need help figuring out how much band tension i was using....

[Exodus]

well........ just like the title states.

here is my set up.

i was bench pressing for speed day and was bench pressing in the power rack. now our powerrack is 2 inches off the ground. plus i had 2 inches of plates underneath my bench to raise it even more.

the dumbells i anchor my bands too sit on the ground out side the power rack.

i used a green average band single choked down on the barbell. i also had the mini bands double choked down to the same dumbell.

all of this with 95 lbs on the bar.

im 5'10, and 262 with a big belly, so that will help your figuring my rom.

what was i using at the top, im not too concerned with the bottom. if you know great, but the top is my main concern.

X

 

[JOKER47]

Here's a cut-n-paste of Jump-Stretch bands and their associated resistance ratings:

Band Width Resistance Per Band
Mini 1/2" wide 5 to 25 lbs
Monster Mini 1/2" wide
Light 1 1/8" wide 30 to 50 lbs
Average 1 3/4" wide 65 to 85 lbs
Strong 2 1/2" wide 80 to 100 lbs
Monster 4" wide 200 lbs


They look very simliar to the ones I just received today from Elitefitnesssystems.com.

Hope this helps. Maybe someone who knows more about it can confirm or deny whether or not this is correct. Here's the web site I got it from:
http://www.jumpstretch.com/


Joker

 

[JOKER47]

Here's a link to the same site with a pretty graph and some more info about the same thing.

http://www.jumpstretch.com/PressureChart.htm




Joker

 

[Exodus]

thanks man, but im wondering what the extra 4 inches of heights the raised platform added.....

X

 

[Liftbig]

its time to get the scale out. set up some blocks or boxes to get the appropriate hieght, set the scale on the boxes. then set the barbell with bands on the scale. subtract bar weight from what the scale says and you have your tension lbs.


and joker they look similar to the ones you got from efs, becuase they are the ones from efs. dave is just a distributor for jumpstretchs bands.

 

[Exodus]

true......... but what is a good guess untill i have that chance???

X

 

[Liftbig]

honestly, i have no idea. i know for ME, when i use doubled mini bands, hooked up under the power rack(the power rack i bench in is on the ground) i get 90 lbs of tension at the top.

 

[Exodus]

thanks bud, untill i know for sure im just going to assume its 150lbs of tension............... if i find out its wrong.......... i'll repost my error.

X

 

[b fold the truth]

How big were the dbells that you were using to hold them to the ground???

B True

 

[JOKER47]

and joker they look similar to the ones you got from efs, becuase they are the ones from efs. dave is just a distributor for jumpstretchs bands.

I thought they were the same, but wasn't sure. Until now. Thanks.


Exodus> There should be a way to calculate the tension mathematically. Given that you know that there is X amount of tension at 6 feet, convert that to inches, and approximate the additional 4 inches of stretch. Assuming that it is linear, which it probably isn't at that point.

You know any math majors? I can check with one of the guys here who happens to have majored in math, and see what other variables might be missing.

EDIT: Actually, the webpage with the graph on it shows that the tension increase is pretty much linear. (At least to 7 feet.) So, if you know pretty much how long the bands were stretched, the graph has every 2 inches graphed out. FYI.


Joker

 

[Numani]

As a suggestion why not purchase a "Pocket Balance".

basically a scale with a hook on the end. something you can use to hang things on the end to weigh.

get your band set up and place the hook just where the barbell and bands meet and test the tension.

cost me $8. bought one at the weekend. to test exactly the same thing.

 

[Screwball]

No disrepect but you are using way too much band tension for your strength level. Mini-bands or monster mini's are all you need for speed benching. When the majority of the resistance becomes band tension then you defeat the purpose of the movement... speed. You also set yourself up for overtraining and lack of recovery for your ME day. Bands take a lot out of you.
You have to learn how to cycle their use with straight weight and chains. DE day is about speed and hypertrophy work. Just my .02

 

[Exodus]

No disrepect but you are using way too much band tension for your strength level. Mini-bands or monster mini's are all you need for speed benching. When the majority of the resistance becomes band tension then you defeat the purpose of the movement... speed. You also set yourself up for overtraining and lack of recovery for your ME day. Bands take a lot out of you.
You have to learn how to cycle their use with straight weight and chains. DE day is about speed and hypertrophy work. Just my .02

thanks for your advice. but i have put a lot of thought into this. my speed was better this week than it was last week. all of my sets were under 3 seconds. whereas 2 weeks ago with only mini's double and 155 on the bar i was getting 3 seconds and above.

here is my 9 week cycle.

week 1: 155lb bar weight - and mini's double choked.
week 2: 125lb bar weight - mini's double with light's single choked.
week 3: 95lb bar weight - mini's doubled, w/ average single choked.
week 4: repeat week 1
week 5: repeat week 2
Week 6: repeat week 3.
week 7: 185lbs no bands
week 8: 175lbs no bands
week 9 165lbs no bands.

end cycle. then i either max at the end of the week, or repeat program.

