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The abdominal muscles are designed to be stabilizers and controllers (a.k.a. decelerators) of movement

Specifically, abdominal muscles are designed to be controllers of movement through the low back region. This is where every movement we make transfers through. The abs are not movers of the spine like most individuals train them to be by doing sit-ups and crunches. Instead, movement of the spine is driven by actions of the arms and legs. It is the role of the abdominal muscles to make sure the spine does not move too much. This can lead to excessive wear and tear on the joint and disk structures of the spine. Knowing this, to develop “Real World” Abs you need to train them to be stabilizers first. To safely develop “Real World” Abs you will need to go through a 3-step progression that allows the abs to easily learn how to be controllers of movement, specifically of the low back. Over the years I have used this 3-step band training progression to successfully teach physical therapy patients, fitness clients and athletes how to develop abs that work for them.

3-Step Band Training Progression

1. Developing isometric stability strength

The first step in developing better control of spinal movement is developing isometric (no movement) control. This “no movement” progression allows you to learn how to turn on your abs by feeling where the low back region is postural positioned relative to the pelvis and shoulders. The goal is to increase stabilization strength endurance by gradually increasing abdominal muscle time under tension.

Best band exercises to develop isometric stability strength

• Resisted Planks
• Resisted Side Planks
• Standing Plank Series

2. Developing “slow mobility” stability strength

Once isometric stability is mastered, the next level of progression will require adding slow mobility or accessory arm and leg movement. By adding in slow mobility you begin to teach your abs how to react and control arm and leg movements. By moving slowly there is minimal momentum forces for the abs to deal with. Obviously the faster the movement, the higher amount of momentum force that needs to be controlled by the abs. Since the objective is still to develop strength endurance, you should keep speed slow with time under tension being the key variable that should gradually increase. However, band resistance can also be a variable that can be increased.

Best exercises to develop slow mobility stability strength

• Resisted Mt Climbers
• Resisted Knee Ups
• Standing Arm Reactions

3. Developing “on the fly” integrated stability

To develop integrated or what many refer to as “Dynamic” stability, requires you to challenge the loading aspect of your abs. All muscles must be loaded before they can create a forceful contraction. It is also this loading effect that automatically creates the need for stabilization. However, unlike the previous steps, this stabilization is re-actively created by aggressive total body functional movements. To achieve “integrated (reactive) ab stability” the body must be put in motion in such a way that the abs are forced to be loaded. The best way to do this is by getting arms moving and legs stepping. Ab step reaction training focuses in on loading the abs by forcing them to stop momentum created by performing stepping or jumping movements. This type of training is often mistaken for acceleration training. The video below will demonstrate what I mean by integrated ab stabilization.

Best exercises to develop “on the fly” integrated stability

• Step Reverse Chops
• Step Reverse Swings
• Overhead Side Steps

View complete ab training progression

Training Progression Summary

Resistance bands provide the versatility you need to create multiple force vectors while applying a variable resistance that allows rep speed to change. Together these two training progression components, that are only created with resistance bands, allows you to train your "Real World" ab strength.  

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A Band's High Level of Resistance Variability Can Make it Challenging to Determine When to Change to the Next Level of Band Resistance

  There are a few key band training characteristics that will make it easier for anyone to determine when they need to chose a higher level of Band Resistance

How far is a Quantum Band being stretched?

Every 41” Quantum Band can be stretched 2 yards or 6 feet. However if you are routinely stretching a 41" band 6 feet or more, you should move up to the next level of band resistance. Remember that you have 6 feet to train with so by moving up to the next level band it creates less stretch pressure on the band while still allowing you to create the same or more band resistance.

What exercise is being performed?

Certain exercises will require greater levels of band resistance. For example, an attached squat row is going to require a higher level of resistance as compared to an attached bicep curl. Even though this seems to be an easy decision, this often is not what occurs when training with resistance bands. Instead our of convenience, individuals will attempt to achieve optimal resistance with a smaller band by overstretching it.  As a a result the smaller band is torn.

The #1 Reason a band is damaged during training is due to overstretching to achieve a greater resistance challenge. 

What is the level of fatigue or reps being performed?

It is difficult to quantify band resistance based on poundage but you can quantify work effort. When choosing the correct band, perceived level of exertion (PLE) plays a significant role in determining the optimal level of band resistance.  This requires a subjective evaluation by the training person during the exercise. Key factors to monitor PLE is the ability to perform full range of motion in at least 90% of the desired reps per set.  The other key to factor is making sure there is always some level of tension on the band system during any exercise.  If these 2 factors are being met during an exercise, mostly the band resistance being used is optimal.

Are you matching your goals?

Similar to training with weights, it is important to know what your training goals are when choosing your band resistance. Again most people don’t approach band strength training with that mindset.  However a band is no different than a free weight when it comes to achieve different strength training goals. If the goal is to increase strength, band resistance must at moderate to high level which means band starting tension will be at a moderate level so the finishing resistance is a high level.

Yes, You Can Go Heavy with RBT

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To Achieve Optimal Band Strength Training Results it will Require Having 3 to 4 Levels of Band Resistance

The Following Chart Will help You Determine your Optimal Band Resistance

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I have always said, muscles are dumb.

Muscles don’t think. They don’t show emotion. They don’t know the difference between a weight and a resistance band. What they do is react and adapt to the forces that are applied to them. Resistance bands are a force with an ascending resistance vs. a constant gravity dominated resistance like weights. As a result, resistance bands can impact all forms of strength and in many cases can get faster results with less joint or muscle trauma than weights. Plus, they are far more convenient and versatile. Let’s address the 5 different types of strength. We'll also take a look at how RBT’s ascending resistance impacts all of them differently than free weights.

5 Different Types of Strength

1. Explosive Strength and Power

Explosive strength is strength per unit of time. This type of time-specific strength depends on the amount of force you can generate in the shortest amount of time. In terms of strength calculation, it means how fast your body can move from one point to another while working against a resistance. Free weights offer a constant resistance with constant speed. They don't allow for acceleration of force. However, a band has an ascending resistance that is variable. It allows for changes in speed which means you can impact time. Progressive ascending resistance allows individuals to build up speed or accelerate force at the beginning of a movement. This is exactly what you need to train for explosive strength and power.

Power-Based Band Training

2. Strength Endurance

Strength endurance is the amount of force you can generate for an extended period of time. It is the ability to be as strong as possible, as long as possible. This type of strength is characterized by being able to perform a movement repeatedly without being overcome by fatigue. Strength endurance specifically applies to movements that are done repeatedly for an extended period of time. Examples include running, biking, punching and swimming. Resistance bands can be applied to the body in a way that you can actually perform strength endurance movements like running and punching. They also allow you to apply horizontal forces to pushing, pulling, squatting and lunging to simulate non-vertical forces of running and punching. Free weight strength training can only create vertical forces. They cannot simulate endurance movements like running, punching or swimming.

3. Relative (Usable) Strength

In sports and life, relative strength — or how strong you are in relation to your body-weight — is an important, but occasionally overlooked, factor. Relative strength is closely tied to what some call “Usable Strength.” The key to both relative and usable strength is to recruit the necessary muscles to generate the necessary force at exactly the right time. The only way to gain this type of “real-life” strength is to be able to simulate any movement, at various speeds using various force vectors. Only resistance bands and their non-gravity dependent resistance can do that. Free weights can build strength, but it will only be in a vertical, at one speed and using a gravity-dominated force vector.

How to Build Usable Locomotion Strength

4. Dynamic or Static Stabilization Strength

Dynamic or static stabilization strength involves improving the stability and strength of the body’s core during movement (dynamic stability) or when the body is stationary (static stability). Without dynamic core stabilization strength, force production, force transference and force reduction will not occur properly. That means you will not be able to generate proper force to accelerate, decelerate or coordinate movements efficiently. This will lead to altered joint mechanics and eventual injury. Resistance bands impact stabilization strength better than free weights for two reasons:

1. Bands allow you to train multi-planar, multi-joint dynamic stability or static stability because they can simulate any movement.

2. A band’s ascending resistance gets harder the further the arms or legs are taken away from the core. Therefore, it challenges stability at the weakest part of the motion. This is when arms and legs are furthest from the body's center of gravity.

Constant free weight training can’t simulate any movement. It actually creates less stabilization demand the further the arms and legs get away from the body’s core.

Perfect Example of RBT Stabilization Versatility Doing Simple Plank

5. Absolute Strength

The final type of strength is absolute strength. Absolute strength is often defined as maximal strength or force the body can generate that can be quantified. It needs to be quantified. Therefore, free weights are the best option since a band's resistance is difficult to quantify. Power-lifting is the best example of where this type of absolute strength is most notable. Without a doubt, free weights are the best tool to build absolute strength. However, achieving maximal absolute strength will be difficult without tri-plane stability, power and mobility, as the power-lifting society has shown. RBT impacts better for all. As a result, contrast training (combining bands and weights) is very often used in the power-lifting community.

