(Video) Training with rubber bands

Don't hesitate to go for elastics to achieve amazing results. Although they are not a tool that can be measured (not quantifiable) with a number such as can be seen in dumbbells, discs or pulley plates, they do offer different resistances that can become a great challenge for any athlete.

Our collaborator Victory Endurance  y David Navarro, the author of the article, has sent us this article where they give us a series of exercises with rubbers, so you can include them in your workouts.

I am going to break down some of the particularities of these tools so that some benefits can be understood at the physiological and muscle level.

HOOKE'S LAW "The unitary elongation experienced by an elastic material is directly proportional to the force applied to it".

This definition of Hooke already tells us that if I intend to perform an exercise with an elastic tool, I will have to make more effort at times while still trying to overcome the resistance offered by it. If we think of "paper folio" type bands, it seems too easy and simple. But if we visualize the classic gums for assisted chin-ups and try to perform a vertical press with the feet, it's a challenge. I guarantee it.

Working with elastic tools interferes differently with other materials if we attend to:

• 1. muscle contractions
• 2. planes and working axes
• 3. force vectors, ranges of travel and load intensity
• 4. use in rehabilitation
• 5. Job offered for the core.

I will break down these five points taking as a reference the studies applied to the 4 Pilares formation created by my colleague Daniel Blanco Galindo and server. This training supported by more than 50 articles and studies is based on the behavior of certain training tools about our body and the results we should and can obtain from them.

1- MUSCLE CONTRACTIONS

"They offer us the possibility of working muscles by performing graft or program movements with resistance" (Benitez, S.2014).

The rubbers can be placed at any point or anchor to perform work respecting any force vector being the actual and increasing variable load (different in the pulley stations where there is load dragged by the cable and certain parameters are removed to lift plates).

"When starting to make a movement an increase in elasticity occurs, thus improving the speed of the eccentric phase, being able to provide a greater eccentric stimulus as a consequence of the stored elastic energy, which in turn contributes to increase the production of force during the concentric work phase "(Wilson, 2014).

If we observe the execution processes where the importance of slowing down the eccentric phase is emphasized in many cases during many types of surveys, imagine performing this same action with a variable load during the course. The eccentric phase is the one that offers the greatest strength peaks ... let's work it with quality and different options. In an eccentric contraction, the order of recruitment of motor units is inverted (although there is still no unanimity in all studies) where selective recruitment of fast fibers may occur.

"The lifted load and the required force proportionally can increase during the movement due to the stretching of the band. This makes it more difficult to maintain high speeds and accelerations at the end of the concentric movement and to generate acceleration needs in the early stages of the eccentric movement to overcome the resistance of the elastic band. The properties of the band generate greater opportunities to develop accelerations in the eccentric phase by increasing the force in this regimen "(Frost et. Al 2010).

It is true that you can know the characteristics of certain tools, but not always how to use them, hence the importance of training. For example, at the time of applying them to improve in jumps, not only is putting elastic resistance, also understand what the following study refers to:

"In jumps in which the eccentric load is increased by elastic resistances it is possible to reach power and height of higher jumps as long as the resistance is released at the beginning of the concentric phase (Aboobarda et. To 2015).

2- PLANS AND AXES OF MOTION

"The ability to have resistance in exercises performed in horizontal plane, prepares the individual for tasks performed in those planes of movement, as well as sports activities in gestures that integrate this work plan" (Stoppani, 2015).

 "The elastic resistances allow to be used in multiple planes to be the co-linear resistance and oppose directly to most movements" (Mc Master et al, 2009).

The rubber will continue your gesture offering you resistance in all cases and situations making it harder and harder to multiplanar advance, which is extremely interesting. Life in most cases is developed in multiplane situations (sports exception and cyclical actions).

3- VECTORS, RANGE TRAVEL, LOAD INTENSITY

"The resistance and the torque of the band should accompany the strength curve of the muscle, thus being the most complete and effective exercise" (Benitez, S. 2014).

The elastic resistances whenever they are in a state of tension will follow all movement until they leave that phase of elongation and return to its initial state where it does not offer any resistance and whose weight is negligible. You can perform an elbow bend or a push in any direction, but there will only be the line of work drawn by the rubber. That will be the reality of your exercise.

The vector of force is the line that your elastic traces, the range of travel to where you stretch it (I do not enter in this article in ascending, descending and bell curves) and the load intensity the resistance that you are able to support during that rank.

4- REHABILITATION AND PREVENTION

"Increase in muscle activation levels in muscle groups of great importance for joint stability such as gluteus medius in abdominal exercises (Brand et al, 2013)
"Reduction of pain and improvement of function and strength in patellofemoral syndrome" (Page, 2011)
"In athletes, evident studies highlight the prevention of injuries" (Page et al., 1993, Han et al.2009, Han and Ricard, 2011).
"Avoid or delay effects such as sarcopenia and other muscle pathologies" (Hortobágyi et al., 1995).

Nowadays there are more and more centers that have elastics not only to train, also for stretches resisted or assisted and as integrators of isolated muscles, heating ...

If we also think about adult population, the handling of these tools happens to have a very important role because they also help "the improvement of strength and height" (Beardsley, 2015). The use of these gums and tubes by this type of population is very well received both visually and by its easy handling.

5- CORE

At this point there are not many studies that highlight this action on the core in isolation because it is understandable that a resistance that tries to be defeated offers you some sort of combat to try not to abandon its natural state.

When you engage in the battle, it will depend on your core to remain stable and not lose position while generating the exercise, or on the contrary, you become a loser.

It is undeniable that with elastic tools we work all the core for their daily activity, stabilize. If there is something that tries to destabilize it ... do we work the core ?. YES ROTUNDO

Not everything is positive or just not as complete as we would like.

IN FAVOR:

• · Muscle hypertrophy
• Increased strength development
• Size
• Handiness
• Portability
• Integration of motion planes
• Adaptability to the need for movement
• Sustained deceleration of the load
• · Benefits associated with eccentric contraction ...

AGAINST:

• Non-specificity in ballistic gestures or high speeds
• · Need for a wide range of intensities and voltages
• Difficulty to access high resistance or maximum resistance
• Not quantifiable
• Fragility
• · The more freedom of movement, the greater the risk of loss of technique ...

As I mentioned previously, much of this information is referenced in the 4Pillars training. If any reader is interested in attending upcoming training sessions, my colleague Daniel and I will be happy to send you a dossier that perfectly specifies all the contents of the training. Get in touch via email at the following email [email protected]

EJERCICIOS

DOMINATED

With the option of a step according to height to leave standing (and be able to leave the exercise without being dragged to the ground abruptly due to lack of strength), we do the domination with special emphasis on not letting us win in the descent phase.

The shoulders have to go backwards and not let the humerus want to "appear". The neutral grips are quite successful and the shoulders never "go loose" at any time of the route, always maximum activation and giving work to the previous serratus.

JUMPS

From standing and without tension, we jump on a step with full extension. We lower one leg first and then the other to repeat the action (we do not jump to lower our backs).

We always avoid valgus knee both in the jump and in the reception of it. In this type of exercises, the "noise" of the reception must be mute ...

ELASTIC SENTENCES

Although I am not a supporter of squats and other exercises in multipower to limit natural movements, are structures that come with anchor to be able to place elastic.

Depending on the height of the person we place a step to obtain tension from the rubber. Hip width or little more and we avoid knee valgus.

OPENINGS / CORE

On his knees, respecting the work vector marked by the rubber bands, the "mechanics" of the exercise and with the stable pelvic girdle, performs the openings at a slow pace where maintaining the correct position is a straight possibility to support while working the pectoral We can never go back, get active!