The first thing most people think about when they hear the phrase "band training" are those thin, aerobic-class/rehab bands...basically a long sheet of latex rubber.
It's time for a new perspective on band training that will shatter that thought forever!
Recently, I started reading a LOT about the training techniques of top powerlifters...the guys who squat in the 1000 lb+ range, bench 600+, and deadlift 700+. NOT your average lifters, to be sure. But my focus in reading about their techniques was not to try and put up huge numbers like that.
Because believe me, I've got TREMENDOUS respect for the dedication and raw power these men and women possess. I know what kind of training (and eating!) it takes to get to that level.
My purpose in learning their techniques was to be able to apply that information for YOU! Basically, what can the best techniques of the top lifters in the world do for YOUR squat and YOUR bench press?
So what IS the single best technique I can pass onto you that will have the biggest impact on your lifting?
That's easy...band training. And that's where the training bands come in.
Why is band training so good?
Right now, I want you to picture yourself doing a barbell bench press. You lift the bar off the racks, lower it to your chest, then press it back up to the top. It's a movement you've done plenty of times.
But here's the kicker...when you train with just a barbell, the amount of weight you can lift for the entire exercise depends completely on how much weight you can lift at the WEAKEST POINT in the range of motion.
In a nutshell, with "normal" weight training and a full range of motion, your ultimate strength levels (and muscular development) are based solely on how much you can lift at your weakest, NOT your strongest points in your lifts.
It means you're NOT training to your muscle's full potential!
One of the major benefits of band training is that it fixes that strength curve problem instantly and VERY effectively.
When you add bands to the mix, you immediately change the strength curve of the exercise.
[A strength curve is basically a gauge of how much resistance a muscle is able to move at a given point in an exercises range of motion. For example, when doing the bench press, your muscles have better leverage near the top (making you able to move more weight near the the top) and worse leverage near the bottom (making you able to move less weight near the bottom). The graph of this change in leverage is known as a strength curve and it can be charted for any exercise.]
In practical terms, adding bands to an exercise means that you're no longer limited...
