Exercise Reflects Movement: Resistance Bands to help fix faulty strength pattern

To teach is to coach

Whether you are a high level athlete or a beginner to exercise, I believe my role as a fitness professional is to coach movement patterns. This can sometimes be a tricky thing because everyone learns differently (I’m sure you can relate to a teacher making sounds like Charlie Brown's teacher during a lecture and your thinking, “What the hell was he blabbering about.”) One of my favorite tools to use, to help correct or teach stability is some form of resistance tube or band. Why? I can effectively teach imbalances in the body with saying very little to help change a habit.

We can typically trace our asymmetries due to utilization (or lack thereof) of our preferred side in daily activities, sports, injuries, etc. Whatever the reason, the result is creating a faulty movement pattern and if unchecked, influence how we perform an exercise. 

Movement requires muscle recruitment to perform a specific job. A resistance band with the right amount of tension is forcing the body to work stabilizing muscles (not primary movers) to create tension. Tension is a fundamental element to strength training and if the primary movers are acting as stabilizers, than the result will be weakened stabilizing muscles. If you are a fan of Bill Belicheck's, "do your job" motto; well the body works in a similar manner.

Practicing the Deadlift with a Resistance Band

Ultimately, I perceive training as teaching the body to take an ordinary body weight pattern and to handle weight the same way (programming for a max lift or competition being the exception). I’ve come across a weight deadlifting that altered my form in the hips and knees. Instead of ignoring the problem, I tried using a resistance band to help in the exercise. As the result, I grooved a more competent pattern that allowed me to lift the weight. Think of this, an elevator has a maximum capacity for weight and warns not to exceed that weight. Well, our body is the same way but unfortunately, it doesn’t come with the warning sign.

 Now, I’m not saying a resistance band will cure every problem. Just like any tool, it can be used poorly. And if that’s the case, what purpose does it serve? Bad form is bad form and nothing will correct it unless someone is taught properly how to perform it. If you experience pain that won’t go away, please get it checked it out. Otherwise, enjoy the best tool you can buy for $2.00 to help in your training. Best of luck in your training!