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BAND
TRAINING FOR
LIFTERS
BY
JACK HANRAHAN, CSCS
© 2020 All Rights Reserved by Jack Hanrahan Fitness Ltd
info@jackhanrahanfitness.com
www.jackhanrahanfitness.com
INTRODUCTION
R
esistance bands. They’re cheap, lightweight and up
until recently - easy to access. You probably think
they serve little purpose outside of rehabbing a
rotator cuff tear. But In actual fact, resistance bands are a
highly versatile tool that can load your muscles in unique
ways.
But not all band training is created equal and most people
are not using them to their fullest potential.
Band Facepulls
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This is a pre-bench press staple. Band facefulls do a great
job of priming the shoulder stabilizers which helps to
ensure solid form and pain-free pressing.
Band-resisted Push-ups
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Few exercises, if any, give you more bang for your buck
than Push-Ups (performed well). Adding band resistance is
the easiest way to progressively overload the movement as
you become stronger (by moving from a light band to a
thicker band). This is a potent exercise to build pressing
strength and muscle.
Chaos Pull-Ups
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Ok. So I'm kind of sticking this in here to show off. But
seriously, there are a whole bunch of awesome (and
advanced) exercise options under the ‘chaos’ umbrella.
‘Chaos’ refers to the unstable surface of the band, which
skyrockets the stability demands and makes exercises
significantly more challenging.
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The Romanian Deadlift. Arguably the king of lower body
exercises to build a strong posterior chain (entire back-line,
glutes and hamstrings). Adding band resistance has
additional benefi ts too. Due to the accommodating
resistance of the bands, the load is lighter in the bottom
position and gradually increases as you lock-out at the top.
This more closely matches the natural human strength
curve and puts less strain through the low back.
Dynamic Effort Method (Bench / Squat / Deadlift)
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1RM load and
performing very
explosive reps with a
set/rep scheme such
as 8x3 or 10x2. Due to
the unique
accommodating
resistance of bands
and chains in addition
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to lighter loads, this
method is highly
effective at building
explosive power and
maximal strength. I
won’t get into the
specifics here. I just
wanted to highlight
this along with the
previous examples to
demonstrate how broad the applications of band training
can be for lifters and serious gym goers.
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2.
THE LIMITATIONS OF BANDS TRAINING
Bands can generate huge amounts of resistance, ranging
anywhere from 5lb up to a whopping 200lb depending on
the thickness. But it’s important to remember that most of
the resistance occurs when they are stretched close to end
capacity. They cannot provide a steady resistance through
a full range of motion.
The most versatile bands (IMO) are the 41” bands that
typically go by the name ‘superbands’ or ‘monsterbands’.
You can buy singles or pairs, which will afford you more
exercise options.
4.
TECHNIQUES TO SUPERCHARGE YOUR
TRAINING
Due to the limitations of band resistance, we have to be
smart about manipulating training variables to get the best
use out of them. Here are 5 techniques that do just that:
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Quick Tempo Reps
Going at a slightly faster speed than usual will keep
continuous tension on the target musculature and prevent
any ‘rest’ when the bands are slackened and provide
minimal resistance.
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A good example of this method in action is lateral raises,
shown here with a 2 second concentric and 2 second
eccentric phase for 10 reps - that’s 40 seconds of pure fire
for your delts.
This works especially well with back training. Take rows. The
band resistance is highest when the muscles are in the fully
shortened, contracted position. Emphasizing this position
with a slight pause or a longer hold is therefore going to
maximise muscular tension.
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5.
THE ESSENTIAL EXERCISES
Squat Pattern
The squat pattern primarily targets muscles of the thigh
(quads, glutes and hamstrings), core and low back spinal
erectors. Both bilateral and unilateral squat variations are
included. Each variation will target the muscles in a unique
way, meaning they all have their respective advantages and
limitations. To reap all the potential gains, cycle different
squats at different times in your program.
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Band Split Squats
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Band Bulgarian Split Squats
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Band Reverse Lunges
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Band Back Squats
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Band Zercher Squats
Hinge Pattern
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Band Kickstand RDL
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Band Single Leg RDL
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Band Good Mornings
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Band Deadlifts
Push Pattern
The push pattern targets the ‘pushing’ muscles like the
pecs, shoulders and triceps. The upper back is also heavily
recruited to stabilize the shoulder girdle. Both horizontal
and vertical plane exercise options are included. To keep
muscles well balanced, it’s good to use a mix of both.
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Band Push ups
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Band Chest Press
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Band Chest Fly’s
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Band Tall Kneeling Overhead Press
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Band ½ Kneeling Overhead Press
Pull Pattern
The pull pattern targets the ‘pulling’ muscles like the lats,
rhomboids traps, biceps. Both are important for muscular
balance, but go to town on rows! They will boost your
bench by building a strong foundation, they will also
improve your posture and keep your shoulders healthy.
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Band Seated Rows (Close Grip)
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Band Seated Rows (Wide Grip)
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Band Single Arm Rows
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Band High Pull
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Band Straight Arm Pulldowns
6.
BONUS EXERCISES
Isolation Exercises
I often say “you’ve got to earn your bro time”. Train the
patterns first and foremost, as those movements will give
you the best bang for the buck. You can then tack on some
isolation work for the muscles you would like to build or
consider to be weak links:
Glutes
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Band Glute Bridge
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Band B-Stance Glute Bridge
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X-Band Walks
Biceps
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Band Supinated Curls
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Band Pronated Curls
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Band Kickstand Hammer Curls
Triceps
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Band Tall Kneeling Overhead Extensions
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Band ½ Kneeling Overhead Extensions
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Band Pushdowns
Shoulders
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Band Pull-aparts
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Band Facepulls
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Band Lateral Raises
Core Exercises
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Band Deadbug (level2)
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Band Standing Palloff Press
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Band Tall Kneeling Palloff Press - Overhead
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Band Anti-Rotation Chop
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Band Suitcase Hold
7.
WORKOUTS
- If you plan to strength train 1-3 times per week, full body
workouts are the best way to go.
B1 Hinge: RDL
C1 Shoulder: Laterals
C2 Shoulder: Pull-Aparts
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