Justin Keogh
Tue, 14 Sep 2004 17:14:00 -0700
Thanks list for all the replies that I received. Attached is the question that I posed and the replies that I received.
QUESTION Hi, I am interested in accommodating resistance in resistance-training, in particular the relatively recent use of elastic bands and chains during exercises such as bench presses and squats as used by powerlifters and other strength athletes. These devices are used to overload the stronger part of the range of motion. I remember seeing a study (I think in Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research) that compared this with normal training techniques, but I am unable to find it now. Does anyone else know of any studies on this form of training? Alternately, does anyone use this form of training? If so, could you please let me know your experiences with it? Thanks Justin SUMMARY Overall, the limited amount of research that has compared the use of bands/chains to traditional weight training have typically attempted to control for mean force produced (and hence work done). These studies show little difference in the kinematics, kinetics or long-term adaptations of these alternative loading schemes to traditional loading. Therefore, the results of the training studies confirm that force/work is an important stimulus for strength development. However the reason that bands/chains are used by strength athletes is that they allow greater loading in the latter part of the concentric phase (where the leverage is generally better). Hence the advantage of such schemes is the increase in average force and overall work done. Therefore, it would be useful to do some more kinematic differences of traditional vs chain/band training (as done in normal training) and also the long-term effects of such training. This would therefore not be done by equating work done. However, if such training is useful for improving anything beyond "powerlifting" strength still appears unknown. For those wishing to know more about this training style, do an internet search for West Side Barbell club, Lou Simmons and/or Dave Tate Thanks Justin REPLIES hello Justin, read your email..just thought i'd let you know that i designed a line of equipment that permits the user to adjust the resistance at ANY TIME they want on cam-weightstack machines, without ever having to stop the performance of the exercise, or touch the pin. So the user can overload ANY portion of the range they would like..and it uses ONLY pure gravity based means, NO air, NO fluids, nothing artiificial. A review can be read on my equipment on the www.sportsci.org website under "tests/technologies"...that's been there for some time. I have both electrical and nonelectrical ways to achieve this..it is the only equipment of its kind on the market, and allows EACH repetition in a set to be a maximal effort..think about that carefully. I did an interview with the NSCA some years ago, and it was published. Take care, Scott -------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------- Hi Justin Can't find the reference to that study although I remember it being discussed. It is obviously impossible to equate volumes in conventional vs accomodating resistance so that was a major flaw in the study design. From personal experience using the methods (only for bench training), they are of particular value to powerlifters who wear suits and shirts as the load kicks in when the suit or shirt ceases to be of great value (about 4-5 inches off the chest). Otherwise they make bench press a tricep-limited task even if you have a very wide grip. The effect for me was a perceieved reduction in chest and delt benefit which I can't imagine is of great value to non shirt-wearing powerlifters or other athletes. I imagine the effect on squats could be quite different. Regards Tony Hi Justin I also once lifted but it was back in the days before bench shirts became common, although knee wraps and what passed as suits were standard. I also had the unfortunate experience of pulling a few loads from the floor only to have them stop just above the knee, even though those loads were significantly lower than the partial range rack pulls I had done. I suspect that you are right about being in a different position. Some lifters flex in the thoracic region so the hip angle that normally does the job fails them with the really heavy loads. For me I think it was also an issue of fatigue - with maximal loads it took 3-5 seconds to reach knee level in the full range lift and only 1-2 seconds to reach the same position out of a rack. I had a weightlifting background and found it hard to keep pushing for such a long time. In this case the bands or chains would probably serve you well with the chains being less likely to pull you out of position. With regard to your last question I suppose that they would, although so too do power cleans, cleans pulls etc.. At what level do you lift and what do you teach at AUT? I teach resistance training and kinesiology courses here at RMIT in Melbourne and I think we did post-grad studies in the same place (SCU). Regards Tony Dr Anthony Shield Lecturer Division of Exercise Science School of Medical Sciences RMIT University Ph: 03 9925 7337 Fax: 03 9467 8181 E-Mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------- Justin, We at Ball State did a study using bands a few years ago. It has not been published because no-one can be bothered to finish writing it up. The abstract is below and a graph is attached. I think it was presented at the NSCA conference in Vegas a few years ago. If you want more info let me know. Tim. ABSTRACT There is a limitation to traditional resistance training when attempting to develop strength and power in that the load lifted does not match the changing force capabilities through the movement of the muscular and skeletal systems. A second problem is the deceleration phase in which force and velocity decline markedly at the top of a lift and thus the body is not optimally loaded throughout the movement. Several mechanisms have been developed to address these issues. