Issue 028

August 2007

Resistance bands are a great way to train for explosive power and reactive ability and are extremely convenient and portable. Just stick them in your gym bag and you’ll be ready to go! In this article I will outline five great exercises that you can do with a simple set of bands. 

Exercise 1: banded shoot

To add explosion and driving power to your takedowns, try this band resisted variation of a traditional wresting shoot. To perform this exercise first attach a band to something solid at either waist or knee level. Next, thread the band through a belt and attach to your waist. Step forward until there is no slack in the band. From this starting position, perform a shoot as normal, making sure to be as explosive as possible – but do so with care the first few times and return slowly to avoid being catapulted backwards! To increase the difficulty you can step forward and move the start position further from the anchor point, although it is not recommended to over-stretch bands, so you may need to use a stronger band or double up.

Exercise 2: band single arm push with rotation

This exercise will help you to solidify the connection between hips and shoulders, adding power to your punches. Anchor the band behind you at around shoulder level, and grab it with one hand ensuring it runs under your elbow. Step forward until you have a decent amount of tension on the band. This exercise should be about forcing you to be explosive, not just going through the motions. From here rotate the hips and shoulders while pressing the band out with the arm. Holding the end position for a few moments and returning to the start under control is better for strengthening the torso and challenging your balance.  

Exercise 3: band suplex

For this exercise, anchor the band low. Stand facing the anchor point and thread one arm through the band. Cross the arms in front of the body to lock the band in place and perform ‘suplexes’ with the band. You can either do suplexes straight upward or over alternating shoulders. This exercise is great for developing the ability to rip your opponent off the floor and is a good sport-specific variation of the power clean.

Exercise 4: band resisting rotation

This is currently one of my favourite exercises for training the torso. It is performed standing, it involves the whole body and it trains the muscles of the torso to stabilise rather than create movement, which is their main function. To perform this exercise anchor the band at shoulder height and face away ninety degrees, so the band is either to your left or right. From here, hold your arms out straight in front of you (a little bend at the elbow is recommended to take the strain off the joint), sit into an athletic stance (knees bent, hips back) and sidestep away from the anchor point until there is enough tension. At this point you should feel like you’re about to rip in half, as the band is trying to forcefully rotate your shoulders away from your hips! Try to hold this position for time, and beat your last time whenever you perform the exercise. Ensure that there is enough tension that you can only last twenty to thirty seconds.

Exercise 5: band shoulder throw

This exercise is similar to a judo shoulder throw. Anchor the band around shoulder height and stand facing it. From here step and face away, twist the hips and bend at the torso to ‘throw’ the band over one shoulder. Again I recommend holding the end position for a second or so to ensure you finish the movement fully and to improve your stability in this position.

Alex Gold is a strength and conditioning coach and sports therapist specializing in working with athletes to increase performance