Summary

You can incorporate RBT into your strength training program regardless of the different types of strength you are trying to achieve. Free-weight training alone will not allow you to optimize your strength. It definitely will not create usable strength. Plus, resistance bands are going to be far more sustainable from a longevity standpoint.

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Is Weightlifting Beating You Up?

Earlier in my life, when I was in my twenties and thirties, I regularly enjoyed doing challenging weight lifting workouts. However, as I continued working out with heavy weights, there were times that my workouts would hurt my body more than they helped it. Over time, as a physical therapist, I have come to realize that when that happened, there were 6 key indicators that could tell me if those injuries were being caused by weight lifting, or by something else.

6 Key Indicators Weightlifting Could Be Beating You Up

1. You struggle with frequent soft-tissue injuries

Workouts should not create medical diagnoses. Tendinitis and bursitis are injuries that indicate that tendons (which hook muscles to bones) and the bursa sac (which keeps the tendon from rubbing on a bone) are breaking down due to recurrent exercise-induced trauma. This occurs because repeated high-tension loads that have been placed on the tendon, causing it to breakdown and become inflamed. These kinds of injuries are often seen in people that exclusively lift weights and perform high-volume workouts.

2. Your soft tissue injuries last for more than 2 days

Generally, within 24 hours of completing a workout, any residual soft tissue soreness will have diminished by 50%, and within 48 hours, the soft-tissue pain should be almost entirely gone. Soreness that lasts longer than 48 hours indicates that the body is not recovering fast enough or is breaking down too much. Obviously, any workout activity which results in continued soreness, will eventually lead to injury, and will therefore, need to be modified in order to minimize injury.

Reasons Resistance Bands Don't Make You Sore

3. You can’t work out on back to back days

Obviously, it is not recommended to continue doing the same workouts that have caused soft-tissue pain on consecutive days. However, any properly-designed workout routine should allow you to work out on back-to-back days. If you find that you are experiencing so much pain that it is difficult to work out on back-to-back days, even with modified workouts; then it indicates that your body is experiencing too much exercise-induced trauma. This trauma is the result of doing the same, free-weight resistance stimuli, while not incorporating enough pattern changes into your workouts.

4. You have to constantly modify exercises

I often see athletes modifying their workout exercises in order to avoid pain. If an athlete is doing this, it is a definite indication that their body is not positively responding to their workout. In most cases, it's not the exercise that is causing the pain; it is the lack of training and an insufficient variety of resistance to the body, that are causing the discomfort.

5. You experience daily pain while running stairs or reaching overhead

The knees and shoulders are two joints that can provide instant feedback to how your body is tolerating your weight lifting workouts. If you are experiencing either knee pain, with daily activities, like running stairs, or shoulder pain, due to overhead reaching; it indicates that those joints have become inflamed. These kinds of movements are also commonly known to cause complaints of pain in individuals whose bodies are not able to tolerate doing weighted squats or pushing weights directly overhead. Workouts should cause you to fell better throughout the day, not make it feel worse.

Aging Knee Joint Solutions

6. You are mentally fatigued, before and after workouts

Strength training should be creating energy during and after a workout, as well as throughout the day. While it is true, that sometimes the athlete's body may become tired during a workout; however, their energy and alertness levels should still be high. When you are mentally fatigued and find it difficult to complete workouts, it is an indication that your weightlifting routine may be over-taxing the nervous system, which can lead to diminished workout results, as well as decreased performance and muscle strength.

RBT can eliminate all 6 of these indicators!

Resistance bands load your muscles with an ascending resistance that is different from a constant, gravity-dependent free-weight resistance. Ascending resistance is more joint-friendly because it creates less joint compression than free weights. Frequent increases in joint compression, which occur when lifting weights and doing other common daily activities, can eventually result in prematurely-aged joints. A resistance band’s ascending resistance allows you to train with horizontal forces (forces not affected by gravity), resulting in significantly less joint compression.  Band training is therefore, far more joint-friendly than weight lifting. Training with resistance bands also requires less effort at the beginning of a movement, versus the end of the movement. Additionally, resistance bands do not over load the joints in loosely-packed positions; thereby minimizing the risks of joint trauma, which is so common with weightlifting.

My Recommendation

It is my recommendation that you regularly incorporate both free weights and resistance band training into your workouts. Also, perform resistance band-only workouts on a weekly basis. By incorporating band resistance more frequently into your workouts as a flexibility tool or auxiliary strength training tool, it will allow you to continue to build your strength while avoiding unnecessary exercise-induced trauma that can lead to lost workout time or injury.

Related Articles

RBT Provides Unlimited Training Options Single Leg Squatting for Aging Knees Contrast Strength Training with Weights and Bands Lifting Weights Safely at 40 Free Weights vs. Bands Part 1 Free Weights vs. Bands Part 2 DB vs RBT

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When it comes to "long term" leg training success the key will be to protect the knees.

To accomplish "long term" leg training success will require building in several key elements into your weekly leg workouts. Let's make sure you have all these key elements in your workouts.

Key Leg Training Elements to Add to Your Workouts

1. Keep the Soft Tissues Soft and Mobile

Everything starts with getting the tissue of the hip, thigh and calf soft and mobile. You know as we age our body’s myofascial (muscle covering) structures get tighter for several reasons. As a result, continual use of foam rolling and self-massaging to keep this soft tissue soft and mobile is going to be an important training element in keeping your legs and hips moving well. I would recommend you foam roll your legs before every lower body or cardio-based workout. If you have areas that are very painful when rolling, like the IT-Band or outer side of the thigh, you may want to provide that area with some additional rolling time.

Key Areas to Hit Foam Rolling

2. Keep Your Hips Flexible

No lower body or cardio-based workout should start before completing the band hip stretching series. Few people really stretch which is probably why so many people have knee, hip, low back and ankle pain. As we age we will get tighter. If you don’t commit to a consistent flexibility training program 4 to 5 times per week, you will lose flexibility and mobility fast. Lost of mobility and flexibility will ultimately lead to soft tissue pain and injury issues. The problem is traditional stretching doesn’t work. I strongly recommend learning the band hip flexibility series and doing it every day for one month. After that you can decrease to 4 times per week.

Getting Started with Band Hip Stretching

3. Go After the Big House ... Especially the Glute-Medius

A key area of strength training that is an absolute must for lower body training longevity is hip stabilization training, specifically the glute-medius. This stabilizes the hips to keep our lower body dynamically aligned during all forms of walking or running, which should be a point of emphasis. To ensure the butt gets stronger, don’t just focus on squatting which is a thigh dominate exercise. Develop a go-to list of hip dominant exercises like reaching, bridging, hip lifts and dynamic stabilizer locomotion training to use as pre-activation exercises or auxiliary leg exercises. This type of training will take pressure off your knees and ankles during all locomotion activities as well as eliminate injuries that can come from over squatting an active aging body.

Grinding Hip Dominated Glute Workout

Best Absolute Band Leg Strength Exercise

There is no surprises here. Band Squatting remains the best absolute strength training exercise when it come to keeping the lower body and hips functionally strong. Band squats can be done using 5 different band setups, the Rack Set up is the best band only option. The Double Crossover Squat is the best if you wish to add in free weights like dumbbells or kettle-bells because the hands are free.  The Hip Attached Set-up is the best if you need squat assistance.

View All 5 Set-Ups HERE

Go Unilateral More than Bilateral

You don’t have to barbell squat every leg workout. I recommend if you enjoy barbell squatting, you perform it once every 3 weeks as you start hitting 40. There are so many other ways to squat without having to overload the spine and lower back with a heavy vertical barbell load. I highly recommend doing more unilateral squatting versus bilateral squatting as you age. There are unlimited unilateral squat options like split squats, reverse lunges, elevated split squats, forward lunges and side lunges. Plus, by using horizontal band attachments it creates an entirely different muscle response without loading the spine and it allows you to bring in upper body movements as well as different planes of leg training. Lunge sideways, backwards, off a 4-inch box or rotationally. Do step downs or step ups instead of actual squatting. Do partial squatting or fast squatting with bands only. All of these will develop your lower body strength while eliminating overuse injuries that can occur from squatting heavy and often in the same pattern of movement.

Single Leg Half-Crossover Setup Exercise Options

Don’t Forget Your Hamstrings

Just like I discussed in previous blogs on training the back of your shoulder, you have to find ways to train the back of your thighs. Hip lifts, straight leg deadlifts or leg curls are the typical go-to exercises for this. However, crawling, sled pushing, and heavy band towing are also great options that avoid overloading your spine while getting after the back of your thighs and glutes. Resistance band partner towing is a great way to train glutes and hamstrings while having a lot of fun in the process.

