How does one go about setting bands up for speed BP? I just used them for the first time tonight. I walked in thinking I could just anchor them with a heavy dumbell and put it around the bar, but there wasn’t much (any) tension. I ended up wrapping the band around the bottom of the bench a few times and then anchoring it with a dumbell. It took my 15 minutes to even work out a set up I was kinda happy with, and even then I had to force myself to keep from ripping it apart and redoing the damn thing. I was thinking a better method would be to set the pins in the power rack to just below (or even with) the bench, and then wrapping it from the pins underneath the squat rack and back up to the bar. If anyone else has a reccomdation I’d love to hear it.
Jeff:
Here’s how we set them up. I’m assuming you’re using the mini bands, if not you should be for speed (dynamic) day.
Set-up:
You will need two heavy DB’s, (100’s) will do.
Set the DB’s on each side of the bench about where the bar will be when you unrack it and bring it to your chest.
Now take a mini band and loop it under the handle of a DB and then hook each end of the band to the bar. Do the same for the other side and then add your weight.
This should give you 40 - 50 lb of tband tension on your chest and 70 - 90 lb at the top.
A good way to start is with 40% of your max and wave up 5% a week to 55% for 4 weeks. Then go back to raw weight for a week to get your speed back, then take a weight and test your bench the following speed day.
Hope this helps,
Bill Denlinger