Gravity Fx Fitness

Flexband resistance bands are a great tool for dynamic flexibility and core training.  I’ve used several different types of bands for training and these are the most versatile.

These bands resemble thick rubber bands and have a lot more resistance than typical therapy bands.  I found an article by physical therapist Dave Schmitz about four years ago and was intrigued by his training methods.

Most resistance bands are made of tubing and are good for upper body pushing and pulling movements.  He uses the flat bands for dynamic stretching and agility drills that I haven’t seen before.

In particular, he has a lower body flexibility routine that gets great results.  I have been doing Active Isolated Stretching with myself and my clients for a long time.  I used to use it with the local arena football team before they went out for warmups.

His method allows you to do this same type of active stretching with resistance bands, making the muscles more elastic and stronger at the same time.

In addition to bootcamp classes, Schmitz uses the bands for agility and core training.  High school football teams in Wisconsin using his methods have won state championships in recent years or finished near the top.

They are a great tool for distance runners who want to stay flexible and minimize the risk of overuse injuries.  Self-massage with the Stick and then doing his flexibility routine is a potent combo.

If looking for a great tool for home workouts, I can definitely recommend Resistance Band Training.  Its also something you can take with you when traveling.

Oh, by the way, Dave can do the front splits at 45 and is as agile as most professional athletes.  Look for the Total Flexibility Training package.

Get moving!

Brian Morgan

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Do runners need to do any core training?  Will it make you a more efficient runner?  Most definitely.

This topic of training for the core has gotten a lot of publicity in recent years, with good reason.  Proper stability in this area is necessary for preventing low back pain as well as increasing performance.

Everyone seems to have a different definition of the core and how to train it, but it is much more than your abs and just doing plenty of crunches and situps.  It also includes your low back and the muscles of hips.

One key area that runners need to focus on is your glutes!  These muscles stabilize your hips which obviously will add to your running efficiency.  If your hip joint is not stable your body won’t properly absorb shock or generate adequate muscle force.

I was at a seminar a few years back and a physical therapist was reporting about an injured triathlete who came to see him.  During the evaluation he asked the man “where is your (butt)?”  Apparently, he had no glute development and that was part of the problem.

By spending a lot of time training his glutes the man greatly increased his age group ranking while spending less time running and such.  If you want to reduce the risk of IT band injuries and other lower leg issues, you need some focus on stability.

Single leg bridges are a simple way to train your glutes.  Keep your knee bent about 90 degrees and push through your heel.  Pause at the top for a second or two and slowly lower.  Make sure you move through your hip, the low back is just “along for the ride,” holding still.

Single leg exercises like step ups and multi-direction lunges are excellent.  Start with your own bodyweight and then add dumbbells or sandbags for extra resistance.  Lunges and squats with sandbags are a great way to train your abs and low back, also.

Most crunches and sit-up variations will have minimal positive impact and could increase your risk for back pain.  Bridges and planks in different positions will provide more stability.  For more resistance, push/pull exercises with resistance bands will challenge your core, as will sandbag exercises.

Get moving!

Brian

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If running injuries have been getting you down you need some specialized work.  One thing you can do is some resistance band stretching.

Plantarfasciitis and shin splints are a few of the injuries that can occur with running and the bands are a great way to both stretch and strengthen at the same time.  With some additional strengthening, IT band injuries can also be dealt with.

I first heard the term speed limping from strength coach Mike boyle at a seminar presentation.  I knowingly smiled because I know that many runners won’t quit running no matter how much they hurt.  They just run a little slower and with a shorter motion – speed limping.

One I talked with actually wore out all the cartilage in his knee before the pain finally got too bad.  While I admire the dedication, a little common sense should tell you that something needs to be done to prevent this.

Both of the chiropractors I have worked for treated many athletes, including runners, so I have done plenty of massage therapy and stretching with them.  Many told me they stretched all the time yet they were stiff as a board.

Getting regular massage can help, but since money is at a premium these days, learning some self massage is one thing you need to do.  Stretching with flex bands is a great way to increase flexibility.  They can help make your muscles more elastic and increase your strength a little, too.

A little strength work for the legs and core will also do the trick.  Doesn’t mean you have to go to the gym, but some lunges and step ups with dumbbells or sandbags are good.  You can also use the resistance bands for your lunges and core training.

I was at a seminar where the presenter was seeing a triathlete for some physical therapy.  By strengthening his glutes and concentrating on his core, the patient greatly increased his ranking while doing less training!

I can definitely recommend the Total Flexibility Training program for increased flexibility and greater running efficiency.

Get moving!

Brian

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Are you training for anything specific?  Someone asked me this yesterday as they saw me dragging some of my equipment to the abandoned tennis court where I like to get some outdoor workouts.

“I’m just an old guy trying to stay young,”  I replied.  Specifically, I want to feel youthful, energetic, and strong for as long as I live – and the way that I do that is by working intensely with full body movements.

This keeps my lean muscle tissue at a decent level and thus, my metabolism elevated.  I also focus on flexibility and mobility work to keep my joints healthy and minimize the risk of injury.