Simple Partner Towing Post Squatting

Core Stabilization is a Must

Most people do not associate developing a strong trunk with impacting leg strength and hip mobility. However, the stronger and more efficient your trunk stabilizes, the more effective your band hip stretching will be because there is less compensation through the low back. Also the stronger your trunk stabilizes, the better your spine will support dead-weight squatting with a kettlebell, barbell or dumbbell. Lastly, the stronger your trunk stabilizes, the quicker your muscles contract and react. This decreases quickly with age if not addressed. Muscles that react quickly leads to better balance and coordination which leads to you being able to play the game you enjoy on your feet for a long time.

Summary

Applying these training strategies to your lower body workouts will allow an active aging lower body to stay 3 dimensionally strong while keeping hips, knees, ankles and low back feeling and moving great.  

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Keeping the shoulder joint moving well and the rotator cuff a strong stabilizer are the keys to shoulder training success and longevity.

The shoulder joint, specifically the rotator cuff (RTC) tendons, is the second most frequently injured joint in the body (the low back is still #1). The biggest reason behind this lies in the fact that the shoulder is a joint designed for mobility with the muscles being the primary stabilizers of the joint. Interestingly enough, the rotator cuff muscle's primary role is to keep the shoulder joint stable by keeping "the ball of the shoulder joint firmly in the shoulder socket while the arm is actively lifting, pushing, swinging, pulling, throwing or dragging". Here’s the problem ... The rotator cuff is a series of 4 small muscles with their tendon attachments located very close to the shoulder joint. Since they are small and have short lever arms, their ability to stabilize the shoulder by themselves is not possible. This is especially true when you consider the leverage and torque generated when we start lifting and throwing things with long extended lever arms.

Best Band Exercises for Absolute Shoulder Strength

The Band Overhead Push Press is going to allow you to develop absolute shoulder strength while also supporting your RTC to be a strong overhead stabilizer. Using a band to do overhead pressing will allow the use of an ascending resistance. This trains the RTC to stabilize the shoulder joint when the arms are completely extended overhead. Also, a band's pliability allows the arms to follow a more RTC-friendly scapular pattern of movement. This is compared to the straight overhead pattern followed when training with free weights like barbells or dumbbells.

5 Keys to Auxiliary Based Shoulder Training

As an active fitness enthusiast there are 5 things you should have built into your shoulder workout program on a weekly basis.

1. Foam Rolling is a Must

Stretching is important, but unless the facial lining of the muscles surrounding the shoulder joint are mobile, actual stretching of the shoulder is going to be less productive. Unfortunately, simple foam rolling is not good enough to release most facial issues of the shoulder. The shoulder is a very contoured area with most of the muscles being small and overlapping. As a result, you will need to use something smaller to penetrate the myofascial structures of the shoulder muscles. The simplest device is a softball but there are several other types of small ball-shaped rollers on the market you can also use. Just make sure you hit the rotator cuff muscles and the anterior shoulder muscles, especially the pectoralis minor, regularly until there is no pain experienced. Myofacial rolling should be done before any and all upper body strength training workouts as well as on non-strength training days if you find you have a lot of pain when you're rolling out the shoulder muscles.

2. Band Distraction Stretching and Mobilization

Traditional shoulder stretching, where you move the arm on the body, is not a good idea if you want to keep the RTC healthy. These arm on body movement stretches require the stretching forces to go through the RTC tendons in order to get to the muscles in the back of the shoulder that need stretching. Band distraction stretching, (demonstrated below) moves the body on a stationary arm. This approach allows you to drive the stretch forces from the pelvis into the back or front of the shoulder without having to first go through the RTC tendons. This band stretching technique also provides a simultaneous distraction of the shoulder ball and socket joint that opens up the space where the RTC tendons run. This distraction eliminates any potential pinching of the RTC tendons while stretching the actual muscles. Shoulder distraction stretching should be done before any and all upper body strength training workouts. Here is an example of the shoulder distraction stretching I provide the members of The Band Gym.

Shoulder Distraction Stretching

3. Shoulder Stabilization Training

Most shoulder exercises like high pulls, front raises, side raises, reverse flies and shrugs are open chain movements. This means the arm is moving on a fixed body. All of these exercises require the RTC to be the primary stabilizer of the shoulder joint. As a result, these frequently performed traditional shoulder exercises lead to RTC overuse trauma and injury overtime. A better way to work on shoulder strength and assist the RTC with stabilization, would be to put the hands onto a fixed surface like the floor and allow the body to move on stationary arms. The best example of a fixed surface exercise is a good old-fashion push up. There are 100’s of floor-based push-up or pressing variations. Unfortunately, many of them require having a high level of body weight strength to effectively perform. Crawling is a simple way to implement this type of training and can easily be done by most people. Here are a few video examples of shoulder crawling stabilization exercises I provide members of The Band Gym to work on improving shoulder joint stabilization strength.

Shoulder Crawling for Shoulder Stability

RBT assisted push-up variations are also an effective way to enhance RTC stabilization strength. Below is how you can perform band-assisted push ups.

Assisted Pushing

4. Limit Your Open Chain Long Lever Training

As we age we need to become more selective of the shoulder exercises we do and how often we perform them. Open chain, long lever arm shoulder exercises like barbell high pulls and dumbbell front raises or side raises, place a huge amount of unnecessary stress on the RTC. These types of exercises — especially if you enjoy playing sports like tennis, softball, swimming, golf or racquetball — should be done on a very limited basis to avoid irritating the RTC tendons and potentially limiting your participation in those activities. These exercises are very isolating exercises that create a minimal impact on how the shoulder looks and functions. Instead, consider doing more band-related  pressing variations like the pillar presses demonstrated below. These will improve shoulder definition and stabilization strength without putting unnecessary pressure on the RTC.

Band Pillar Pressing Variations

5. Don’t Forget About Your Posture

Posture plays a huge role in keeping the shoulders healthy. Interestingly, the stronger and more well-developed the mid back and trunk muscles are, the more postural sound the body becomes. Fortunately, when performing band shoulder pulling exercises that require a standing position, the working relationship (or integration) between the mid back and trunk stabilizing muscles leads to a more efficient postural alignment. It is very important from a posture stabilizing standpoint, that twice as much time is spent performing horizontal pulling exercises like rowing, face pulls and pull a parts versus vertical pulling exercises like front raises, side raises or high pulls. Also, building greater trunk stabilization strength with exercises like planks, mountain climbers or side planks versus doing posture killing sit ups, crunches or leg raises, is a far better way to build dynamic postural strength and stabilization endurance.

Planks are a great way to get the abs and shoulder stabilizers working together

Summary

The key to keeping the shoulder looking, feeling and moving great is making sure we don't place the RTC in compromised positions by incorporating open chain exercises that place isolated shoulder stabilization demands directly on the RTC. Instead, a more effective training solution that will be far more RTC-friendly and apply more natural movement patterns of shoulder movement is resistance band training. Plus, unlike its free weight counter part, resistance band training can also provide the stretching and mobilization needed to help maintain fluid mobility through the shoulder joint complex.

Related Videos and Articles

Assisted Band Flow Warm up Truth about Pulling 5 Exercise Swaps for Healthy Shoulders Secret to Training Active Aging Shoulders Shoulder Strength Training with Mobility  

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  [post_title] => Shoulder Training for Success and Longevity [post_excerpt] => As an active fitness enthusiast there are 5 things I would suggest you have built into your shoulder training program on a weekly basis. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => shoulder-training-success-longevity [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2020-03-08 21:35:23 [post_modified_gmt] => 2020-03-08 21:35:23 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://resistancebandtraining.com/?p=24477 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 6 [filter] => raw ) ID: 24477Array ( [0] => 1290 [1] => 1292 [2] => 1288 )

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A strong mid back is the key to having great posture while eliminating a lot of nagging injuries.

