The Many Uses of Bands in a Training Program
March 6, 2012 by danny · 5 Comments
Last week I mentioned in this blogpost that I’d be putting up a video of me performing many different exercises with the use of bands. Bands are a great tool to include in your toolbox. They take up very little space and you can travel with them when vacationing (or while on a business trip). If you put a TRX strap and some bands in your luggage, you could get a full workout in with no problem. I got my TRX straps and bands from Perform Better. Just click on the Perform Better link down and to the right and it’ll take you right to their website. Put “Superbands” in the search engine… I suggest getting a 1/2″ and 1″ band to get you started.
While the video below doesn’t include every band exercise imaginable, I did include quite a few. Hopefully it gives you some great ideas. As you’ll see, the bands can be used to add resistance to an exercise, add assistance to an exercise, or used as a stand-alone…
Superbands
Barbells, dumbbells, TRX Straps, bodyweight, kettlebells, and bands… use them all. They all can play a beneficial role in your training. I hope you enjoyed the video. I’m out…
Exercise of the Week – Band Resisted Chest Press
February 28, 2012 by danny · Leave a Comment
Bands can be a great tool in a lifting program. In the video below, you’ll see me using a band to make a standard dumbbell
Superbands
chest press (slight incline chest press, in this case) more difficult. The band matches the strength curve. In other words, when the lift becomes easier (the top portion of a chest press), the band stretches which adds tension/load to the exercise so that it is very difficult through the entire range of motion. This is known as accomodating resistance (a concept that powerlifters have mastered). Bands can be used in a number of ways. Me and my clients incorporate bands in one way or another at nearly every lifting session.
I think later on in the week or next week I’ll film a bunch of exercises/ideas for you to check out as far as how to use bands in your program. I got my bands @ Perform Better. If you are interested in picking up some bands, just click on the Perform Better link down and to the right of the screen. Type “superbands” in the search engine and it’ll take you to all the options. I suggest getting the 1/2″ and 1″ bands to start with. I am using the 1″ inch band in the video below…
Tomorrow I’ll be back with a clever way to make the most out of the equipment that you have available. If you train at a place that has 2,384 different pieces of equipment, then this post won’t be for you. Stay away, we don’t want you back! Kidding, kidding. But if you are training out of your house (like I currently am), or train at a gym with limited equipment, this exercise/post will be right up your alley.
See you tomorrow…
Are Your Knees Always Sore?
May 17, 2010 by danny · Leave a Comment
Knee pain is a very common problem. Especially for those that are in their 30s and 40s (although I know plenty of 20-somethings with sore knees as well). During my last couple years of playing competitive basketball, my knees were always hurting. And the first two or three years (especially after playing pick-up games) it was even worse. I told myself; I know, I know, I need to stretch more. This every once in awhile stretching thing is not good enough. So I finally made a point to stretch every day. But, it didn’t help! Why? All I would do is stretch my hamstrings because some doctor told me to do that about 10 years earlier. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of people out there that need to stretch their hammies (including your truly), but this doesn’t do a whole lot to address sore knees. Fast forward a few years (and a TON of reading later), and I now better understand how to make my (and your) knees feel better. While I am no knee expert (I’ll leave to guys like Mike Robertson), I feel confident that if you integrate the below tips, your knees will be thanking you in a big way!
This is in no way the end-all-be-all of “knee tips” for healthy knees. But I thought I’d include a few simple tips that you can incorporate today, to get your knee(s) feeling better.
Tips For To Make Your Knees Love You
1) Stretch Your Quads
As I mentioned above, all the hamstring stretching in the world isn’t going to do a whole lot when trying to address sore knees. When I started stretching my quads (more specifically – my rectus femoris), I started feeling considerably better.
2) Get Your Soft Tissue Work In
If you’ve been reading this website for awhile now, this is probably the 311th time you’ve heard my mention the importance of soft tissue work. Foam rolling your IT-Band, and your vastus lateralis (outside part of your quads) will do wonders for your knees. Breaking up the knots in your glutes will also help. And if you are feeling really tough, using a lacrosse ball for your glutes and TFL is even better!
You can purchase your roller here at performbetter. I NEVER do a leg workout or play basketball without first getting some soft tissue work in. Make sure you do the same – this means before you go golfing; before your slow pitch softball games; before your wii bowling tourney; etc. etc.
Oh, and rolling afterwards and on “off” days would be smart too.
3) Improve Hip Mobility/Flexibility
Mike Robertson and Eric Cressey have done a great job of teaching us about the importance of improving hip mobility. Before each activity, make sure you do some dynamic movement that help make your hips more mobile. A couple of good drills…
Working on flexibility of the hips/glutes is also smart. A couple examples…
I usually perform these static stretches post-workout and on “off” days.
4) Activate Your Glutes
I mentioned above that I always perform soft tissue work before my leg workouts. Another thing I always do, is perform some kind of “glute activation” drill. A drill like X-Band Walks are perfect here. Sometimes when I am demonstrating how to squat to a new client, my knees are achy just by using the 45-pound bar. But, if I perform X-Band walks before demonstrating, the pain is completely gone. X-Band walks will help to get the glute max and posterior fibers of the glute medius firing. This will take tension off of the knees.
Once again, you can pick up these “Superbands” at performbetter.
Quick Story
A few months back one of my “older” (57 years old) clients walked into the gym and said; “Danny, my knees are killing me! There is NO WAY I am going to be able to perform any lower body movements today. Let’s just focus on upper body.” I said, not so fast. Let’s at least try a few “tricks” before giving in so easily. His reply; “it’s just not going to happen, it hurts just to stand here. But ok, I’ll humor you.” So, I had him try a body weight squat. He went down about 3 inches and immediately stopped; “they’re just too sore!” I had him roll out his IT-Band and vastus lateralis on the foam roller. And then use the lacrosse ball on his glutes and TFL. Next I told him to stand up and try another body weight squat. He went down a few inches – no pain. He went deeper and deeper until he was ass-to-grass. “Danny, what are you, like some kind of voo-doo witch doctor,” he asked? Well, I wish I was magic, but we simply used this soft tissue work to get some of those knots out. It is AMAZING how freely and pain free our body moves once we “untie” the knots in our body. We then performed some mobility drills, X-Band walks, and went onto have a great, pain-free session.
If working out, whether it be weight training, pick-up basketball games, or running around with your kids, is no longer any fun because of those achy knees, you’re now 4 simple tips closer to moving around without all that pain!
