Bands and Chains

[Worf]

Who uses bands and or chains in their training? What exercises are you using them on? How much tension/weight extra do you add? Do you like it? Do you feel that it helps on your comp lifts?

 

[LeoTC]

Who uses bands and or chains in their training? What exercises are you using them on? How much tension/weight extra do you add? Do you like it? Do you feel that it helps on your comp lifts?

Using bands quite a bit with cable movements actually, just to emphasize the contraction and negative. Blow me the hell up.

Use them for pre-hab shoulder work, and a good but of core work. I feel crunches more in the abdominals using heavy bands as I'm less likely to hinge at the hips. Way more efficient.

Also been using them to overload an extra set of Squats every second week. Get in some heavy work past failure. Also a big fan of banded Deadlifts and Good Mornings.

The one thing that kills me though? Years and years ago I was wrapping bands over my arms to assist with overloading my bench after a rotator cuff tear.

Mark Bell was actually at my gym to work with one of our guys. Super cool guy, by the way, really open go giving everyone advice and his time.

Nothing negative to say about him at all.

But about a year and a half later he launched the Slingshot.

Saw that and about shit myself. Lol.

 

[nukklehead]

Like the slingshot premise and have tried it but ruins my low groove bench press. Reverse band bench presses are one of my favorite exercises. Using 300 lbs as an example, use a heavy band (colors don't mean much anymore) work up to a max triples say 265 275 285. The next week 275 285 295 , the next week 275 290 300. Now that you hit your goal, you can use the same weight and repeat but back off to a lighter band so you are lifting more weight. Or the other option is leave a heavy band tension and increase the static weight. I like to play with the combination of the 2 and rep schemes. Now I pretty much just RPE it once you learn your weights etc. I do this for 2 or 3 ---3 week cycles then time to move on to different exercise for a while. I usually come back to these after about 4 weeks of floor presses, soto presses or whatever I think my weaknesses are and start the cycle again. Watch for overtraining as you spend a lot of time in the 100%+ range. Also it builds confidence that you can handle a heavier weight then your max coming out of the rack etc.
Furthermore its FUN!

 

[CAswole]

been using bands in the power rack for close grip floor press. Been doing good things for my lockout and pumps the fuck out of my tris

 

[koolio]

I started using overhead band benches back in 95...when using big blue bands and supporting 135 at chest level I found that whatever I could max for a single was almost exactly what I could max with a single ply inzer...for example, when I would go up to 455 for a single with overhead bands I could bench 440-450...I loved overhead band benching!...

 

[Ohiopower]

I use bands 2x a week. One bench move, One squat move and about 2x a month on deadlift. If my shoulders or knees are out of wack I don’t use bands I do reps 6x6 or 8x8. Even raw lifters need to do some speed work. I don’t use chains yet only cause I don’t have setup. I do 3 reps 8 to 12 sets 40 or 50% bar weight 25% band. Move the bar fast .8 to 1 Ms. Take 30 to 60 seconds between sets no more.

 

[Worf]

I use bands 2x a week. One bench move, One squat move and about 2x a month on deadlift. If my shoulders or knees are out of wack I don’t use bands I do reps 6x6 or 8x8. Even raw lifters need to do some speed work. I don’t use chains yet only cause I don’t have setup. I do 3 reps 8 to 12 sets 40 or 50% bar weight 25% band. Move the bar fast .8 to 1 Ms. Take 30 to 60 seconds between sets no more.

Havent tried using bands on squats yet. I like them on bench and deads, its a very different feeling.

 

[Ohiopower]

Use a box the first time.

 

[LeoTC]

Anyone short band plates onto the bar to simulate a bamboo bar?

Thought that shit was a joke until I tried it. Squatting three hanging plates and benching two had my core fucking on fire for the better part of two weeks.

And I work my core like a fucking madman.

Definitely. Not. A. Joke.

 

[Ohiopower]

Its really crazy on a bamboo bar. a 25 on each side is really good to start with for bench.

 

[LeoTC]

Its really crazy on a bamboo bar. a 25 on each side is really good to start with for bench.

Tried OHP for shits and giggles, couldn't get past the quarters. Lol.

Benching got rough at one and a quarter. The deuce was murder, didn't think I'd ever think I'd ever need a spot for 225.

 

[Worf]

Anyone short band plates onto the bar to simulate a bamboo bar?

Thought that shit was a joke until I tried it. Squatting three hanging plates and benching two had my core fucking on fire for the better part of two weeks.

And I work my core like a fucking madman.

Definitely. Not. A. Joke.

I've used kettle bells, it doesn't take much

 

[Worf]

Use a box the first time.

I did these today for DE. Just used the red mini's on top of 185. what a burner.

 

[Ohiopower]

Its not the weight as much as keeping bar speed up on DE days.

 

[Worf]

Its not the weight as much as keeping bar speed up on DE days.

which gets very demanding with the bands. I can definitely accelerate the weight when theres no band tension, clanking plates etc. The band tension really makes me have to earn it.