Developing a strong mid back is going to be the key to having great posture while helping eliminate a lot of nagging shoulder, neck and low back injuries. This will be especially true if you combine great mid back strength with great stabilization of your glutes and abs. The good news is by applying RBT into your workouts, you will be training your back, abs and glutes all at one time on almost every exercise. Functional pulling should also develop strong hip and core stabilization. The fact is the stronger the hips and abs stabilize, the more pulling force you can generate through your key mid back muscles including your lats, rhomboids and serratus. The key is making sure you train your back on your feet as much as possible. By training on your feet you are able to use the ground to automatically activate your glutes and abs...no conscious thinking needed. It happens automatically. RBT's ascending variable resistance also teaches you how to set your mid back muscles, specifically your lats and rhomboids by making the muscle work harder at the end of the pull. When these muscles become strong at end range setting, your ability to sustain a strong upright posture becomes much easier, especially as fatigue sets in throughout a long work day. Plus, this setting or squeezing of the mid back muscles is what your shoulder needs to stay healthy with repeated pushing like with push ups, bench pressing or overhead pressing. Lastly a strong mid back helps align your head and neck over your pelvis. This in turn eliminates nagging neck stiffness and muscle tension headaches that come with a slouching rounded shoulder posture. This often happens the more we sit behind a computer or perform front dominate tasks throughout the day.

Best Band Exercises for Absolute Back Strength

Heavy band squat rows will be the best band exercise to implement to develop absolute strength of your mid back. This exercise will allow you to challenge the muscles with higher levels of resistance while being able to get your glutes aggressively involved. Plus, you will really feel how you can set your mid back muscles at the end of the pulling motion. Plus, by attaching the band high, low or in the middle, you automatically can specifically train all 3 levels of the mid back.

Heavy Band Pulling Workout

Great Back Defining Auxiliary Exercises

The key to great back muscle definition and well functioning mid back muscles, is to make sure you train in multiple patterns of movement using varying resistance and rep counts. All of the following back auxiliary band exercises allow you to train in all 3 planes of motion. This includes rotation which you will find is the most important pattern of movement when it comes to developing awesome mid back muscle definition, mobility and postural strength.

Recommendations for Successful Long-Term Mid Back Development and Function

1. Challenge yourself to constantly change up your patterns of movement

The back muscle fibers are aligned in multiple directions. Therefore, it’s important to avoid constantly pulling in straight planes which most single pattern machines and free weights do. By using bands, you can easily change up patterns of pulling which will continually hit different muscle fibers while also improving mid back flexibility.

2. Train using single arm movements often

Pulling with one arm allows you to bring in rotation more while simultaneously challenging the opposite side butt muscles to stabilize. Anytime the butt muscles are aggressively activated, it instantly creates better mid back muscle activation and recruitment which we know is the key to better muscle definition.

Single Arm Back Training

3. Incorporate high rep volume training often

The mid back muscles are key postural muscles. As a result, they are endurance muscles that respond well to high rep volume training. By using RBT to train your back, you will quickly realize all the different exercise variations there are and how quickly you can move from one exercise to the other. This makes changing direction and volume training very achievable.

Back training complexes are a great way to high volume train

4. Take your arm muscle out of play

Looped bands eliminate having to grip a bar by placing the band on your wrist. Having the band attached at your wrist (versus having to grip a band or a weight) decreases the likelihood of using your biceps to pull and instead places a greater emphasis on pulling with your mid back muscles. Combining this technique with the thought of “trying to pull your elbows back with your mid back muscles” dials in even greater contraction of your mid back muscles.

Better Band Pulling Grip

5. Stay flexible, especially in the rotational plane

Make sure you incorporate band distraction stretching into your pre-workout warm up. If you want your mid back to become more defined you have to make sure muscles and joints are ready to maximally lengthen and move in all planes of motion before starting to strength train them.  Plus, mobility is the key to keeping those shoulders healthy.

Band Distraction Stretching

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  [post_title] => Back Training for Success and Fitness Longevity [post_excerpt] => Developing a strong mid back is going to be the key to avoiding a lot of nagging issues with your shoulder, neck and low back. The good news is by applying RBT into your workouts, you will be training your back, abs and glutes all at one time with every exercise. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => back-training-success-longevity [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2020-06-28 20:11:16 [post_modified_gmt] => 2020-06-28 20:11:16 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://resistancebandtraining.com/?p=24356 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) ID: 24356Array ( [0] => 1292 [1] => 1288 )

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When chest training is done incorrectly it can lead to long-term issues.

The chest is one of those muscle groups that when trained wrong can lead to long-term shoulder rotator cuff or cartilage issues. This is as a result of performing too much open-chain training versus closed-chain training. Open-chain refers to exercises where the hand is not firmly in contact with an immovable surface. Examples being, db flyes or barbell bench press variations. In comparison, a closed-chain exercise would be a push up or standing attached band pushing. With closed-chain exercises the surface contact with the palm of the hand, in this case is the floor or the band, acts as an assist to the rotator cuff to provide shoulder stability. Plus, with a push up the body is moving on the arm vs. the arm moving on the body which is the case with open-chain activities. Moving the body on the arm creates greater activation of the shoulder blade stabilizers. This also assists the rotator cuff to optimally stabilize the shoulder joint. Lastly, the abs will be more active in closed-chain exercises. Active abs result in a strong primary muscle contraction and recruitment.

Best Band Exercises for Absolute Chest Strength

Resisted push up variations, based on the information I just shared, are obviously the best way to train absolute chest strength using resistance bands. With various levels of band resistance, it makes it very easy to modify the resistance. Plus, with so many ways to vary a push up, it makes it easy to optimally hit all aspects of your chest.

Band Assisted Push up Variations

Great Chest Defining Auxiliary Exercises

The key to great muscle definition and avoiding nagging injuries to the shoulder is to make sure you train muscles in multiple patterns of movement using varying resistance and rep counts. The following are great auxiliary band chest exercises because they allow you to easily change up movement patterns and resistance on the fly.

Recommendations for Successful Long-Term Chest Development and Function

1. Pull equally or more with every chest workout

Pulling exercises like band rowing, pull a parts, pull ups and pull throughs keep the shoulder blade muscles strong and active while making sure chest muscles do not get tight and overdeveloped. Overdeveloped and tight chest muscles lead to rounded shoulders. This places the rotator cuff in a poor position to function effectively. As a result, the rotator cuff is put through repeated micro trauma on every pushing workout. Refer to Back Training for Success and Fitness Longevity to learn more back training tips.

2. Limit heavy free weight chest training workouts to once every 5 workouts

As the body ages the tendons of the rotator cuff become dry and less elastic. Placing them under continuous and frequent heavy dead-weight resistance will ultimately lead to straining or possible tearing of these tendons. It's OK to place the rotator cuff under moderate dead-weight loads periodically; however, it is not necessary to do it frequently as the body ages to optimize results. A great way to train with weights but not place the rotator cuff at risk is through Band Contrast Training.

Chest Contrast Training Workout

3. Work on shoulder distraction flexibility before every upper body workout

Band distraction training not only helps keep the surrounding muscles of the shoulder flexible, but it also keeps the shoulder joint mobile. Shoulder distraction is the best way to stretch the rotator cuff muscles without placing the tendons in a position to get pinched. This is often the case when performing traditional shoulder stretching.

Shoulder Distraction Stretching

4. Keep shoulder stability as a key objective with all chest training

Perform closed-chain core stabilization exercises like push ups, planks, and crawling often. Make sure shoulder stabilization is a key part of pre-workout training, especially if heavy open-chain resistance training is planned for that workout. Doing pure closed-chain activities or band-related pushing early in the workout will activate key shoulder stabilizers that will be needed when upcoming open-chain, heavy resistance bench pressing training begins.

Bench Press Friendly RBT Exercise Ideas

5. Change things up often...higher reps, fast concentric training and single arm training are all great options

Working on light resistance, high reps, faster concentric pushing or single arm training with resistance bands will allow you to work on power, muscle definition, muscle endurance and core stabilization. These are all things that are often lost as the body ages and only open-chain, slow rep, free weight pushing is preformed. Changing things up is the key to long-term successful chest training.

Why Do Single Arm Pressing?

 

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  [post_title] => Chest Training for Success and Fitness Longevity [post_excerpt] => The chest is one of those muscle groups that when trained wrong can lead to long term shoulder rotator cuff or cartilage issues. Resisted push up variations are obviously the best way to train absolute chest strength using resistance bands. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => chest-training-success-longevity [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2020-06-28 20:09:28 [post_modified_gmt] => 2020-06-28 20:09:28 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://resistancebandtraining.com/?p=24350 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 5 [filter] => raw ) ID: 24350Array ( [0] => 1292 [1] => 1288 )

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There are several high profile NFL athletes who are using Resistance Band Training (RBT) to keep their aging athletic bodies on the field playing the game.

Guys like Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers have publicly stated that RBT is a key element in their year-round training program. Plus, if you watch any highlights from pre-season training camps or pre-game warm ups, you will frequently see resistance bands being used in various ways including flexibility, speed training, muscle activation and metabolic conditioning.

Why Bands vs Free Weights??

As athletes age, staying on the field and avoiding injury becomes a higher priority than increasing strength. Resistance bands provide several benefits and advantages over free weights that make them a far better training option. Over the years, I have discussed some of these training strategies separately. Today, I would like to take a closer look at 9 specific reasons why high profile aging football athletes are choosing Resistance Band Training over free weights.

