Training with bands

In addition to regular weight training they are great. They're also great for rotator cuff type things. There are many applications for bands/chains in regular lifting.

This conversation largely depends on the specific type of bands you are referring to. Some are excellent and some are very poor. Please be specific and I can give feedback.

My son has use the Jaeger bands for a couple of years now - not so much for strengthening but more for getting loose before a game - many of the players in northern california use them...

J-Bands are fine, but they are tubing and not true "bands"

Doyle, what do you think of bands for bench presses, squats, overhead presses and the like? How about chains?

The big guys over at Westside Barbell pretty much invented the technique and have had much sucess with it.

I'm going to disagree with you on who "invented" lifting with bands and chains.

Done properly I like them a lot. I use with most of my athletes.

Please don't get caught up in powerlifting techniques with baseball training. Training does not cross over well and causes extreme breakdown in most athletes.

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Please be specific and I can give feedback.

To elaborate....I've been to Spring Training and seen them used there as well as a smattering of players locally. The bands in every case have been the kind that look just like an over sized rubberband; maybe 2' - 3' long and a couple inches wide? It seems to be mostly a stretching device.

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Yes, those are true "bands" They look like rubber bands on steroids.

I use them for a wide variety of exercises and purposes with every one of my clients. They are tremendous for scapular/rotator cuff strength and stability development.

Bands are great for rotator cuff and shoulder strengthening. They are also great to use right after throwing a bullpen or long toss to help strengthen and stretch out the muscles.

I use bands every time I am going to throw a ball, but when I am lifitng I do shoulder specific exercises also. The weights help develop the larger muscles around the shoulder and the bands help develop the smaller muscles inside the shoulder.

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The weights help develop the larger muscles around the shoulder and the bands help develop the smaller muscles inside the shoulder.

Not necessarily true, but I understand what you are trying to say. When you say "smaller muscles" you are referring to rotator cuff and stabilizer muscles.

Weights, done properly, will develop the "smaller muscles". But yes, bands can be a great tool to further this development and provide a unique stimulus.

Combine them together and receive a great training stimulus.

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Originally posted by Jon Doyle:
I'm going to disagree with you on who "invented" lifting with bands and chains.

Done properly I like them a lot. I use with most of my athletes.

Please don't get caught up in powerlifting techniques with baseball training. Training does not cross over well and causes extreme breakdown in most athletes.

Obviously I'm not going to do Westside for baseball. You can learn different things from all applications of weight training. I also train for football as well, and although its not powerlifting, its more similar.

It's not quite so "obvious" to the coaches who do use Westside protocols for baseball players. And the players who follow and then end up hurt a few years later.

I realize there is something to take from almost every form of training. Thanks though.