Rubber band, rubberband man!

[blackeagle603]

Used ones sell for new pricing often. As much as 5 week backlog on orders currently. That's been the story for as long as I've been watching it. Was one of the reasons I decided to give it a go. Figured the resale market would be strong if I didn't want to keep it.

But I do. Oh I do.

[BDK]

You might be interested to know that strongmen frequently use chains as variable resistance- the chains are so long, that most of it sits on the floor at the lowest position, with the higher the elevation of the bar, the more effective the weight is.

OK, so I've been out of it for a LONG time, but I was around when bands and chains were a thing.

A) Yup, can be useful, especially bands, to teach you to keep accelerating. We did more throws for that, though. Both because there were throws as events/nuances to learn, and because it was fun throwing stuff.

B) Mostly, used by powerlifters, TMK. (In strongman, there were so many different events to train on, everyone I knew mostly focused on implements... We still did gym workouts, but "everyone" could easily squat/deadlift 400#, but lifting a 400# stone was hard. Same with 600# farmers walks, 605# chain drags, 700# sleds, etc)
(Sleds are great, BTW. Heavy sleds, on pavement. Teach you to just constantly accelerate, and dig. Bit hard to build foot speed with one, but builds a heck of a granny gear.)

C) Very important, at least back then, to write the first date of useage on the band/somehow keep track of it, and then dispose of it after 1 year of use. Catastrophic band failure could be career ending.

[HTRN]

(In strongman, there were so many different events to train on, everyone I knew mostly focused on implements... We still did gym workouts, but "everyone" could easily squat/deadlift 400#, but lifting a 400# stone was hard. Same with 600# farmers walks, 605# chain drags, 700# sleds, etc)

Ive seen it used by Eddie Hall, but hes "retired" from strongman competition, and is, last i heard focused on breaking the loglift record (which he almost did at the recent Arnold classic, he did break the British mens record though 218 kilos). Hes also trying to break 700 lbs raw benchpress, and may have the utimate goal of breaking the raw bench press record, which is only thirty pounds more. Hes very close to the former at the moment.

Youre right tha exercise regime is far more varied, particularly now that WSM and the arnold are now focusing on events that require far more speed and less pure brute strength events - its one of the reasons that Brian Shaw did so poorly this year at wsm, despite winning 4 times previously(Brian is also approaching 40, and its really a young mans game)

Theres a couple of good youtube channels focusing on this Alan Thrall, and wenning strength both come to mind(Alan in particular i like, as he has a fair bit of DIY vids, including how to make your own cheap deadlift blocks and platforms using horse mats and plywood.)

[BDK]

Oh man, the platform mention is a memory. If you know of anyone who wants one, A friend, a carpenter, built an impact absorbing platform for me, base on designs from the US Weightlifting Org. (O-lifting.)

2x12 surround. Center platform is 3 layers of 3/4" plywood, with alternating grains, glued and screwed. Top is a smooth surface grade, coated with varnish, with grit added.

Either side is filled with the heaviest grade of foam carpet backer sold, topped with horse mat. It will easily hold, at least, 600# without sinking, but completely absorbs the noise and impact.

[toad]

I have a number of health problems and from my research a common treatments involves exercise . Apparently resistance exercise will help my Sleep Apnea and the tendency for my butt to go numb by strengthening the muscles by and around my sciatic nerves.
As a side note: I remember back in the 1960's when aerobics were all the rage I was running around the track that ran around the Texas A&M football field. I met a young lady who was doing sprints from goal line to goal line. She would sprint the walk back. I asked her about it and she said she was pm the soft ball team and that the short sprints did more for her than aerobics. She would do the sprints till exhaustion. It reminded me of doing reverse pyramids with barbells. I should have taken note that she was pretty muscular as addition to being curvy. What can I say, I'm a dirty old man.
Apparently it Is true that there are no such muscles as fast twitch or slow twitch. Several biopsy studies have shown there is muscle or low muscle.

[blackeagle603]

yeah, tempting to overthink it.

Just HIIT it like a caveman.

*Move frequently as a slow pace (walk, whatever below max aerobic thresold).
**Lift heavy things once or twice a week
***Run for your life once a week/10 days
Rest like you mean it. Take recovery as seriously as you do the workout.



*Get up frequently and move. Great for glycogen/insulin mgmt to move easy 5-10 minutes after each time you eat a meal.
** (pushups, pullups -- assisted if necessary, planks, free squats will do). Slow, once set to failure is plenty for what you're after.
***

[blackeagle603]

I started the above, and eating like a caveman, the day after I got home after stroke 05Feb2016.
Down from 255 day of stroke to 190's by end of that September.
(high of 267# a few years prior before eliminating wheat completely)

Put some weight back on since lowest point -- a good part of it lean.
205# this morning at weigh in.

Down from 38/40" waist to 34/36" waist -- depending on the brand.
Went from a 48 suit coat down to a snug 42. Back up to a 46R now.

X3 bar resulted in Shoulders, chest, lats growing me back to a 46R

[TheArmsman]

You might be interested to know that strongmen frequently use chains as variable resistance- the chains are so long, that most of it sits on the floor at the lowest position, with the higher the elevation of the bar, the more effective the weight is.

How does working with chains, help the workout? Is it that more weight is added on the higher the lift?

[HTRN]

How does working with chains, help the workout? Is it that more weight is added on the higher the lift?

Yes.

[BDK]

Arms man, essentially the theory is that the plates are the max you can lift at the weakest point of the lift, and the chains increase the load at the stronger points.

Folks seemed to not be that interested in them, after awhile, as it didn’t really do anything to increase the amount you could lift, once you were in a competition.

Bands were , are, more popular, as they trained you to accelerate through the movement, and aggressive acceleration is useful in most lifts/probably most athletic movements.