side are enough for most people, in two to three sets, pausing for two seconds when your arms are straight. You can also press out and hold for 15 to 30 seconds per side. Read more about planning the session in the guide to sets and reps.

Distance from the anchor, band strength and how you stand are three ways to make the exercise harder. With your feet together or one knee on the floor, your base gets smaller and your trunk works harder. Note which band you used and how far from the anchor you stood, so you can compare session to session, which is what progressive overload is built on.

Swap for

Taken, or missing the equipment? The same movement with something else.

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