Useing Bands at Eastbound

How We Use Bands in Training at Eastbound

At Eastbound Strength & Performance, one of the biggest tools we use to develop stronger, faster, and more explosive athletes is band resistance training. We incorporate bands into nearly every aspect of our programming, from max effort lifts to speed work, sprint training, jumps, and conditioning. Bands allow us to create accommodating resistance, a concept popularized by Westside Barbell, which forces athletes to stay explosive through the entire range of motion instead of coasting at the top of a lift.

Bands in Max Effort Training

When we use bands in our max effort training, the goal is to push athletes past sticking points and overload their top end strength. For example, a max effort banded deadlift or squat requires an athlete to fight increasing tension as the bar gets closer to lockout.

How much band resistance should you use?
A general guideline:

• Intermediate athletes: 20–25% of their 1RM should come from band tension.

• Advanced athletes: 25–30% of their 1RM should come from band tension.

So, if your squat max is 405 lbs, you might use around 100–120 lbs of band tension plus bar weight. This forces your body to accelerate harder from the bottom and teaches you to stay strong at the top of the lift.

Bands in Dynamic Effort Waves

Bands shine in dynamic effort training, our “speed strength” work. Using the Conjugate Method, we rotate waves of 3 weeks at 50%, 55%, and 60% of bar weight, plus 25% band tension at the top.

• Lower Body Dynamic Example:

  • Box Squat 12x2 @ 50–60% bar weight + 25% bands

  • Speed Deadlift 6x2 @ 50–60% bar weight + 25% bands

• Upper Body Dynamic Example:

  • Speed Bench Press 9x3 @ 50–60% bar weight + 25% bands

  • Close Grip Bench 5x5 with light band tension

This builds rate of force development, which is just as important for athletes as max strength.

Example Full-Body Banded Workout

Here’s how we might program bands into a session for an athlete in-season:

Lower Body:

• Banded Box Squat 8x2 (speed focus)

• Banded RDLs 4x8

• Banded Broad Jumps 6x3

Upper Body:

• Banded Speed Bench 9x3

• Banded Rows 4x12

• Push-Ups with Bands 3x15

Bands Make Everything Better

One of the best things about bands is versatility. They can be added to almost any exercise to increase resistance or provide assistance. For example:

• Banded pull-ups (assisted)

• Banded push-ups (resisted)

• Banded good mornings or hip thrusts for glute activation

• Banded face pulls or pull-aparts for upper back/shoulder health

This lets us adjust difficulty for any athlete, whether they’re a beginner learning form or an advanced athlete chasing elite numbers.

Bands for Speed, Jumps, and Conditioning

Bands aren’t just for lifting. We also use them for athletic movements:

• Sprints: Resisted band sprints build acceleration and hip drive. Overspeed band sprints (using a partner or anchor) teach turnover and stride frequency.

• Jumps: Banded vertical jumps or broad jumps overload takeoff power.

• Conditioning: Banded prowler pushes, marches, or crawls create game-like toughness and build capacity.

At Eastbound, we don’t just throw bands into training for the sake of variety. Every setup has a purpose… whether that’s building raw strength, teaching speed, developing power, or preparing athletes for game-day conditioning. Bands are one of the most effective tools in our gym, and when used the right way, they can completely change an athlete’s performance.