| You watch the big guy on the other side of the | | | | far in typical weight exercises. They are basically |
| gym literally blast 400 pounds off his chest. You | | | | just giant rubber bands, so the ends are |
| mumble to your training partner, "He must be | | | | convenient to attach to the end of a barbell. They |
| taking something to move that much weight so | | | | come in different widths, with the larger widths |
| fast." To your surprise your training partner tells | | | | providing more tension. You can order them |
| you, "No man, he's clean." I used to think the | | | | directly at |
| same way about some lifters until Bob Youngs | | | | If you're like most guys, then you're just a big kid |
| and other Westside devotees introduced me to | | | | at heart. When the bands first come, you'll |
| band training. Now it's the other guys in the gym | | | | probably want to do every single exercise known |
| who are saying that I must be taking something, | | | | to man in the first workout, but hold back young |
| and if you follow the ideas in this article, they'll be | | | | grasshopper. First let's cover how to hook up the |
| saying the same thing about you. | | | | bands. There are lots of exercises that you can |
| Early Exposure | | | | do with them, but this article will cover |
| I first read about training with bands on various | | | | suggestions for two common movements: the |
| email groups and then I was fortunate to learn a | | | | squat and the bench press. In both cases you |
| little more about them through Mel Siff's | | | | want to set up one or more bands on each side |
| Supertraining list. I was curious as to why so | | | | of the bar running perpendicular to the ground and |
| many big and strong guys were hooking up giant | | | | directly under the bar at the start position. If the |
| rubber bands to Olympic bars and lifting weights | | | | bands are not set properly then one side may |
| with them. However it wasn't until I started | | | | have more tension then the other and as a result |
| training with some guys from Westside Barbell | | | | the bar may move towards one side as the lifter |
| that I really found out how to use bands | | | | performs an exercise. Most guys take a block of |
| effectively. Now I add them into my training at | | | | wood about 4" x 4" x 12-16" long and place a 2" |
| certain stages when I want to emphasize | | | | x 4" x 4" block on each end of one side. The |
| explosive strength. | | | | blocks rest on the ground with the 2" x 4" |
| Limitations with Traditional Weight Training | | | | sections touching the floor and the 4" x 4" section |
| Most guys go into the gym and just lift weights | | | | on top. You can make grooves on the top side of |
| without a real plan of attack. Over time they | | | | the 4" x 4" section so that two heavy dumbbells |
| make some progress, but eventually they hit a | | | | can rest in them. Now you have a stable base to |
| plateau. Amazingly they stick with the same | | | | attach a band to. You simply loop the band around |
| program even though they are no longer getting | | | | the block and then through the other end of the |
| any results. Other guys may cycle their training to | | | | band. Then take the open end and hook it up to |
| some degree by starting out with sets of ten | | | | the barbell. Make sure to have someone hold the |
| reps and then increasing the weight each workout | | | | center of the bar to prevent it from falling off an |
| while they drop the number of reps. Ultimately | | | | upright. If you are squatting or benching in a |
| this approach can also lead to frustrating plateaus. | | | | power rack and there are crossbeams at the |
| It's clear that there is a need to do something | | | | bottom, you may be able to hook the bands to |
| different, but most guys just don't know what | | | | them as well. You can determine the tension |
| else to do. I'm going to give you another strategy | | | | generated by the bands by placing a scale under |
| that can expand your training horizons. It's called | | | | the bar at the bottom and top positions of a |
| band training and it's not easy, but the results are | | | | movement. Just be sure to deduct the weight of |
| worth the efforts. Performing a bench press or | | | | the bar and anything else you use on top of the |
| squat with band resistance requires that you | | | | scale. |
| move very fast or you may not be able to | | | | Sample Workout Routines |
| perform the full range of motion. Band training | | | | A popular strategy is to do 8 sets of 3 reps of a |
| also addresses a safety issue that one must | | | | particular exercise with the bands. Research |
| consider when training with free weights. Normally | | | | indicates that the optimal load for generating |
| when you try to accelerate the bar in an exercise | | | | mechanical power can vary from 30-60% of the |
| like the squat or bench press, you have to slow | | | | maximal weight lifted for that movement. Most |
| down at some point before full extension of your | | | | guys arbitrarily use 45-50% of their maximum |
| knee or elbow. If you don't, you run the risk of | | | | bench press or squat. A better strategy would be |
| hyperextending the joint or causing injury. When | | | | to find out your optimal load on an individual basis. |
| you attach one end of a band to a fixed object | | | | You can do this by going to a human |
| and the other end to a bar, you create a situation | | | | performance lab at your local university, hooking |
| where as you are lifting the weight, the force | | | | up a device such as an accelerometer to the bar, |
| required to complete the movement increases. | | | | or even timing the speed of a rep using a |
| This allows you to move the bar in a squat or | | | | stopwatch. It all boils down to using the best |
| bench press as fast as possible with a reduced | | | | combination of force (weight + band tension) and |
| risk of hyperextending the knee or elbow | | | | velocity to yield maximal power. If you |
| because as your mechanical advantage increases | | | | consistently strive to improve your power for a |
| in the movement, the tension in the band | | | | given movement, you will develop explosiveness |
| increases. | | | | that everyone will envy. Here is a bench cycle |
| Selecting and Using Bands | | | | that you will use for 7 weeks. You should know |
| There are all kinds of elastic products available | | | | your maximum bench press (1 RM) in order to |
| including bungee cords, elastic tubes, and elastic | | | | calculate the loads to use. This program tells you |
| bands. The bungee cords are inexpensive but | | | | what to do just for the bench press exercise. |
| they do not stretch as far as the other products. | | | | You can perform one other chest movement in |
| You can attach them in series to get more range, | | | | the same workout and one other triceps |
| but this can be awkward. The elastic tubes are | | | | movement. The second chest workout of the |
| not always convenient to attach. In my | | | | week you can perform other chest exercises. On |
| experience using all of the above, I found the | | | | your band bench workouts always try to move |
| elastic bands worked the best. They can be | | | | the weights as fast as possible. At the end of the |
| stretched many times their original length so you | | | | last workout, try a new max bench. You should |
| won't have to worry about stretching them too | | | | see a major increase. |