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… [Read more…]

I’ve mentioned that I have a couple of close friends who train with stretch bands. One is 65 years old and uses bands almost exclusively… [Read more…]