Rubber Bands
As you all know, we have recently "disposed" of the colorful bands hanging off of "The Chuck". While there has been some griping about it, for the most part everybody seems to be taking to the new scaling methods for pull ups and ring dips.
But where did this all come from ,you might ask...Well, our friends at CrossFit Invictus got us on to it. Carol and Amy visited them while in San Diego back in February, and learned of the alternate methods they were using to scale these movements.
Here is an recent blog post of theirs written by C.J. Martin about these rubber bands...
Rubber Bands are Great . . . But Not for That!
Written by C.J. Martin
Rubber bands are extremely useful tools in the gym. They can be used for all manner of warm-up movements, like pull-aparts, scap push-ups, band stomps, etc…, and are highly effective at increasing eccentric loading when anchored to the floor and attached to a barbell. But is that how you are using them?
In my opinion, rubber bands are very poor tools when used to assist pull-ups and ring dips. Rubber bands will provide you the same amount of assistance for every repetition of your workout. But we all know that you are stronger early in the workout and more fatigued as you perform more reps. Accordingly, you should use less assistance early, and more as the workout goes on. The best way to do this is by using your legs to reduce the load.
For ring dips, set the rings low enough that you can reach full elbow extension with only the tips of your toes still on the ground. Place as much of your weight as possible into your hands by lifting your toes off the ground, or simply actively pulling them up to reduce the amount of load on your feet. Begin your descent and only add pressure through your toes as needed.
For pull-ups, use your feet to provide only as much boost as you need to pull your chin over the bar. If you’re close to unassisted pull-ups, you may only have the very tips of your toes touching the ground when your arms are at full extension, meaning you will get little push off the ground before you have to pull the remainder of the way. As you fatigue, move to a lower bar – a benefit of having really cool ascending pull-up bars – so you can give yourself a little more boost.
Voila! Now your workout can be just as difficult for your initial reps as it will be for your last.
So be keep building your strength on these moves, and soon enough, you won't need any assistance!
It's a bird, it's a plane, it's Super Bryce!!
10 Comments:
“But we all know that you are stronger early in the workout and more fatigued as you perform more reps. Accordingly, you should use less assistance early, and more as the workout goes on”
By that logic, those who don’t need assistance should start with extra weight and then drop it as they fatigue. I’m sorry, but I have to cry BS on that one! Most WODs we do have a constant weight which yes, is easier to move when early, and harder at the end. That’s the point….
– Bill McGrory on June 29th, 2010 at 9:59 am
Bands, like every other “tool” we use to improve our fitness, have their time and place to be utilized… we have all seen improvements in various movements/exercises (specifically pull-ups) with the use of bands… there are however times where “staleness” can occur and we start to “plateau” in terms of improvement with these movements/exercises and new (no bands, different/similar movements/exercises) stimuli needs to be explored
I welcome the new challenge and look forward to critical analysis as we get further into the “no bands experiment”!
– Jesse on June 29th, 2010 at 10:56 am
I don’t disagree with you. I’m disagreeing with the logic used to justify the move. I don’t agree with what C.J. Martin says about no bands. Changing things up to prevent staleness is a valid argument. Completely dropping bands from the workout, forever, because a) it doesn’t work as well as using legs to assist. b) you can get more help once you’re tired…. That’s what I disagree with.
– Bill McGrory on June 29th, 2010 at 12:02 pm
Bill,
I understand the argument from both sides, and in my coaching/training experience prefer “our” method of scaling versus the one proposed in the article… each method of scaling presents it’s own set of positive transference and diminishing returns
Without getting into a discussion about training methodologies I can state that the method of scaling requiring one to “move to a lower bar” during a WOD at our current location will not be proposed by this Coach any time soon as it will create more logistical red flags from me than objections in regards to physiological response the WOD produces
Hopefully at the end of our “experiment” we can look back and critically analyze the effects each “methodology”
– Jesse on June 29th, 2010 at 12:45 pm
Back Squat- 285,325,347.5(PR) 225(PR)
WOD as Rx- 3:59
Mentally I was feeling like crap going into yesterday and today’s training (moved last week and didn’t get to train much last week)… However my body has definitely welcomed the rest and once again reassures me of the importance of rest/recovery
– Jesse on June 29th, 2010 at 12:48 pm
BS-245,255,265(PR) +185(PR)
WOD Rx-6:09
– Tank on June 29th, 2010 at 2:22 pm
BS 135, 155, 175PR + 105
WOD 225lbs 7:32
yay burpees!
– Seth on June 29th, 2010 at 3:42 pm
BS 195-235-285(PR) + 195
-10lbs heavier from last week on all of the 3x3 and 20lbs heavier than last week on the 20. sucked, but felt good
-5:03 rx on WOD. I got 4:55 back in February. I have going down in numbers.
– Farm Boy on June 29th, 2010 at 8:08 pm
Great posts guys… good to get some interaction here on the blog, whether it be simply posting your performance, discussing training methodologies, or complementing on Neil’s beautiful butterfly pull-ups
– Jesse on June 29th, 2010 at 8:43 pm
Great post Jeff. Can’t be more excited to see where you guys end up another 12 months from now.
– Toronto Sun Newspaper on December 17th, 2010 at 5:41 am