how do you rig your bands for bench?

[jerkbox]

tonight, I finally got to do speed bench with my bands....

i figured I would use dumbells to hold the bands at the bottom...and I had it all set up and when I did a set, I realized there was not nearly enough band tension. so i tried putting the band underneath the actually weight part of the dumbell (instead of the grip) gave a few more inches of stretch, but still not enough.

after looking at this and scratching my head for a while, lol, I realized maybe laying a flat 45lb plate on the floor would stretch the band enough to give some decent resistance....seemed to do the trick.....and I figure as I use stronger bands, I can pile more weight on the plate to hold it down.

so, how does everyone else rig their's?

 

[TheProject]

We double our bands around the base post of the power rack. You could also double them around a couple of dumbbells, but you might have to stack some additional dumbbells on top, depending on which ones you're using.

 

[thebrute]

i have minis right now so i use dumbbells to rig up the bands. i also use 10s to keep the dumbbells in place so that they don't move during my set. i also choke them to get more tension as well. i hope this helps. tb

 

[jerkbox]

i have minis right now so i use dumbbells to rig up the bands. i also use 10s to keep the dumbbells in place so that they don't move during my set. i also choke them to get more tension as well. i hope this helps. tb

i was thinking maybe minis would work better....

project - wouldn't doubling up the bands produce a hell of a lot of tension? I mean, are you able to use 50% of your 1rm with doubled up bands?

 

[spatts]

Doubling IS a hell of a lot of tension. So is a single band if you rig it right. There should be no slack in the band (top or bottom). That's why I'm always amazed when people say they do XXXlbs plus greens, or something like that. If you tried that at our gym, you'd have a board permanently indented in your chest.

 

[phatman42]

My doubled mini max is about 70% of my weights only max

 

[Liftbig]

That's why I'm always amazed when people say they do XXXlbs plus greens, or something like that. If you tried that at our gym, you'd have a board permanently indented in your chest.

exactly. somtimes when we add more bands, we have double them off of pins in the power rack, or it would be too much tension. doubling bands around the base of the power rack is the best way to do it.

 

[thebrute]

when i do boards or speed bench, i double the bands and then choke them. i guess i should try not doubling them and just choke them..but i try to get as much out of the mini-bands as possible. tb

 

[jerkbox]

how do you go about choking your bands?

 

[thebrute]

when you get the bands setup, just "wrap" the bands around the bar to add tension. tb