Why Add Bands To Your Squat?

Band training can be a great addition to your training if you are not currently doing so. If you are a strength athlete, I would recommend introducing bands to the squat first. If you are new to bands I would use westside barbell, rogue fitness, or eliteFTS bands. Start with mini bands. I will list below a description on how to setup, what weight will be added, etc. In the remainder of the article I will list the benefits of band training specifically for the squat.

Acceleration With the correct setup, bands will always be pulling you down. As we descend in the squat the bands begin to loosen and the weight begins to lessen. As we begin to ascend and drive up from the hole, the band tension begins to kick back in and the weight becomes heavier each millimeter we move. This is called accommodating resistance. The resistance accommodates to your movement. So, in a compound movement, as a weight begins to compile in the concentric portion the muscles will begin to fire and try to fire quicker training your acceleration.

Learning to Brace Better When you unrack your first barbell with bands on to squat you should feel a new type of pressure you’re not accustom too. With this new added ‘weight’ at the top bracing will have to sharpen. You will shake and feel uncertain, but trust your training, brace and then squat. Bracing— Creating intra abdominal pressure by squeezing your belly button back into your tailbone. The other cue I like to give is create the reaction as if someone was about to punch you in the belly!

Progressive Overload The method that involves doing more= get stronger (very basic explanation) BUT the importance is this: after some introduction to bands, you will start to squat weights you were doing without bands! The added weight from the bands on top of the weight you are doing on the bar will soon surpass your 100% maxes at specific rep schemes. If your Max is 300lbs without bands, you squat 250lbs with 80lbs bands (at the top), the total weight would be 330lbs at the top (completion) of the squat, 30lbs over your max without bands. Bands will teach you acceleration in the squat.

Band Setup Start with mini bands. They’re usually light, average, and strong mini bands. Mini refers to the width of the band. Typically, no wider than .75-1inch. This is not always true, but light mini = orange, average mini = red, strong mini = black/blue

Double up mini bands for squat set up. This means the band should never lose tension even with a deep squat. If it does, it is not doubled up. Wrap around 80lb + or pegs if your gym allows. Loop one part of the band of the barbell… drop it all the way down under the peg or DB… wrap all the way back up and loop other side onto barbell.

https://www.westside-barbell.com/collections/westside-barbell-premium-bands/products/westside-barbell-premium-mini-band-pair