420lb Zercher Carry with E-Maxx Bar!
Bandbell Warriors,
Functional Training and Bandbell Bars… Do they go together?
The bench press, dead lift, and squat are linear by nature and only train you to move the weight from A to Z in a single pattern of movement. Bandbell bars are proven to minimize stress on joints and increase stabilizer activation during those movements. Can they improve your ability to perform in functional movements? The answer is a definitive ” YES”.
First, what is functional movement? Well in simple meat head terms it’s the ability to move weight/resistance against loaded joints in all directions which engages more muscles, tendons, and ligaments to complete the lift or movement pattern with no pain.
Think about your daily life. You carry grocery bags from the car, up the stairs, to the kitchen, and all the while your moving forward. Twisting and holding more weight than you should because you don’t want to take twenty trips right? That is functional!
What about that kid on the farm throwing bails of hay or lifting heavy machinery? You have heard the saying “Farm Strong” right? There is a reason.
If you want to improve your overall agility, flexibility, and strength than you must include weighted carries of all types into your program. You will increase your functional strength, and as a by product you will see increases in your linear movements. Simple Science!
You only have to look at strongmen/strong women competitors to see the real benefits of functional training. So don’t be afraid to try new things and let your body do what it is designed to do.
When humans were created, The “All ” Father didn’t plan for us to bench press, squat, or dead lift with heavy iron weights on a an iron bar. It was probably more like him sitting in his golden chair thinking lets make these humans strong enough to climb, run, and catch prey!
So speed up a few million years, and here we are in gyms all over the world building pretty muscles that have little to no real functional use. That is… unless we do the things that our bodies are designed to do to make them functionally strong!
Now here is the fun part! Bandbell stability bars make this super challenging, pain free, and easy to get the benefits of carrying unstable loads without having to buy or build stones and other implements.
The transference of the strength acquired is real and tangible. Check out this video of young Super Cop hitting some Bandbell E- Maxx Zercher Carries and Overhead Carriers with ridiculous weights, and then testing his strength on standard Yoke Bars and a Conan Wheel. Now I’m not advocating that everyone suddenly train for a strongman competition, although it would be awesome. I am, however, advocating that a real program of fitness should include ALL aspects of strength and conditioning to truly be effective for real life activities.
Bandbell earthquake or E-Maxx Bars provide an endless array of unstable load lifts that you can use to simulate the functional movements. So get your shaky carries going already, and get bigger and stronger faster!
<strong>Strength and Conditioning Session using Bandbell E-Maxx Bar. </strong>
1) Warmup the entire body using elliptical or treadmill 15 min at 5-6mph .
2) Warmup shoulders and back with Chins or Pull downs 3 Sets x 8 Reps.
3) Ab crunches and rotational stretches- 100 reps
4) Calf Presses 3 x 20 reps
<strong>Carries Using Bandbell Bars</strong> – Overhead Carry, Zercher Carry, Farmer Carry.
<strong>Varied Carries as secondary when available</strong> : Yoke Walk, Conan Wheel, DB Farmer Walk, Keg Walk, Kettle bell Carry, Sandbag ,or Stone Carry ( Block, Natural or Husafell aka Shield) Rotate Carry Exercises as needed or access to implement.
1) 20 Feet x 2 – 100lbs x 4 -25 lb plates
2) 40 Feet x 2 – 150lbs x 6 -25 lb plates
3) 60 Feet x 2 – 250lbs x 10- 25 lb plates
4) 80 feet x 1 outdoors or do 60 feet again. 3/4 – 45 lb plates
5) Total time and distance carry . Max effort 80% weight
6) Max effort Weight 90%
7) Max Effort 100% for time and distance.
8, 9, 10) Depending on Carry Used or Implement finish with either rack pulls or box squat x 3 sets ME X 1 rep
Go home and eat like a Viking. Drink and replenish! Wake up and wonder if you’re gonna be able to walk the next day. Then bask in the pain and soreness for the next day or so, knowing your growing and getting stronger. Smile and laugh at those naysayers with tiny legs and weak backs cause you’re gonna be a BEAST!
