Using resistance bands to train split squats or single leg bench squats is so easy and like with other RBT exercises, doesn’t require you to carry around 30lbs of weight.
This weeks RBT Live Training Episode not only shows you how to do split squats or single leg squats with bands but shows you how to adapt to those special clients and friends who were not blessed with the tall genes…
Enjoy this weeks Training episode of RBT Live and make sure you let me know what you thought of my special addition. Look forward to hearing from you on the comment section.
Have a great Halloween weekend and crank out some Band Split squats for me.
Reactive Training.. Powerful Results
Dave Schmitz
PS.. If you are interested in learning about how to train your entire body with bands using the split stance, you may want to check out Resistance Bands Unleashed DVD Series or if you don’t have bands yet.. The Total Fitness Package will set you up with everything you need. It is all about getting reactively stronger and reactive fit with resistance bands.
If you have not watched this video please do so before you continue reading. I do not know Mr. Boyle personally but I have read many of his writings. I respect him for his unwillingness to never settle for what is but always analyzing what could be. He simply never stops learning and trying to teach others.
Mike’s theory on Single legs squat drove home why I find the staggered stance to be so effective at teaching people how to integrate their lower torso with their upper torso which when all is said and done is how this body was designed to work.
Mike’s states that the low back is the limiting factor not the glutes when it comes to bilateral squats. Subsquently by going into a split stance the lower extremities, especially gluts and quads, are more effectively trained. I would say it is not just a low back but globally a trunk limiting factor.
If we are able to assist the trunk (specifically the lower abs) to stabilize the low back (specifically L5-S1) than we create less of a force leak at that point and allow the weight or vertical vector force to be dealt with using the lower torso.
Keeping the transition area of L5-S1 stable is what allows us to transfer force production to the lower torso when the load is coming from the top - down
I thought it would easier to show you than tell you so.. Here you go.
See you tomorrow to discuss why the scapula and shoulder love the split stance as well.
What types of bars do I need to hook my bands onto??
What types of bands do you use and what are all the different resistance levels??
etc, etc, etc…
It just goes to show you, first of all how exciting resistance band training is becoming and secondly how versatile it is when it comes to training anywhere.
So I thought this week I would invite you into my resistance band training world to see where I workout and where I create so many incredible Resistance Band workouts.
I hope you enjoy getting a little upclose with the Band Man.
Make sure you shoot me your comments and thoughts. I always want to hear whats working for you.
Reactive Training .. Powerful Results
Dave Schmitz
PS.. As a 46 year old who feels like 30, you can imagine how exciting it is for me to get this email.
Dave,
In the past month I have taken time off the weights and been doing all body weight and band training. My aches and pains are getting better and better, I am way more explosive, my flexability is better than ever, and I am running like I never have before.
Over 90% of us will suffer a low back injury of some kind at some point in our lives.
95% of the time that injury will be the result of poor deceleration control. What can we do to protect and decrease the chance of injuring our low back?? Well first let me tell you what won’t work.
Doing 1000’s of sit-ups every week
Doing leg raises with our low back coming off the ground on every rep
Do those silly side crunches a hundred miles a minute
Grabbing a hold of some pulley system and horsing down doing kneeling crunches
Doing the latest ab machine shown on the latest info commercial
Doing only floor planks
I can pretty much guarantee if you do the above listed training techniques or exercises, you are all but assured of suffering if not creating a low back injury.
The ab’s like any other muscles are reactors. They respond to driver of primarily gravity, ground reaction and momentum. If you do not train the ab’s to be reactors, when called upon to protect your low back from venturing to far in the ROM, they will not respond effectively or quick enough to prevent a low back injury.
It is very easy to tweak an exercise to become a trunk reaction exercise. You can create ground reaction or increase momentum or both. Gravity can also be increased by adjusting the resistance or direction of the resistance. Here are 5 easy ways to make most exercises a trunk reaction exercise.
1. Overload the body to one side by doing unilateral training. Especially with vertical or horizontal force vectors
2. Create multiple force vectors. Bands in conjunction with any dead weight objects can accomplish this
3. Add a step with the exercise which immediately brings in ground reaction forces and additional momentum for your trunk to deal with.
4. Adding in the a rotational plane will immediately activate the trunk since the obliques and transverse abdominus have strong rotational biases
5. Performing the step and lift movement in an integrated fashion with an emphasis on getting off the loading phase as fast as possible.
Is your head spinning yet??
Well what if told you I could incorporate all five of these training options with 1 exercise??
Now realize this exercise is not for the person who has not incorporated some low level trunk stabilization first. However, if you have done your pre-trunk training, than I have a great trunk blasting, delt building, heart pumping workout that will teach your trunk how to react with power.
Give it a try and let me know what you think.
Enjoy this week’s RBT Live… Building a powerful 6 pack
Training beyond the Contraction
Dave Schmitz
PS.. Looking for other great trunk reaction ideas?? Resistance bands Unleashed DVD Series will show you how to unleash the power of Reactive Trunk Training.
The role of the trunk: Keep your Center of Gravity over your Base of Support while keeping your Lumbar Spine safe from moving beyond its anatomical Range of motion in all 3 planes.
The easiest ways to activate the trunk and take advantage of this functional role is to:
1. Overload one side of the body which will cause the opposite side trunk to immediately activate to keep COG positioned correctly
2. Create a posterior directed force vector which causes the anterior trunk to immediately activate
3. By increasing the lever arm as it relates to your center of gravity which makes the trunk stabilizer have to work harder to keep COG safely positioned to protect the low back
4. By changing your base of support the trunk has to adjust tension to keep COG positioned
Dowel band push training does all of this and also helps develop your anterior shoulder, chest, and tricep strength while functionally making you a much stronger unilateral pusher in standing.
You could say dowel band push training is one of the best total body exercises that emphasize making you more stable on your feet. It has become my favorite “go to exercise” as I transition people from floor planks to weight-bearing trunk training.
Fortunately with a 5 foot dowel you buy for a $1 and any level of band you are ready to get after it.
Enjoy this week 37th Episode of RBT Live Dowel - Band Training
Training beyond the Contraction
Dave Schmitz
www.resistancebandtraining.com
Special Dowel - Band Opportunity
Hope you enjoyed the video.
Interestingly enough, most of my Low Back pain patients now swear by dowel-band training and do entire workouts using 1 or 2 bands and dowel.
If you are interested in learning more about all you can do with dowel-band training, purchase any resistance band package over the next week (end date Midnight Wednesday October 14th) and I will send you via email my Dowel Band Training Manual. ($35 Value)
