The deadlift is one of the most basic exercises in the training game but also one of the most challenging to improve. One way to strengthen the deadlift is to train with resistance bands.
2024 Strongest Man on Earth and 2024 Arnold Strongman Classic champion Mitchell Hooper has used resistance bands in his training for the 2024 Giants Live USA Strongman Championships, which feature the 2024 World Deadlift Championships, set for Sept. 28, 2024, in Las Vegas, NV.
On Sept. 18, 2024, Hooper pulled 310 kilograms for a triple with two resistance bands connected to the bar and under his feet. Check it out below, followed by a breakdown as to why resistance bands are useful in strength training:
[Related: For Strength Gains, Should You Avoid High-Rep Training?]
What the Bands Do
New strongman fans may wonder why Hooper doesn’t add more weight plates to the bar if he needs more resistance. It is the type of resistance that the bands provide that Hooper uses to his advantage.
The purpose of the resistance bands is to provide an extra challenge to pull against as the barbell ascends to the lockout position. During the concentric, the resistance bands stretch, thereby increasing tension.
Hooper’s barbell is loaded with 310 kilograms, but the bands add more total resistance as Hooper lifts it. While the additional bands’ resistance load is unknown, it feels heavier than the 310 kilograms Hooper started with on the floor.
That increasing resistance makes the lift more challenging. Hooper’s ability to overcome that force can transfer to pulling bigger weights. Should Hooper struggle in the middle of a big attempt on the lifting platform in competition, he will be better prepared to fight gravity and complete the lift.
The concept of adding resistance bands to free weights is not new. It has been used in powerlifting circles as a way to break past sticking points. (1) Resistance band deadlift training made famous by the late Louie Simmons, who coached many elite powerlifters at Westside Barbell in Columbus, OH.
Research shows that using resistance bands can provide comparable strength gains to other conventional means such as free weights. (2) Using bands or chains in conjunction with weights has also been proven to help improve upper body strength. (3)
You can choose one method over the other if you like, or use both like Hooper did in this session. See if Hooper’s training methodology pays off by tuning into the 2024 USA Strongman Championships through the Official Strongman live stream subscription service.
References
- Kompf J, Arandjelović O. Understanding and Overcoming the Sticking Point in Resistance Exercise. Sports Med. 2016 Jun;46(6):751-62. doi: 10.1007/s40279-015-0460-2. PMID: 26758462; PMCID: PMC4887540.
- Lopes JSS, Machado AF, Micheletti JK, de Almeida AC, Cavina AP, Pastre CM. Effects of training with elastic resistance versus conventional resistance on muscular strength: A systematic review and meta-analysis. SAGE Open Med. 2019 Feb 19;7:2050312119831116. doi: 10.1177/2050312119831116. Erratum in: SAGE Open Med. 2020 Sep 9;8:2050312120961220. doi: 10.1177/2050312120961220. PMID: 30815258; PMCID: PMC6383082.
- Jones MT. Effect of compensatory acceleration training in combination with accommodating resistance on upper body strength in collegiate athletes. Open Access J Sports Med. 2014 Aug 4;5:183-9. doi: 10.2147/OAJSM.S65877. PMID: 25177154; PMCID: PMC4128835.
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