9 Reasons Aging NFL Athletes Are Choosing RBT

1. Band training creates less knee joint compressive forces

Arthritic changes to knee joints due to constant joint compressive forces is the #1 reason many NFL careers are cut short. Being able to lessen knee joint compressive forces by strength training the surrounding muscles of the knee using a non-compressive training force can lead to a significant impact on extending a pro football career. Resistance bands provide athletes with the opportunity to strength train their lower body using horizontal not vertically-driven forces. Using an attached band setup applies a horizontal force vector which creates zero vertical joint compression. As result, band attached horizontal vector training, vs free weight squatting variations, becomes a much better long-term strategy to lower body functional strength training as it relates to knee joint compression.

2. Band training creates less post exercise soft tissue inflammation

It has been proven that free weight training that applies a "constant resistance" on an active aging body will create muscle and tendon inflammation. Resistance bands provide a "variable resistance" that has been shown to create far less post exercise-induced soft-tissue inflammation and stiffness. As a result, aging athletes can still strength train during pre-season and in-season without having to apply additional soft-tissue trauma that is already being amplified through daily practice and game competition.

3. Squatting can be done with significantly less low back compression

Squatting is the granddaddy of lower body strength training. However, having to constantly barbell or dumbbell squat can apply significant joint compression to the lower back. Being able to squat with a variable resistance band significantly reduces lower back compression at the bottom of a squat where most squat injuries occur. Plus, by attaching bands to a squat bar (referred to as contrast training) it reduces the need for high barbell weights. This, in turn, reduces the forces on the low back.

4. Band training is more rotator cuff friendly with horizontal or overhead pressing

Barbell or dumbbell bench pressing and overhead pressing are two foundational strength training movements that become challenging to perform with active aging shoulders and specifically the rotator cuff. Fortunately, the pliability of a resistance band allows the pushing and pressing movement patterns to be modified into a more rotator cuff friendly pattern. Plus, the variable ascending resistance of a band requires less muscle force production at the start of the concentric phase of a push or press. Knowing that most rotator cuff injuries occur at the beginning of the concentric phase, training with bands alone or contrasting bands and free weight resistance will dramatically reduce rotator cuff forces and the risk of injury during training.

Push Friendly Contrast Training

5. Resistance bands can train all aspects of performance

Most NFL athletes have reached a high level of success because they put in the time both on and off the field. However, once they reach the professional level, a greater demand is placed on them with film meeting time. Subsequently, finding the time to train becomes challenging. Having access to a training tool that can be used anywhere, anytime to train all aspects of performance becomes important to keeping an active aging body functionally fit. Resistance bands allow athletes to train foot agility, strength, flexibility, power and core stabilization without having to change tools. Plus, their light weight construction allows them to easily go on the road with the team. As a result, players can become more efficient at managing their actual training time.

6. Bands attack muscle mobility

High performing NFL athletes have identified the importance of muscle mobility (flexibility with stability) as it relates to building in what I refer to as “a margin of error.” Specifically, they have identified the impact of keeping the mobility of the ankle, hip and shoulder at optimal levels so they can move freely while expending less energy doing it. A bands elastic quality provides athletes with the perfect training tool to passively over pressure stretch and mobilize muscles surrounding the hip and shoulder. However, bands also provide end range stretching with every single strength training movement as long as tension is maintained on the band throughout the entire exercise pattern.

7. Resistance bands are the only tool that trains athletes to be 3-D strong

Strength training in all planes of motion and eliminating weak links is the key to injury prevention. The most successful aging NFL athletes understand that strengthening the weakest link in the kinetic chain is the key to staying on the field. That means they must strength train in all 3 planes of movement using force vectors that impact the body in all 3 planes. I refer to this as being 3-D strong. To accomplish 3-D strength requires training with a tool that allows the body to strength train in the sagittal, frontal and transverse (rotational) planes. This same tool has to be able to apply resistance to the muscles following a vertical, horizontal and rotational line of force. Flat continuous looped resistance bands (not free weights) are the only tool that has the unlimited resistance and durability to challenge an NFL athlete to develop 3-D strength.

3-D Butt Training

8. Band training better simulates "on the field" power

Successful NFL athletes are genetically very powerful and explosive. To maintain that power and explosiveness throughout their career, they have to continually strength train their body using variable resistance that allows them to accelerate force. Not just lift weights. Resistance bands' ascending variable resistance provides them with the ability to change up rep speed. This, in turn, allows them to train acceleration and power.

Using Running to Train Explosive Power

9. Bands train deceleration

95% of all injuries occur as a result of the body's inability to neuro-muscularly decelerate eccentric movement. To optimally train deceleration, the body must be trained using accelerated momentum forces. In other words, muscles are taught how to control movement that is accelerated. Resistance bands' ascending resistance has the capability to speed up or accelerate movement by placing the band on stretch and then asking the body to quickly move to unload the stretched band. This quick unloading of the band is called "accelerated eccentrics." It's the perfect stimulus to train the body how to decelerate at high athletic speeds which are often seen every Sunday in the NFL.

Why Bands Make You More Athletic

Summary

High profile, successful NFL athletes are gifted individuals that get older just like you and I. Like you and I, they have to learn how to modify their training to keep their body "Game Ready". Resistance band training (RBT) is playing a bigger and bigger role every year in helping them stay in the game. Hopefully, after reading this article you can see, for many of the same reasons, how RBT can be used to keep you performing well in the game of life.  

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Your Travel Gym Solution

Traveling is Not an Excuse to Miss a Workout

Traveling for business or pleasure can make it difficult to get in your workout. However, part of the issue is your fitness routine and habits. Here are 3 things you need to change about your workout routine to make working out anywhere, including on the road easier.

1. Don’t rely on a gym to workout

I find it difficult and expensive to find a gym to workout in when I travel. Hotel gyms are typically the size of a closet and have minimal to no equipment. Finding a gym nearby to provide you with more equipment options comes with logistic issues like fitting it into a schedule as well as finding transportation. Suggestion: Make sure your weekly workout routine uses some type of equipment that can easily travel with you. Body -weight  and Quantum Bands would be your best go-to. You can create 100’s of workouts anywhere, anytime with these two fitness options.

2. Don’t make workouts complex

Staying on plan is important in reaching your fitness goals.  Fortunately there are a lot of ways to achieve your goals. Too often, people get dialed into working out one specific way, following one specific program that uses specific types of equipment.  As a result they become to dependent on specific equipment which leads to missed workouts when that equipment is not accessible. Suggestion: Working out doesn’t have to be complex. Make sure you have 3 to 4 simple go-to workouts you have built into your phone using the Seconds Pro App that you have tested out at home. By having these convenient automated workouts at your finger tips, it eliminates having to figure out what you are going to do time or equipment is limited.

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Get Over 100 Simple Anywhere - Anytime One Band Workouts

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3. Traveling is a great time to change things up

Being to regimented in your fitness routine doesn’t allow you adapt to the different surroundings that come with traveling. As I noted earlier, there are several ways to achieve your fitness goals. Traveling can  be looked upon as a time to try out new workout intervals, programs and equipment. I very often discover new workout ideas that I would not have attempted if I was at home. Suggestion: When training at home, build in a flex day workout that allows you to train in different locations, doing different types of workouts.. If you use rep-based sets, use time-based sets. If you do long interval runs, do short interval sprinting or incline training. If you do 60 second sets do 15 second sets with a 5 second rest 3 time.   If you only lift weights, do all band workouts once a week. The body is adaptive, so a dramatic change in your workout is not a bad thing.  Doing significant changes in a program will create some very positive unexpected results.

Building a Versatile Travel Fitness Kit

What do you need in your Travel Fitness Kit?? Regardless of the distance or location, this is what you should have in your  Gym -to - Go Travel Fitness Kit.

Shaker Bottle

Having your own shaker bottle can serve as your water bottle and a way to create a quick post workout shakes. Having your own water source allows you to eliminate one less workout issue as well as potential meal issue.

Cyclone Shaker Bottle

2 or 3 Resistance Bands

Body weight  exercises are great but can be boring as well as limited. Having 2  or 3  different resistance levels of bands is easy to transport and allows you to simulate any exercise anywhere. Combining bands  with body weight exercises allows you to create 100's of workout options.

Quantum Single Bands

Phone with Wireless Headset

Having your phone with a wireless headset provides you with exactly what you need to automate a workout using the Seconds Pro App. When we talk about keeping workouts simple, there is no better way to simplify a workout than to have everything programmed into your phone ready to go. Seconds Pro allows you to do that.

