Free weights with elastic band increases explosive power

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Increasing resistance when training with free weights using an elastic band enhances strength gains. This is the conclusion of Thai researchers who will soon publish their findings in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (1). However, examining other studies on this matter reveals conflicting results.

Elastic Band as Resistance

A development in strength training is the use of variable resistance, or variable resistance training (VRT) (2). This variable resistance can be achieved in various ways. In the image to the right, you see an example we encountered at FIBO last week, but has been used by old-school strength trainers for some time. The higher you lift the barbell, the more the coiled chain acts as resistance. While bench pressing normally has a sticking point somewhere at the bottom to halfway through the movement, the upper portion now requires relatively more effort compared to training without the chain (3). This changing resistance during the range of motion (ROM) ensures “maximization of the force produced by the contracting muscle throughout the entire ROM” (4).

Another method is by using an elastic band (5-10). The more it is stretched, the greater the resistance. Personally, I find elastic bands delightful to train with. However, most of them are too weak and provide insufficient resistance, likely because they are often used by people who do not train too heavily, possibly because training with elastic bands was originally done for rehabilitation purposes. For beginners, such bands may be less intimidating than barbells and dumbbells.

The bands used for VRT are thicker and stronger, but they are yet to make their way into most gyms. Additionally, combining them with free weights allows you to build most of the resistance with weights while the elastic band provides added variable resistance.

The Issue with Free Weights

I saw the Thai research primarily as a good opportunity to describe the principle of elastic bands in combination with free weights. However, I don’t find the Thai study to be the best example for this. Firstly, because they used the “clean pull” as an exercise. This is a compound exercise involving multiple large muscle groups in an explosive movement. For research, I find isolated exercises more convenient because the load is distributed over fewer muscles and thus easier to measure.

Moreover, compound exercises involve greater neural control. Initial strength gains in an unfamiliar exercise are usually due to improved muscle control rather than adaptations in the muscles themselves (11,12). However, this influence of the brain may be less significant because the study was conducted with competitive weightlifters. However, due to the small number of participants (six women), one may question the representativeness of the study.

A final and more personal reason is that I disagree with the logic of the researchers on one point, leading me to (possibly unjustly) have doubts about the rest of the study. Their explanation of the limitation of training with free weights is incorrect. They cite the bicep curl as an example.

When the subject begins lifting the barbell, the distance between the barbell and the fulcrum is the farthest, thereby making the subject experience the heaviest load. However, as the subject lifts the barbell, the distance between the barbell and the fulcrum continues decreasing. The subject experiences lighter resistance load, even though the external resistance load is constant.

K. Paditsaeree, Chulalongkorn University

“Fulcrum” means “pivot” or “pivotal point.” Reading the quote in that manner, one can only conclude, in my opinion, that what they are saying is nonsense unless you are a robot with retractable forearms. The pivot point in the bicep curl is, after all, the elbow. The distance between the barbell and your elbow remains constant throughout the entire bicep curl unless you magically shrink your forearms. The only (small) difference in distance between elbow and barbell can be caused by extending or flexing your wrists, but that is unrelated to the bicep curl. The real reason is that the leverage for the biceps is greatest when the arms are straight. Conversely, for the triceps, the load is heaviest when the arms are bent, making the leverage greatest.

Therefore, I will cite other, more suitable studies to discuss this topic.

“Basketball Players Become More Explosive with Weights and Elastic Bands Than with Weights Alone”

Like the Brazilian study whose results were published last year (13). These researchers also examined the added value of elastic bands in weight training. However, they had 20 subjects perform multiple, more common, exercises alongside the “Clean” shown above. To keep it brief, I will simplify the results below:

As you can see, there is a mixed picture regarding strength gains in the different exercises. Therefore, this study does not clarify what leads to the greatest increase in strength. What is clearer is the performance derived from this strength. For a basketball player, explosiveness is much more important than peak power. In an article about “strength training for combat sports,” I explained that explosiveness revolves around generating power as quickly as possible. The time required to generate maximum power takes more than twice as long (about 500 milliseconds) as the time most movements in combat sports take (about 200 ms) (14). Explosive training (or “plyometric”) allows you to generate more power in that shorter time, although the ultimate peak power remains lower than if you were training at maximum strength (and had time to generate it). Outside of combat sports, various studies suggest that explosive power, expressed in the rate at which power is generated (Rate of Force Deployment, RFD), is more important than maximum strength (15,16,17).

According to this study, explosive power may be increased, but the impact on maximum strength is not consistent.

