The biggest knock-on resistance band is after a certain point they will not get you stronger. But resistance bands are a versatile tool as you can train your muscles in multiple planes of motion for better muscle development. The real magic with bands is when you add them to free-weight tools to create a variation to an exercises such as barbell band exercises.
The stretched band challenges the muscles at lockout where the weight feels the lightest. The further the resistance band stretches the greater the resistance which helps improve your lockout strength and technique too.
If you’re not utilizing barbell band exercises to your workout routine, you’re missing out on all the fun.
WHY YOU SHOULD ADD BANDS TO BARBELLS
Adding resistance bands to barbells is an often-underused way of enhancing the effectiveness of barbell exercises.
The secret lies in the resistance band accommodating resistance. Resistance bands added to the barbell improve the strength curve of barbell exercises by increasing tension at your strongest position when the band is stretched (lockout) and decreasing tension on the joints in the weakest position, like the bottom of a bench press.
Plus, overcoming the barbell and the band’s resistance simultaneously encourages you to use more of your fast-twitch muscle fibers to blast through sticking points at lockout. And this will increase your strength, power, and muscle-building potential without the stress of adding more plates.
When you add bands to deadlift and row variations, the bands pull forces you to activate your upper back muscles more to keep the bar close to you. This had great carryover to your regular deadlift and row exercises. Because keeping a neutral spine is kind of important.
Here are three exercises to improve your big 3 techniques and to add strength and muscle.
Bentover Barbell Row with Horizontal Band Resistance
A common rowing technique error is not having your shoulders down and back, known as scapular depression. This leads to the upper traps being more involved and not the upper back and lats. When the shoulders are not back and down, the lats and upper back are not fully engaged, which is the point of rows. Adding a band helps fix this.
How it helps: The band strengthens the upper back which is important for keeping a neutral spine while pulling and squatting heavy. With the resistance pulling you in two directions this will improve your grip strength too.
How to do it: Add a band to the barbell before adding plates. Hinge down and deadlift up the barbell and walk back until the band is tight. Hinge down until the barbell is below your knees and row the barbell towards your belly button keeping your shoulders down and chest up. Lower down slowly and repeat for reps.
Programming suggestion: This is a great accessory lift on lower and upper body days. Three to four sets of eight to 12 reps after your big strength move for the day works well.
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Banded Landmine Unilateral Squat to Press
When looking to improve pressing strength in both the vertical and horizontal plane, the landmine is a great compromise because the landmine pressing arch is a mixture of both. The unilateral squat to press is an alternative for lifers who have mobility issues going overhead and is a good accessory exercise for improving lockout strength too. This exercise doesn’t overload the legs, but the squat allows you to press more weight overhead, which is great for upper body strength and hypertrophy.
Muscles trained: Hamstrings, quads, glutes, upper chest, deltoids, and triceps.
How it helps: The stretched band improves unilateral lockout strength to help improve your overhead and bench press lockout.
How to do it: Put the plates on before the band and place the band right next to the plates. Put the band under the middle of both feet and get into your preferred squat stance. Squat down and pick up the barbell with both hands and switch to one hand with the barbell a few inches in front of your shoulder after your stand up. Squat down and explosively squat back up and press the barbell overhead in one movement. Slowly lower down to the shoulder and reset and repeat.
Programming suggestions: The squat to press is a full-body power move, so keeping the reps lower, between six to 12 three to four sets on each side early in your training works well.
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Romanian Deadlifts with Horizontal Band Resistance
Romanian deadlifts are a fantastic accessory exercise to build strength for regular deadlifts and for building posterior mass and strength. The addition of a band takes this great exercise to another level while improving hinge technique. Because a common flaw in pulling heavy is the loss of a neutral spine. But the horizontal band forces you to engage your upper back, lats and to sit back into your hip hinge. Plus, this variation encourages you to keep the bar close to you and maintain control and form. If you’ve never felt your upper back before during deadlifts, you will now.
Muscles trained: Hamstrings, glutes, lower back, upper back, and forearms
How it helps: The pull of the horizontal band forces you to engage your upper back to keep the bar close. This increases your upper back strength and has a direct carryover to keeping a neutral spine while pulling or squatting heavy.
How to do it: Loop a looped resistance band around the squat rack and place it on the middle of the barbell before your put the plates on. Hinge down and deadlift the barbell off the floor and walk five or six steps back to get resistance from the band. Hinge down keeping your chest up shoulders down until the barbell is just below your knees. Stand back up and finish with your glutes. Then reset and repeat for reps.
Programming suggestions: Perform as accessory exercise on deadlift or squat days for three to four sets of six to 12 reps.