X

 

[b fold the truth]

here is my 9 week cycle.

week 1: 155lb bar weight - and mini's double choked.
week 2: 125lb bar weight - mini's double with light's single choked.
week 3: 95lb bar weight - mini's doubled, w/ average single choked.
week 4: repeat week 1
week 5: repeat week 2
Week 6: repeat week 3.
week 7: 185lbs no bands
week 8: 175lbs no bands
week 9 165lbs no bands.

end cycle. then i either max at the end of the week, or repeat program.
X

I wouldn't have a single joint in my upper body left. Your best flat bench is somewhere around 300...or less...right?

You are faster with more bands because the increase in band tension is pulling the bar down faster which is giving you a faster reflex to push up.

I do agree that you would do better with 135-175 + double mini bands on a 3-4 week cycle, then cycle off bands completely. You are doing LOTS of band tension for 6 weeks straight??? OUCH!!!

DE Squat and DE bench should ONLY be EXTREMELY HARD when doing a circa max phase...not all the time.

Hope that you rethink your program...

AND...as my above post asked...what size dbell did you use to hold the band down?

B True

 

[cheesecake]

This is all very interesting, especially considering that my program is based around Exodus' program.

I had thought that it might be TOO much band work. Now I'm beginning to see that that might indeed be the case.
...chad...

 

[Exodus]

I wouldn't have a single joint in my upper body left. Your best flat bench is somewhere around 300...or less...right?

You are faster with more bands because the increase in band tension is pulling the bar down faster which is giving you a faster reflex to push up.

I do agree that you would do better with 135-175 + double mini bands on a 3-4 week cycle, then cycle off bands completely. You are doing LOTS of band tension for 6 weeks straight??? OUCH!!!

DE Squat and DE bench should ONLY be EXTREMELY HARD when doing a circa max phase...not all the time.

Hope that you rethink your program...

AND...as my above post asked...what size dbell did you use to hold the band down?

B True

sorry i forgot........ it was 110lb dumbells.

but i was in control on the speed......... i wasnt jsut pressing wildly, i had control, i stopped the bar 1-2 inches off my chest and reversed it without it burrying into my chest. my speed up is what i meant by being faster...... not the way down. my joints dont hurt, im not even that exhausted. i know doms i have used way too much band tension in the past. my form was fine, no break down in form.

but i know what you mean about the de days are not supposed to be hard......... they werent, not at all........ my workout was done within 35 minutes.........(trinity wasnt there) this was my quickest workout ever.

if i notice a reduce in strength or constant fatique then i will change things.

im not sure why everyone thinks this is an incredible amount of tension, it hardly feels like some kind of unbearible load. i use to do speed bench with 205 plus the average bands single choked for 9 sets of 3 when i did wsb the first time. i would do that for 5 weeks straight, by the end of that time, i would be feeling the bands and switch. i was a 285 bench presser then and im about 325 bencher now.

and im only using 95lbs instead of 205 plus the minis doubled. so i gained 40lbs on the bench press. decreased the bar weight by 110lbs and added only 50lbs (the doubled minis) worth of tension.

i just dont get it, i dont see what im doing wrong. please try and explain it again.

X

 

[t3c]

does that amount of tension at the top really matter?

i mean shouldnt we just be going by bar speed on de days?

 

[JOKER47]

ok then.............. the day was better than normal becuase my bar speed was best it had ever been with improved form.

X

When you mention your bar speed, are you talking about just the positive portion of the movement, the negative or both combined?

Joker

 

[Exodus]

does that amount of tension at the top really matter?

i mean shouldnt we just be going by bar speed on de days?

ok then.............. the day was better than normal becuase my bar speed was best it had ever been with improved form.

X

 

[JOKER47]

the positive. my negative is always the same on speed day. becuase if you get out of control due to too much band tension, there is no way you could stop it before the bar touches your chest. the push is where 85% of the speed is important. lowering i know is good for reversal strength. but the push is where the bands are important. if your speed is slowing on the push, thats bad, but mine increased due to the lack of bar weight.

X

Thanks man. I need to get a plan together for adding bands in, now.


Joker

 

[Exodus]

When you mention your bar speed, are you talking about just the positive portion of the movement, the negative or both combined?

Joker

the positive. my negative is always the same on speed day. becuase if you get out of control due to too much band tension, there is no way you could stop it before the bar touches your chest. the push is where 85% of the speed is important. lowering i know is good for reversal strength. but the push is where the bands are important. if your speed is slowing on the push, thats bad, but mine increased due to the lack of bar weight.

X

 

[Screwball]

I know 500+ lb. raw benchers that don't use as much band tension as you. Doubled mini's or possibly monster mini's are all you need on speed day. If your speed is good then you can increase the straight weight or add chains. Adding band tension is counter-productive from my experiences.

Also, the negative (eccentric) portion using bands is, at least, as important as the positive (concentric). The bands force an overload of the stretch reflex and cause you to be more explosive (reversal power). In addition, the negative portion of a lift when using bands adds additional stress to the soft tissues (ligaments, tendons, etc...). This additional stress promotes accelerated soft tissue adaptation. For these very reasons caution must be taken when using bands as overuse will lead to regression, overtraining and/or injury.