There are no guarantees in life but you can be sure if you don’t “work at living,” as Jack LaLanne says, you will probably feel old and rundown no matter what your chronological age.  I’ve had my share of injuries from playing sports and lifting weights with poor posture, but I got to admit, I feel no different physically than I did 15 years ago, and I’m in my 40’s.

So what did I do yesterday to “train for a lifetime?”  I did some more rope work, after some stretching and warmup with the resistance bands.  I also did some stair climbing with the sandbags and some kettlebell swings.

I’ve also been doing plenty of upper body stability work to help keep my chronic shoulder injuries from acting up…. and its working!  Bottom line – there are some things out of your control, but if you don’t work at staying young, you give up your say in the matter.

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Last night I did some stability work on the Power Plate to work on some “weak links.”  I like using the vibration platform as part of my warmup to activate (turn on) muscles that are prone to weakness and injury.  I also like the fact that I can get in a quick workout when short on time.

Today I was watching some resistance band videos and saw something new that I wanted to try out.  So I attached the bands to a fixed object and used a dowel rod to do some core stability work.

I’m getting ready to reopen my training studio and flex bands are one of the key components of the workouts.  They are extremely versatile, portable, and they help increase your athleticism, even if you are slightly past your competitive days, like myself.

The exercises really worked my midsection while also working on my shoulder stability, making them very efficient.  I’ve had past shoulder injuries and anything that helps keep my shoulders healthy is a plus.

So I did these seemingly simple exercises, working my core from every possible angle, including front and back.  I also used the bands for some lower body activation, including some lunges with the band around my waist.

Then I finished with a little sandbag work for my lower body – good mornings and front squats.  Between these two training tools, I got a fast, efficient workout which worked my core during every exercise.

Workouts don’t have to take hours to do in order to get results.

Get moving!

Brian

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Flex band resistance bands are great for doing home workouts.  They are extremely versatile and can be used for fat loss, flexibility training or golf fitness.

I first experienced these bands a few years back at a workshop given by physical therapist Dave Schmitz.  I found out he was giving a free workshop in the Milwaukee area and traveled 3 hours under threat of snow and ice to see firsthand what they are all about.

I wasn’t disappointed, as Schmitz turned out to be an extremely dynamic presenter and I was amazed at the use of this tool, as he took several highschool athletes through a workout, which included flexibility work and numerous agility drills designed to increase reaction time.

The flex bands are like thick rubber bands which are linked together and can be done with a partner or on your own, by attaching them to a stationary object.

He had the athletes working in pairs with one partner acting as the “anchor” while the other went through the various drills.  Then they would switch, so that one was working while the other rested, but since the resting person was being the anchor, they were still getting some training in.

In the last few years, several highschool football teams using these methods have won championships or finished near the top.  Schmitz’ motto is “Training beyond the contraction”, meaning that you don’t want to just train the muscle to generate a lot of force, you want a muscle that will react quickly, which is key to sports performance.

For people like me who are past their 30’s but still want to perform at a high level, whether its on the golf course, softball field or basketball court, these resistance bands are the perfect training tool.  Its pretty easy to keep your strength levels up but your reaction time and explosiveness seems to slip if you don’t train them adequately.

I haven’t seen a better tool for achieving this, especially one that can be used at home.  You can get different bands that will meet all your exercise needs for far less than a Bowflex would cost and have more versatility in your home workout program.

By the way, Schmitz can do the front splits at 45 and has the same kind of agility that an elite athlete in their 20’s would have.  I love the bands because they turn every exercise into a core training exercise, as they link the upper and lower body together in all the movements.

So this exercise equipment can be used by teenagers, their parents and even their grandparents, especially since reaction time and strength are crucial to preventing falls and keeping your mobility as you age.

If you would like more info, go to Resistance Band Training.

Get moving!

Brian

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So what makes flex band resistance bands a great tool for core training?  Simple, every exercise becomes a “core exercise!”

Whether you are doing push/pull exercises in a standing position or some type of agility training, it stresses your midsection.  Instead of isolating your abs by doing crunches on the floor, you force your abs and back muscles to stabilize your spine while you are training your upper or lower body.

When doing a 1 arm pressing or rowing move you put a lot of stress on your obliques, strengthening your core in the process.  You are training all these muscles from every possible angle.

So whether you want flat abs, more yards on your golf drive, or a more athletic body, these resistance bands will get the job done.  They help to teach all your muscles to work together more efficiently.

Besides gaining a body that looks good and performs better, you achieve all this in the least amount of time spent – meaning a quicker, more efficient workout.

Training with them allows you to get more bang for your buck because they eliminate the need to do that 15 minutes abs class, then do seperate weight training and so on.

In most work or sports situations you are on your feet, so by training on your feet you will teach your abs to work with your upper and lower body.  It doesn’t matter how much force your legs can produce if your core can’t properly stabilize your spine.

Most of the time your midsection remains still or moves very little, while everything above or below is moving.  If you don’t care about being more athletic than you will enjoy the fact that the bands will flatten your midsection while spending the least amount of time exercising.

I personally like to combine them with sandbag exercises to hit them with plenty of intensity.  When you are pushing a band that provides 50-75 pounds of pressure, you have the same amount of resistance pulling you backwards.

This really trains all your muscles to work together as a unit – very efficient.

For more info on flex bands go to Resistance Band Training.

Get moving!

Brian

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