From the freshest of personal trainers to coaches and
physicians at the highest levels of sport, you will frequently hear the words
“where do you feel it” as fitness professionals train their clients. Ensuring
the correct muscles are being loaded and used to produce/resist force is
essential to developing stronger athletes and maintaining their health.
This is relevant all the way from rank beginners to advanced
athletes. A rank beginner will need to focus on developing their mind-muscle
connection, making movement patterns more stable and more consistent; whereas
more advanced athletes will want to make sure that stronger muscles are not
overshadowing others, thereby creating imbalances that can lead to injury over
the long term.
Our longer 41” Power Bands are more suited for developing
strength and power. Our shorter Micro Bands are designed with performing
movement drills in mind.
Exercise v Drill
An exercise may be performed to exhaustion, or to physically
wear down the athlete so that they become accustomed to this stress. Think
running or lifting heavy weights. A drill is more like a rehearsal, firing
neural pathways and practicing the skill component. Think running with high
knees as a warm up, or kicking a football.
The two terms can be used interchangeably in the gym, but I
found this distinction helped make it clear to my own clients why with some
movements I wanted them to go hard, and others I wanted a more cerebral
approach. Grinding is pointless without the subsequent improvement.
The Micro Bands do not come in as thick a size or strength
as our Power Bands because we are not trying to break the body down when using
these. Therefore, less resistance is needed.
Example Exercises /
Drills
| Exercise |
Muscles Worked |
How to Perform |
Why |
| External Rotations - Shoulder | Rotator cuff |
Hold both ends of the Micro Band Pro Tuck right elbow firmly into your side, with your right wrist across the left side of your torso Left hand by your side, keeping constant tension on the Band Rotate right forearm externally, keeping right elbow tucked in |
Develop stabilising muscles of the shoulder |
| Lateral Shuffle | Gluteus Medius |
Loop Micro Band Pro around ankles (more resistance) or knees (less) Squat down into a quarter-squat stance Step laterally, keeping band tight Return after a set distance |
Glutes are common weak points in athletes who are used to relying on their quadriceps and hamstrings Can be difficult to feel contracting for general population in particular, especially those who sit for extended periods |
| Band Pull Apart |
Rhomboids Mid Traps Posterior Delts |
Hold Micro Band Pro at each end Try to rip the band apart Note – changing the angle of your shoulders will affect which muscles are targeted |
Pectorals commonly dominant over upper back muscles Alleviate hunched posture |
| Squat with Band around knees | Gluteus Medius |
Have the Micro Band Pro’s looped just below the knees Squat per normal, focussing on keeping the knees out |
Reinforces cue to prevent valgus collapse |
| Clams | Gluteus Medius |
Lie on side, knees bent at 45 degrees Loop Micro Band Pro above the knees Keep feet touching, and push the knee on top as high as you can Maintain constant tension |
Strengthens gluteus medius Helps prevent valgus collapse when squatting |