Q: With all the studies showing that stretch loading produces best muscle gains, elastic bands appear to be very inefficient at building muscle. The resistance curve is such that the stretch is less loaded than contraction. Do you use bands or recommend them for any part of hypertrophy training?
A: Bands do stress the contracted position at the expense of stretch. So if you plan to rotate in a contracted-position exercise for variation in fiber recruitment, bands are appropriate…
Also, due to less stretch loading, bands can be excellent for training around injuries while still getting some stretch work. Staying with triceps as the example…
If overhead triceps extensions give you elbow pain, it’s probably due to excessive resistance at stretch.
By using bands in place of cables or free weights, you automatically have minimal full-stretch load. The resistance will increase as you extend your arms through the range of motion to overhead.
You can secure a band to a stationary upright and simulate a stretch move like cable push-outs…
You’ll still get some stretch load, but with bands it will be minimal at full stretch, the area of the stroke that causes the most elbow irritation.
Note: For a chart of stretch-position exercises for each muscle, as well as the IDEAL and contracted-position moves, see pages 42 and 43 of Old Man, Young Muscle.
Sculpt your perfect physique: Get the ideal exercise for each muscle, the best stretch and contracted add-on moves for ultimate mass, complete 35-minute workouts, exercise start/finish photos, and details on building muscle fast and efficiently in Old Man, Young Muscle.
And you still get The Muscle-On, Belly-Gone “Diet” ebook FREE for a limited time when you add Old Man, Young Muscle to your mass-building library. Go HERE.
Till next time, train hard—and smart—for BIG results.
—Steve Holman
Former Editor in Chief, Iron Man Magazine
www.X-Rep.com
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