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of heavy elastic bands on the force, velocity, and power output produced during the back squat. Ten male collegiate powerlifters were recruited. After 6RM squat weight was determined for each lifter, three conditions were evaluated. For the no bands (NB) condition the load was provided by the 6RM weight of the barbell alone. For the bands top (BT) condition, the elastic bands were attached to each end of the barbell, and using a force platform under the subject's feet, the weight on the barbell was reduced until the total load on the subject when standing erect was equal to the 6RM load. For the bands bottom (BB) condition, the weight on the barbell was adjusted in the same manner but such that the total load was equal to the 6RM when the subject was in the parallel squat position. The subjects completed a series of lifts under each condition. A force platform was used to measure vertical ground reaction force and a linear transducer attached to the bar recorded displacement. Force, velocity and power output were calculated and averaged over every 10% of concentric bar movement. No difference in force, power or velocity was observed between the NB and BB conditions. However, force during BT was lower for the initial 80% of the concentric movement by up to 0.503BW and 0.849BW for the NB and BB conditions respectively. Bar velocity was significantly higher for the BT condition for initial 50% of the concentric movement by up to 0.209 and 0.295m/s for the NB and BB conditions respectively. Power output was not different between the BT and NB conditions at any point in the squat, however it was higher for the first 50% of the lift for the BT compared to the BB conditions by between 0.37 and 0.72 W/kg. The use of elastic bands during squatting clearly alters the force, velocity and power output with the greatest differences being when the weight on the barbell is adjusted as in the BT condition. Specifically, this allowed the lifter to produce greater velocity and power over the lower phase of the lift. This substantiates the anecdotal evidence that use of the bands permits the lifter to explode more out of the bottom without being inhibited by having to slow the bar at the top of the lift because the increasing tension in the bands achieves this. Such a technique has practical relevance because it modifies the traditional squat exercise possibly for greater transference to increasing vertical jump and ballistic performance. It may also help the lifter increase 1RM squat by teaching a movement pattern more conducive to exploding out of the bottom and through the sticking region. -- #*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#* Tim Doyle Edith Cowan University PhD Candidate - Biomechanics Perth, WA, Australia [EMAIL PROTECTED] +61 411 551 744 (Mobile/Cell) +61 8 6304 5156 (Office) -------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------- Justin, I am a graduate researcher at the University of Memphis in Memphis Tennessee. I am also an elite level powerlifter who utilizes the methods you posted on. I am very familiar with the application of bands and chains, etc. in trianing. If I can be of assistance to you, just let me know. Also, you may want to contact Louie Simmons. He is a pioneer with this methodology and always willing to help those to ask. I only have one request. Use these methods in a way that represents how strength athletes are using them, not how the NSCA or anybody else says! try these sites for contact info and training info. westside-barbell.com elitefts.com Chris Moore BS, CSCS Coordinator, Exercise Biochemistry Laboratory Human Performance Laboratories Department of Health and Sport Sciences The University of Memphis 135 Roane Field House Memphis, TN 38152 -------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------- Justin Keogh There was an article by Ebben in Strength and Cond Research 2002, 16(4) 547-550 regarding chains. My colleagues and I finished two studies using chains and Olympic lifting and are currently finishing the write-ups. Also, I have a paper coming out in October in Strength and Conditioning Journal regarding the use of chains. Hope this helps. Joe M. Berning, Ph.D., C.S.C.S. Exercise Physiologist New Mexico State University Physical Education, Recreation and Dance MSC 3M PO Box 30001 Las Cruces, NM, 88003-8001 505-646-3660 Office 505-646-4065 Fax -------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------- the work I have seen done in this country used too little band tension and chain weight to change the stimulus. Taking off 10% bar weight and replacing it with band is not sufficient. You will find powerlifters (qualified of course) using anything from 150 to 500/600 pounds of band tension at the top of the ROM. A lifter squatting 700-900 lbs. would use about 150-250 lbs. band during a normal phase of speed training. About 20-40% more roughly during circa-maximal phases. If you see a study saying bands are not effective, then notice the tension utilized was equal to 10% 1RM, thats a problem. This is one of the problems I have noticed. I like you idea, the problem is its tricky to quantify the resistance throughout the ROM. You would have to take lots of measurements utilizing a force platform at various points in the ROM, then create a regression line maybe. I would like to see more accurate work done on this topic. I think if you try these methods in your own training, the results will do the talking! Good luck. Chris Moore BS, CSCS Coordinator, Exercise Biochemistry Laboratory Human Performance Laboratories Department of Health and Sport Sciences The University of Memphis 135 Roane Field House Memphis, TN 38152 -------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------- Justin Keogh Lecturer New Zealand Institute of Sport and Recreation Research Division of Sport and Recreation Auckland University of Technology Private bag 92006 Auckland 1020 New Zealand Room AH221I Phone: 64-9-917-9999 ext 7617 Fax: 64-9-917-9960 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.aut.ac.nz/staff/staff_bio/Search.php?faculty_id=2 ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar. Now with Pop-Up Blocker. 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