Strength Training and Powerlifting Bands Review

Training with bands is a very effective method to improve both maximal strength and power particular for extensor chains. Therefore presses, deadlifts and squat variations benefit greatly from band training. It has been a staple of strength training programs at successful training centers like Highland Strength, the Westside Barbell Club, and the Poliquin Performance Center. Without a doubt, I would recommend the adjustable bungee bands system sold at www.big-n-strong.com.

Note: The Bench Press Bungee Bands have been discontinued. Taking their place are custom Bench Press Bands from Jump Stretch. The patented BNS Bands System still functions virtually the same as when Charles Poliquin originally endorsed it. (see: BNS Max-Bands - Strength Training & Powerlifting Bands)

Strength Coach Charles Poliquin

Over regular bands, the adjustable bungee band system offers the following advantages:

1. It is easy to adjust in terms of tension provided.

2. It is easy to adjust in terms of mechanical advantage of the trainee. In other words, you can adjust for arm length between different trainees in matters of seconds.

3. You can play more with what sort of resistance curve to want to encounter. For example, if you want to only load the top quarter, you can.

4. The bungees glide at the bottom to follow a more natural force expression pattern.

I find it to be a great tool for training both maximal and explosive strength, I currently have Adam Nelson, Olympic silver medalist in shot-put use them to prepare for the Indoor World Championships in next March. He is currently doing a routine where he alternates isometronics in the rack with sets using the bungee bands.

On the most important benefits that training with bands/bungee bands offers is that it teaches the athlete the concept of acceleration. If he or she does not learn to accelerate from the beginning of the concentric contraction, the weight will pin him or her.

Update from the Charles Poliquin Newsletter (08/11/2005) – Congratulations to our new World Champion and Olympian, shot putter Adam Nelson who over the weekend won his first world title with a throw of 71-3 1/2, his best throw in three years while competing in the World Championships in Helsinki, Finland.

"This has been in the making for 5 years. I lost my first big championships to the great Finnish shot putter Arsi Harju, and now I reach the top here in Finland, so I have come the full circle." – Adam Nelson, Gold Medallist and World Champion

Charles Poliquin is recognized as one of the Worlds most successful strength coaches, having coached Olympic medalists in twelve different sports including the U.S. Female Track and Field Team for the 2000 Olympics. To find out more about Charles Poliquin visit his Web Site at: www.charlespoliquin.net

Warrior II Bungee Bands - click to enlarge

Dave Tate, Louie Simmons and the Westside Barbell gang have written and talked for years about the benefits of benching and squatting using Jump Stretch bands. I finally decided to test them out for myself.

The green Jump Stretch bands proved to be much easier to set-up than I anticipated. If you have dumbbells of at least 100 pounds in your gym, loop the band around one of them on the floor, stack another big 'bell on that one, and run both ends of the band up to the bar, whether you're squatting or benching. Use the frame of the cage or bench for direction and stress addition. Tension on the band can be increased by rolling it around the dumbbells. Of course, you can use buckets of sand, bags of cement, foundation block, or anything else handy that's heavy.

In practice, I found Jump Stretch bands work fine. Jump Stretch produces different strength bands (in different colors) and they're easy to utilize. I doubt anyone will have problems making them work the way they're supposed to, and I can't imagine tearing or breaking a set. These puppies are damn strong and stretch evenly and steadily without any sticking points.

The Big ‘N Strong Bungee Cords are just that: bungee cords of different lengths and tensions. Some have chains and hooks attached, but they all work together. Basic set-up instructions are available on the website, but even without them it's easy to figure it all out.

I love the Bungee Cords. There's more flexibility for changing the resistance. Adding and subtracting cords at different points, thus altering the attached lengths of the cords, changes the tension. These changes are easy to make, especially when working with several lifters at one time. The Bungee Cords went through a heck of a lot of punishment and came through with flying colors, never snapping, never un-attaching, and never losing their resistance.

Both the Jump Stretch bands and the Big ‘N Strong Bungee Cords work as advertised. If you train alone or with a partner sharing comparable strength levels, either the Jump Stretch or Bungee Cords will work fine, but if you're a coach or work with more than one or two other people in the gym, I strongly recommend you lean towards the Bungee Cords for their adaptability.

The BNS Bands System are great and have allowed me to do benches again with a barbell. I'm 50 and have arthritis in my left shoulder that only allowed stuff like hammer strength, but something about the constant tension of the bands lets me to do explosive benches with no pain.

Trey Butler, NSCA: Strength Coordinator/ Performance Specialist, Oklahoma City, OK

As a strength and conditioning coach my job is to create stronger, faster, more explosive athletes. Here at The Fieldhouse we have incorporated BNS Bands System into our training. They have been a great tool for us to continue to develop power and explosion. The bands have been functional for us and we are very pleased with our athlete's results.

Tried the BNS Bands System... in one phrase - "AWESOME." The ability to change and manipulate the resistance is an added benefit to any program. My athletes are going to love using these bands - not only are they easy to set up but the workouts which can be implemented are endless!

We have found the BNS Bands System to be an extremely helpful tool in training our athletes here at Cornell. We have seen significant strength gains in our athletes while using the bands, and our athletes report squatting with the bands to be more comfortable than a traditional squat movement. We also have made great use of the bands during our in-season phase of training.