Inexpensive and Lightweight Wireless Headset

String Back Pack

Bringing along a simple string back pack allows you to quickly grab everything you need to go and workout anywhere. This eliminates forgetting something and having to go back to the room which takes away from your allotted exercise time. Often when I travel my family is with me or I share a room with a work colleague. To avoid bothering them in the early morning I have everything ready in my string backpack so all I do is dress and go.

Lightweight String Backpack

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Get everything you need in this one simple but extremely versatile Travel Training Package

RBT GYM-TO-GO

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What Your Butt Workout Should Include

I see a lot of workouts that are designed to train the butt muscles. Unfortunately, many of these so called “Butt Builder” or “Butt Firming” Workouts do not train the butt muscles to do what they are designed to do which is to make us function awesome on our feet. Specifically these workouts do not go after the Gluteus Medius (GM) which is the #1 butt muscle that needs to be strengthened and developed correctly  for us to look, feel and move our very best. Below are 7 reasons why your butt workout better be attacking the Gluteus Medius correctly.

7 Reasons to Attack the Gluteus Medius

1. Keeps Us Balanced on our Feet

The GM is the #1 muscle that helps us stay balanced on our feet. It does this by contracting automatically as soon as our foot hits the ground. Due to its close proximity to the body’s center of gravity and its strength potential, it is able to work with the abdominals to ensure our center of gravity stays over our base of support.  In others words keeps us upright and avoiding falls.

2. Ensures Solid Knee Control

The GM is a frontal plane stabilizer of the knee. What that means is it prevents the knee from moving too far inward or outward relative to hip when our foot hits the ground.  As a result, the GM is the key muscle behind preventing excessive shifting of the knee that leads to injuries to the ACL and MCL ligaments as well as the knee cartilage.

3. Keeps the Low Back Stable

When the GM is weak our body will compensate during walking by allowing our body to side bend towards the side of the foot that hits the ground. It does this to stay balanced over that foot. Unfortunately, every time the body has to excessively side-bend it causes micro-trauma to the low back that over time will lead to the low back developing joint wear and tear or inter-vertebral disc damage.

4. Keeps You Squatting

Squatting is a fundamental movement that as humans, we must be able to do well for as long as we are fortunate to be on this earth. The fact is our body will and has to squat throughout the day no matter how old we are or what we do. The GM is a key muscle in making sure our knees, ankles and hips stay in proper alignment during squatting. When the GM is weak, it will result in our knees migrating too far inward during the lowering phase of the squat. As a result, this weakens the power and strength of the ascending phase of our squat when having to push up against gravity. Functionally this makes it very hard for us to get out of our squat and results in having to use our upper body to assist or places tremendous stress on the ankle, knee and hip joints.  The stronger our abs and GM work together the easier it is to come out of our squat.

5. Decreases Ground Contact Forces on Our Joints

As previously mentioned, the GM is immediately activated when our foot hits the ground. A weak GM will result in increased ground contact forces results in the joint surfaces of the foot, ankle, knee, hip and low back having to endure higher compression forces that overtime will lead to excessive joint surface wear and tear. A strong and well trained GM will decrease ground contact forces and lessen the joint trauma associated with walking, running or jumping.

6. Eliminates Overuse Injuries

80% of all overuse injuries suffered to the ankles, knees and hips are partially a result of  GM weakness. Injuries like ITB Tendonitis, Plantar Fascitis, Hip Bursitis, or Shin Splints are often the result of a GM that is not strong enough or  contracting fast enough at the correct time.

7. Improves Cosmetics of the Butt

The GM is found along the lateral side of the butt directly behind the hip bone. When well developed it creates the roundness of the butt when viewing it from behind. When weak and under-developed the GM will create a hollow appearance along the side of the butt region. However, when well developed the GM will create a well contoured, firm and rounded appearance to the entire butt region.

Best Way to Train the Gluteus Medius

The easiest and most effective way to train the GM is by simply making sure you implement Dynamic stabilizer training into your workouts on a regular weekly basis. These exercises need to be more than simply lateral side walks or controlled squatting. They need to be done while standing, with emphasis on the ground contact foot. The GM must be trained to be reactive which requires increasing speed and making sure the foot is being asked to deal with ground contact at all times. It is also important to train the GM by applying horizontal forces to the body while doing simple single leg weight bearing activities like reaching, split squatting or more advanced drills like lunging or hopping. Using a horizontal vector causes the GM to work against both a vertical and horizontal resistance. This is similar to what occurs when we are walking or running.

Additional Dynamic Stabilizer Exercises

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What You Need to Keep Your Butt Looking, Feeling and Performing Great

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Don't Forget to Include a Dynamic Stabilizer

 

           

  [post_title] => 7 Things Your Butt Workout Should Work On [post_excerpt] => I see a lot of workouts that are designed to work the butt muscles. Here are 7 reasons why your butt workouts better be attacking the Glute Medius correctly. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => 7-things-butt-workout-should-work-on [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2018-05-06 19:30:12 [post_modified_gmt] => 2018-05-06 19:30:12 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://resistancebandtraining.com/?p=23287 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 5 [filter] => raw ) ID: 23287Array ( [0] => 1292 [1] => 1288 )

WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 23176 [post_author] => 4 [post_date] => 2017-07-17 07:00:42 [post_date_gmt] => 2017-07-17 07:00:42 [post_content] =>

RBT-CrossFit Challenge Workout

One of the things CrossFit is known for is their Workout of the Day (WOD) which they post every day. Unfortunately for me at 50+, many of these workouts are not doable due to equipment needs, complexity of exercises or concerns for injury. However, what I do like is how they program their WOD and the challenges that come with these workouts. Most of these challenge workouts require you to measure or track time, reps or rounds. I am not a guy who enjoys counting during a workout, but in applying some of these set-based principles I have found my workouts to be more enjoyable. I still enjoy the time-based sets where I have an audible voice telling me when to start and stop, but I have become more intrigued with trying some of these time, rep or round-based sets.

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To achieve the CrossFit effect, the key is setting a challenge and measuring an outcome.

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What many individuals don’t realize is that you don’t have to do complex barbell, jumping or explosive type movements to accomplish what I will refer to as a CrossFit effect. The key is setting a challenge and measuring an outcome. What exercises used to accomplish that is secondary. With that in mind, I recently created my own RBT-CrossFit Challenge Workouts using the CrossFit program combined with RBT exercises that I know are doable, safe and can be done anywhere by anybody.

12 RBT-CrossFit Challenge Workouts

Challenge Workout 1

10 Minutes AMRAP

1.  8 Push Presses
2.  10 Front Squats
3.  12 Pull a Parts

Challenge Workout 2

Jack Press Progression 9 Minutes - EMOM (Purple LG or Green XL Band)

1.  Minutes 1 thru 3 - Strict Shoulder Press (Muscle Press) x 12 Reps
2.  Minutes 4 thru 6 - Push Press x 12 Reps
3.  Minutes 7 thru 9 - Jack Press x 12 Reps

Challenge Workout 3

For Time: _____________

1.  50 Split Squats Left
2.  40 Muscle Presses
3.  30 Bent Over Rows
4.  20 Overhead Triceps Presses
5.  10 Band Resisted Mt Climbers
6.  20 Hammer Curls
7.  30 Band Resisted Push-Ups
8.  40 Bent-Over Pull a Parts
9.  50 Split Squats Right

Challenge Workout 4

5 Rounds for Time: _____________

1.  20 3 Step Backpedals
2.  10 Lateral Hops Right Towards Attachment
3.  10 Split Jumps Facing Away from Attachment
4.  10 Lateral Hops Left Towards Attachment
5.  20 Skaters Facing Away from Attachment

Challenge Workout 5

For Time: _____________

1.  50 Push Presses
2.  50 Drop Squats
3.  50 High Pulls

Challenge Workout 6

10 Minutes - EMOM  (Every Minute on the Minute)

1.  Odd Minutes - 20 Bicep Curls
2.  Even Minutes - 20 Triceps Presses

Challenge Workout 7

21 - 15 - 9 - 5 for Time: _____________

1.  Assisted Plyo Push-Ups
2.  Jack High Pulls
3.  Jack Presses

Challenge Workout 8

21 - 15 - 9 - 5 for Time: _____________

1.  Squat Rows
2.  Chest Presses
3.  Bent Over Rows
4.  Bent Over Presses
5.  Bicep Curls
6.  Triceps Presses

Challenge Workout 9

Squat Challenge

1. 200 Squats (Using both a 41” Single Band in rack position and 13” Dynamic Stabilizer)

Goal – Under 4 Minutes

Challenge Workout 10

For Time: _______________ Dynamic Stabilizer Attached Above the Knees

1.  20 2 Step Band Shuffles (Back and Forth is 1 Rep)
2.  30 Drop Squats
3.  40 Plank Jacks
4.  50 Skaters (20 Each leg)
5.  40 High Knees
6.  30 Burpees
7.  20 2 Step Band Shuffles (Back and Forth is 1 Rep)

Challenge Workout 11

21 - 15 - 9 for Time: ________________

1.  3 Step Shuffles Right
2.  3 Step Shuffles Left
3.  3 Step Back Pedals
4.  3 Step Bear Crawls
5.  Power Stationary Skips

Challenge Workout 12

For Time: _______________

1. 100 Band Assisted Pull-Ups
2. 100 Band Resisted Push-Ups
3. 100 Seated Rows
4. 100 Band Push Presses

With any of these challenge workouts, you make the call. If the exercises do not work for you, substitute in a similar exercise that will.

