As you know I have preached how training should be as functional as possible. Using band resistance allows true normal function to be improved if done correctly.
There have been times when I have used light resistance with kids to improve their movement, especially lateral movement. Why? When a young athlete doesn’t understand how to get into a good stance because he or she kinesthetically can’t feel it, the bands will make them feel it.
If you take a super light stretch band and place it around the waist of an athlete and apply light pressure, the athlete’s body will sense the tugging toward the band. Starting from their feet and ankles, they will sense the need to apply a force in order to maintain balance. The next thing they normally do is widen their stance and lower the center of gravity. Before you know it, they are in a functional athletic stance.
Now, when you want to improve deceleration, and therefore reacceleration, the addition of resistance bands will increase the force production through proper foot placement angles.
The key to any added resistance training is to evaluate how the athlete is handling the resistance. Are they able to maintain a proper stance, or are they being forced into too much of a bracing stance because the resistance is too high?
I have literally taken young athletes seven, eight, and nine year olds and improved their lateral shuffle simply by adding a few pounds of resistance. The goal is to have the body react in a positive shift when it feels pressure from the bands. This is a kinesthetic reaction.
When we start talking about more experienced, and older athletes, band training can take speed work to a new level. Once again, it is about making sure the training is done functionally while the band resistance simply adds to the real function.
The biggest mistake is having too much resistance so the athlete actually changes the mechanics of the skill. Always evaluate your athletes first when applying resistance.
I have actually used light resistance even when an athlete doesn’t have great movement skill from the start. The band allowed the athletes to feel what it should be like. As the athletes performed many reps with the resistance, they developed a motor program of how it should feel. It is no different than using a booster seat for a child that is too short to see at the dinner table. The goal is to set them up for success by using truly functional techniques.
Yours in Speed,
hi Lee
what brand/size bands to you recomend?
Good Stuff Lee!!!!!!!
Lee, great post. I agree that bands will really help get an athlete into the proper positioning and allow them to feel what is going on. However, when doing band resisted sprinting, I probably tend to fall into the category of using too much resistance. Thanks for the post!!
You are right on the spot coach. When instructed properly, bands are a great way to help athletes feel their way into an athletic stance. It is also a great tool to teach force application for explosive multi directional movements.
Great thoughts Lee. You made similar comments a while back that I applied with great results. As long as the athletes maintain proper technique, the bands are an awesome tool. They have helped some of my nonathletic kids “get it”.
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