The Brazilians used a relatively large variable resistance. Whereas in many studies, the resistance is often 80%-90% from the free weight and 10%-20% from the band, in this study, the latter provided 30% of the resistance.

“Squatting with Weights and Elastic Bands Increases Explosive Power in Squats, but Not Concentric Strength”

A 2010 study from the University of Minnesota showed similar results (18). In this study, squats were performed with a barbell providing resistance equivalent to 55% 1RM (1 repetition maximum), which is 55% of the weight with which the subjects could perform one squat. The elastic band provided an additional resistance of 20% compared to the 55% 1RM.

The results are shown below. Again, there is a mixed picture regarding strength and peak velocity (of generated force). The researchers also state that the benefits are not clear. They see no advantage for traditional training such as weightlifting and powerlifting, but possibly for more explosive sports. An important conclusion is that more research is needed on training with variable resistance in general and with elastic bands in particular.

The conflicting results of this study highlight the need for more research on the topic of VRT in general and elastic bands specifically. In particular, greater band resistance is an area that should be explored across all experience and ability levels.

This study calls into question the claims made about the elastic band method of VRT. The results suggest that training with moderate loads combined with moderate band tension does not confer any additional overall benefits to those of traditional techniques. However, this study does provide evidence that RFD may be positively affected by training with bands; for individuals interested in this specific parameter, it may be advantageous to consider incorporating this easily implemented training variation. Additionally, using elastic bands with compound movements like the barbell back squat and bench press may allow for more ballistic-type training typically relegated to plyometrics .

M. Stevenson, University of Minnesota

“Combining Elastic Bands with Free Weights Increases Strength in Bench Press”

Another study from 2011 by Kent State University in the US shows once again that we see different results (19).

The researchers had 11 untrained students perform bench presses in a 13-week study. After instructions, they practiced bench pressing, after which the 1RM was tested, the weight with which they could perform one bench press. They then spent 3 weeks bench pressing to allow for improvements in neural control (which, as explained earlier, account for the initial strength gains). After this period, they retested the 1RM in both groups. During the next three weeks, half of the group followed a program where they only trained with the barbell (STAND), while the other half trained with a resistance equivalent to 85% of the barbell and 15% of an elastic band (BAND). When they retested the 1RM in both groups, it was found to have increased more in the group that trained with the elastic band. The results are shown in the figure on the right.

These results suggest that the addition of elastic tension to the bench press may be an effective method of increasing strength.

D. Bellar, Kent State University

Only a Small Difference

“Statistically significant” means that the difference (likely) cannot be attributed to chance. However, this does not automatically mean it is a large difference. In the case of training with elastic bands, the increase in weight with which they could bench press was only 1.5 kilos more than without the band. I cannot recall the last time I saw someone in the gym increase the weight by 1.5 kilos when they were already bench pressing over 100 kilos. Typically, increases are made in increments of at least 5 kilos. Therefore, statistical significance does not necessarily translate to a relevant difference in the gym. This may be different if you’re at the Weightlifting World Championships where every kilo counts. However, even then, I find it (partly due to the small number of people who were also untrained) too small a difference to be convinced of the value of elastic bands when it comes to strength.

Other Studies

There are several other studies that I have not included. Not because they are less interesting or relevant, but because they do not make the picture clearer. I have selected the above studies to show the differences in approach and results. Some other studies and their findings include:

• Ebben and Jensen 2002: No difference during squats (20)
• Wallace et al. 2006: More peak power and maximum strength during squats (21)
• Anderson et al 2008: Three times greater strength increase in squats and twice as much increase in bench press with elastic band (22)

Conclusion

Training with free weights and an elastic band may potentially increase strength more than training with free weights alone. However, the results vary depending on the study. Especially regarding strength, the added value is unclear. When it comes to explosiveness, most studies seem to demonstrate an advantage of the elastic band.

The biggest problem in assessing added value is the significant difference in the setup of the various studies. I have mainly shown differences in resistance (both in absolute terms and in terms of the ratio of free weight/elastic) and subjects, but there are also significant differences in the execution of the exercises. As a result, the results are hardly comparable.

If explosive strength is a more important part of your goals, for example, to support a certain sport, you could consider trying variable resistance training with an elastic band in combination with free weights.

When it comes to strength, I wouldn’t bother until there is more convincing evidence showing a greater added value. Except for the study by Anderson et al. (22), the differences are so small that, in my opinion, they do not outweigh the hassle of finding elastic bands of the right resistance and attaching them to your free weights in a way that allows effective training.

References

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