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Want the videos that show the exact band setup and exercise instructions for all the RBT-CrossFit Challenge Workouts??

Visit the The Band Gym

[post_title] => 12 RBT-CrossFit Challenge Workouts [post_excerpt] => I recently created my own RBT-XFit Challenge Workouts using the XFit program combined with RBT exercises that I know are doable, safe and can be done anywhere by anybody. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => 12-rbt-xfit-challenge-workouts [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2017-07-20 13:37:28 [post_modified_gmt] => 2017-07-20 13:37:28 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://resistancebandtraining.com/?p=23176 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 4 [filter] => raw ) ID: 23176Array ( [0] => 1292 [1] => 1288 )

WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 22283 [post_author] => 4 [post_date] => 2017-05-15 07:00:28 [post_date_gmt] => 2017-05-15 07:00:28 [post_content] =>

From ages 17 to 35, I trained exclusively with weights as well as doing some low intensity, long duration running to maintain cardiovascular efficiency.

Sound familiar??? I enjoyed working out with weights. Unfortunately my joints and muscles did not feel the same way. At age 35, after shoulder, low back and elbow injuries it was obvious I was not getting better. Instead I was getting beat up. In fact, in the morning and going into workouts, my joints and muscles felt like old. After about a year of fighting against change I decided to begin exercising differently. The goal was to create a more athletic body that would allow me to move better, feel better and not just look like I did.   Throughout the years of training with this mindset, I began to notice many of my iron lifting partners, that refused to change, slowly being forced to stop working out due to injury. During the past 19 years of training with a movement first, muscle second mindset, it has allowed me to enjoy all activities I did at age 30, now at 57. No, I don’t play or train at the same level of intensity I once did. However, I am still playing the game, doing what I enjoy and feeling great doing it. In this article I want to share with you the 10 workout secrets I have discovered over the past 27 years of training myself and my adult fitness clients that has allowed them to continue to "function" at a high level outside the gym. These workout secrets have allowed myself as well as my clients to sustain what I call a “Game Day Ready” body and slow down Father Time. I will also share with you how I incorporate these 10 workout secrets into a weekly workout routine.

10 Workout Secrets

1. Building in a "Margin of Error" through regular flexibility and mobility training

I think this is the biggest key to an active aging body staying athletic. As we age our joints are going to lose mobility and get stiffer. This means our training programs must emphasize training flexibility and mobility. In order to keep workout time reasonable, some of the actual workout time will be taken up with mobility training. Unfortunately what I see, especially in guys in the gym, is just the opposite. I see less warm-up, no soft-tissue work, no flexibility training, no mobility training and over-training with higher set volumes. Dave’s Workout Secret #1 - Every single workout begins with a band flexibility and dynamic mobility training session for a minimum of 15 minutes. This is followed by a band activation session (primer workout) which prepares the key muscles for the upcoming interval strength or cardio vascular workout.

Here is how to get started with your band flexibility program

2. Know when to HIIT IT...and when not to HIIT IT

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is important for the active aging body for a lot of reasons. Most importantly it helps slow down the aging process both functionally and cosmetically while helping maintain lean muscle mass. The key is monitoring the frequency of this type of training closely to avoid over-training. Knowing the body will take longer to recover, it is important to take full advantage of every HIIT workout by creating good quality vs. quantity. Dave’s Workout Secret #2 - I do short band HIIT workouts using auxiliary type movements for 10 to 15 minutes during a 45 minute workout vs. trying to go hard throughout the entire workout. Then I add slower strength building primary movements throughout the rest of the workout. This allows the body to stay responsive to HIIT workouts without risking injury due to overloading aging muscles and joints too frequently or too long.

3. Don't get stuck in a rut - rotate exercises often

The body is an adapter. Workout exercises should be rotated frequently as the body moves into its active aging years. As a long-term fitness enthusiast who has performed 10’s of thousands of reps, it is no longer necessary to do 10 to 12 sets of one exercise. As a result, changing up exercises that hit similar muscles will decrease overuse potential while still significantly impacting the muscle's strength and definition. Dave’s Workout Secret #3 - Be innovative with your workouts. Don’t become overly concerned with performing the exact same exercises, especially during auxiliary or circuit type workouts. By training with resistance bands, I am able to change up any movement by modifying speed, direction or resistance, on the fly.

4. Avoid following the same movement pathway during every workout

The body is a 3-dimensional machine. Keep that in mind when training. Let the body move through different patterns of movement during a workout. In turn, by changing direction the load can decrease without sacrificing the challenge. Resistance bands allow you to train in multiple planes. Using an accommodating resistance you can change speed and resistance on the fly. Dave’s Workout Secret #4 - With every strength training workout I try to take my body through all 3 planes of motion, especially rotation. Rotation is the first plane of motion lost in most joints as we age. By changing up planes, I am forced to also decrease resistance which takes compression and shear forces off my joints.

5. Use speed vs. resistance as a training variable

I know that when I bring up rep speed, I lose people because very few individuals feel they can do them. However, that is because they are looking at the advanced levels and not the beginner levels. Doing a simple chest press with increased speed and less resistance is easily done at any age. This is especially true when training with resistance bands. Dave’s Workout Secret #5 - I work on faster reps throughout the week using a low band resistance. The goal is to be able to perform the accelerated or concentric phase of movement with good quality. As my body has aged, I have continued to implement faster rep training with low band resistance to keep my reflexes and reaction as quick a possible.

6. Recovery is OK

Recovery is OK and needs to be planned into weekly workout routines. Active recovery allows your body to use low level exercises to help muscles and joints get the nutrition needed for recovery while not causing joint or muscle exercise induced trauma. Dave’s Workout Secret #6 - I look forward to active recovery days where I can go on a long walk to think about work, family and friends versus having to work intensely. It’s important to make recovery fun by allowing other aspects of your life to be part of your workout. Taking walks by myself, with my wife, children or friends is my go to. 

7. Lifting weights is not the only option to improve "relative strength"

As the body ages it needs to stay strong but lifting weights is not the only way to achieve this. Muscles are dumb. They do not know the difference between band resistance and dumbbell resistance. Using an variable ascending band resistance vs. a constant gravity dominated free-weight resistance, from a dumbbell or kettlebell, can keep the body strong using a joint-friendly training tool that goes with you anywhere. By decreasing the frequency of free weight training and substituting in resistance band strength training it decreases joint exercise induced trauma. This in turn will improve recovery, keep joints feeling good and allow you to train intensely without all the exercise induced joint pain. This also means being able to burn more calories with more frequent workouts. Dave’s Workout Secret #7 - I focus on strength training 4 times per week, but I avoid working out with free weight resistance only. Band resistance is part of every single strength training workout and at least 1 time per week I do only strength workouts. 

READ MORE: 50 Facts About Band Versatility

8. Consistency is a must

As the body ages it is difficult to take long 4 or 5 day breaks from exercising. This causes the body greater trauma upon your return. It also increases the potential for injury by decreasing muscle response time and tendon exercise tolerance. Staying on a consistent workout routine, regardless of the level of intensity, is important to keeping the active aging body "game day ready". Dave’s Workout Secret #8 - Bands allow me to train anywhere, anytime at any intensity doing any movement. As a result, I never have to worry about going to a gym or having the right equipment. Resistance bands are without a doubt the most convenient and versatile piece of training equipment that allows me to never miss a workout.

Train anywhere with workouts like this

9. Perform traditional training in moderation

I strongly believe that traditional workouts are not created with fitness longevity in mind. Too much movement with traditional workouts is performed in the sagittal plane, especially when free weights are the primary training tool. As a result, following a traditional strength training program that is dominated with free weights or weight machines, is not the best way to achieve fitness longevity much less a "game day ready" body. The perfect examples of this are sit-ups and crunches. Both are staple exercises in traditional workouts, yet these exercises have been proven to be harmful to the disk structures of the low back when done frequently. A more none traditional trunk stabilization exercise is standing or prone plank variations where the body is in weight-bearing postures. Dave’s Workout Secret #9 - I simply do not follow traditional exercise programs. This is easy to accomplish training with Quantum Bands. The key is to trust resistance band training and continue to implement it more and more into your workouts. After 4 weeks you will see the difference in how you feel and move throughout the day.

Why bands don’t beat my joints up

10. Develop a "Game Day Ready" mindset

Training to be athletic does not mean you have to play on Sunday or do dangerous risky exercises. To me being athletic is working on the things that make an athlete an athlete — things like flexibility, balance, coordination, quickness, reaction, core stability, power, metabolic conditioning and of course strength. As we age there is too much emphasis placed on free weight strength training, which overtime breaks down an active aging body. Developing a "game day ready" mindset means working out with the goal being to keep joints feeling good and moving through full ranges of motion while maintaining good age related strength,  speed, balance, coordination and agility.  Dave’s Workout Secret #10 - I don’t focus on how much weight I can lift. I focus on effort and speed of movement while being able to perform unlimited types of exercises and making sure every workout is just a little different.

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Want More? Here is a 28 Day "Game Day Ready" Training Program designed to safely help active aging bodies stay looking, feeling, and moving athletically.

   

Want all of Dave's 28 Day Programs and Ageless Workouts??  Join him in The Band Gym.  Learn More HERE

  [post_title] => The Band Man’s 10 Secrets to Sustaining a "Game Day" Body and Slowing Down Father Time [post_excerpt] => In this article I want to share with you the 10 Workout Secrets I have discovered over the past 19 years, training myself, my athletes and my adult fitness clients, that have allowed me to sustain what I call a “Game Day” body. I will also share with you how I incorporate these secrets into my weekly workout routine. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => band-mans-10-secrets-sustaining-game-day-body [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2019-12-16 15:55:38 [post_modified_gmt] => 2019-12-16 15:55:38 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://resistancebandtraining.com/?p=22283 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 6 [filter] => raw ) ID: 22283Array ( [0] => 1290 [1] => 1292 )

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Improve Your Running with Dynamic Stabilizer Drills

One of the keys to being a healthy runner is making sure your hips are ground contact strong. This means training your glutes to engage when your foot hits the ground so the knee, ankle, hip and low back don’t get beat up. The 13 Inch Dynamic Stabilizer is a great way to activate your glutes while performing various lower body movements that create ground contact. Doing these exercises routinely throughout the week is going to keep your core and glutes ready to run. Once these exercises are mastered, they can easily be placed into a circuit that runners or walkers can do to increase cardiovascular conditioning.

12 Dynamic Stabilizer Exercises

Here are the 12 Dynamic Stabilizer exercises you need to build into your weekly running routine to make sure you are training your glutes to handle the ground while also strengthening your running mechanics. The exercises are listed from least to most progressive.

1. Forward Walks
2. Lateral Walks
3. Marching
4. Reaches
5. Mt Climbers (Wide Stance)
6. Step Throughs
7. Side Crawling
8. Side Lunge Release
9. Skipping
10. Drop Squats
11. Step Overs
12. Skaters

You don’t have to be a runner to use these exercises. They work great for walkers as well.

Get Your Own Dynamic Stabilizers

Purchase HERE

[post_title] => 12 Dynamic Stabilizer Drills to Improve Running [post_excerpt] => Here are the 12 Dynamic Stabilizer exercises you need to build into your weekly running routine to make sure you are training your glutes to handle the ground while also strengthening your running mechanics. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => 12-dynamic-stabilizer-drills-improve-running [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2018-05-24 13:42:48 [post_modified_gmt] => 2018-05-24 13:42:48 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://resistancebandtraining.com/?p=21621 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) ID: 21621Array ( [0] => 1290 [1] => 1292 )

WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 21555 [post_author] => 4 [post_date] => 2017-03-20 07:00:59 [post_date_gmt] => 2017-03-20 07:00:59 [post_content] =>

Learn How to Build a Body that Looks, Feels and, Most Importantly, MOVES Great Not Following the Traditional Strength Training Approach

Movement quality is often lost when the ego takes over and bar weight becomes more important than performing the exercise with good movement form. I know, because as a 30+ year old, all I did is lift weights. After a few injuries, specifically one that required major surgery and 5 months of rehab, I decided the traditional strength training model that involved lifting weights only was not going to work for me. I realized that continually lifting a Barbell or Dumbbell was not going to make me look good and it definitely wasn’t making my joints feel better. Plus, it was obvious I was losing mobility, coordination, balance and agility which made me move like an old man. If this sounds familiar ... it's time to change! Try training with resistance bands.

What is it you really want your body to be able to do as it relates to your job, your family and what you enjoy doing in your free time?

Obviously you want to LOOK GOOD which means keeping your body lean (not skinny) with good muscle definition. Muscle size would be great but not critical. Frankly it's difficult to sustain with Father Time playing against you. Plus, building muscle means having to constantly train with high resistance and high volume. I promise, that will lead to painful joints, stiff muscles and nagging injuries, especially as you get into your 30's. Certainly you want to FEEL GOOD which means waking up in the morning without joint pain and all that muscle stiffness. Personally, I wanted my hips, knees and ankles to specifically feel GOOD because I want to be able to run, bike, jump, hike and be active with family whenever I want. Painful joints make these events less enjoyable and injuries make them less likely. Lastly, you want to MOVE GOOD. By this I mean if your middle school age child wants to go into the backyard or driveway to play a little ball, you're ready to go. If your teenage son or daughter wants to go hiking on a vacation, you are right there with them. If your college graduate needs some help moving to their new apartment, you are ready to help them. To me strength is only good if you can use it and most things we do, do not require us to lift super heavy weights. Instead most activities that require a decent amount of strength require getting into the correct position to allow us to use our body well. The strength will be fine as long as we can get into the most mechanically efficient position to apply the strength.

Strength frankly is overrated.  It's only good if you can use it.

It's YOUR CALL

I am totally on board and highly recommend strength training. However, I don't believe following the traditional approach of lifting weights only is necessary. You can achieve a great looking body that feels awesome and moves athletically, without having to constantly strength train by lifting weights, especially heavy weights, all the time.

Here is why RBT may be a better strength training solution for YOU

1. First off, the convenience of training anywhere and anytime will make strength training easier for someone that has a busy schedule, filled with a family and a career. 2. You won’t have to worry about getting bored since you will have unlimited exercise options and the ability to train inside, outside or wherever you want. 3. You don’t have to go into a non-aggressive, non-competitive mindset just because you are not training with weights. Flat continuously looped bands like Quantum Bands are kicking the butts of pro athletes so they can also kick yours if you let them. 4. You no longer have to put yourself through painful workouts that make your body hurt and feel old for days. 5. Using a variable ascending band resistance allows you to train fast without the concern for injury. As a result, you maintain that lean fast twitch muscle while staying athletic. Training with Resistance Bands works great for those people who realize that putting more weight on the bar is not making them better.

Why will YOU Fail Training with Resistance Bands?

Not willing to work hard training with resistance bands.

Most people think bands are for toning so they don’t think they can push themselves. Band resistance is unlimited. The key is to keep the same mindset you had lifting weights while applying Resistance Band Training instead.

Not willing to change your mindset.

I get it. I know the reputation that comes with training with resistance bands. What most people don’t realize is there are tons of different band options and most of them are weak and cheaply manufactured. Quantum bands are neither. Following our recommendations and choosing the correct resistance level, Quantum Bands will allow you to get after it anywhere, anytime doing any movement.

Not willing to put movement before muscle.

To have success training with resistance bands, you are going to have to commit to emphasizing movement over muscle. What we mean is you are going to have to be willing to use more challenging movements that require greater balance, agility and core strength versus straight plane movements that have you sitting or lying down. You are also going to have to be willing to challenge yourself by changing exercise speed or bases of support versus always adding resistance. Plus, it's going to require you to move multiple joints at one time which is referred to as movement integration vs. free weight movement isolation. If you are willing to make these changes for 2 months, you will see a major change in how your body feels and moves.

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What do I need to get started with RBT??

 

Here is what I recommend:

GET FIT KIT

[post_title] => Movement vs. Muscle … Your Decision [post_excerpt] => The sooner you put movement ahead of muscle the happier your body will be. Learn why training with resistance bands and movement vs. muscle is better. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => guys-movement-vs-muscle-your-decision [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2018-12-28 13:52:09 [post_modified_gmt] => 2018-12-28 13:52:09 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://resistancebandtraining.com/?p=21555 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 5 [filter] => raw ) ID: 21555Array ( [0] => 1289 [1] => 1292 )