Banded Exercises You Should Train to Become More Athletic

In mid-August 2025, performance coach Justin “Judd” Lienhard discussed how he uses resistance bands to develop rotational power, mobility, and athletic ability on Mark Bell’s Power Project.

If you can make a weaker position easier, you can load the movement more…that’s one of the reasons I love bands.

—Judd Lienhard

Band Setup

Properly attaching bands to anchor points prevents tearing. Lienhard wrapped his bands around a soft-grip handle attached to a cable machine, looping them to create proper tension. 

• Place the band over one shoulder and grip it so it’s wrapped around the wrists. This allows “rotation…to help find that pathway that mimics the trait being developed…or alleviate pain,” Lienhard explained. 

Sequencing for Power

At the heart of athletic training preparation is sequencing. 

We don’t move simultaneously…The most common sequence in hitting a golf ball, throwing a punch…is internal rotation.

—Judd Lienhard

For maximum power, athletes should avoid overextending forward over the lead leg; instead, “rotate around [their] center of mass to keep distance, transfer power, and still defend,” Lienhard explained.

Cross-pattern pushing and pulling, such as using opposite limbs to help generate force and maintain balance, is commonly seen in throwers.

Hip–Shoulder Separation and Knife Edging

Foundational is knife-edging the foot or pressing through the inside edge while internally rotating the hip. “You don’t want your shoulder and hip to move together,” Lienhard demonstrated. “Create that stretch, which creates potential energy.”

Ideal upper body mechanics are depressed shoulders, shoulder protraction, and internal rotation of the arms. Kinetic chain efficiency enhances ability and prevents injury. (1)(2) 

Flow Execution

Rotational movements should occur in this sequence:

1. Knife-edge the back foot.
2. Drive the rear hip toward the target (hips first).
3. Follow with the upper body.
4. Maintain the center of mass — avoid overextending forward.
5. To return, move the upper body first, then the hips.
6. Combine into a smooth, rotational flow, pressing or pulling straight toward the target.

Submaximal, High-Frequency Work

Submaximal, high-frequency practice is often the most sustainable practice. “You don’t have to work everything in a maximal effort all the time…farmers get strong and hardly ever max out.”

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Frequent training with no-to-moderate loads promotes skill development and depends heavily on repetition and consistent motor practice. It helps manage fatigue and reduce the risk of injury.

More Training Content

• How to Build Muscle and Strength With Calisthenics Training
• How to (Safely) Train Legs if You Have a Back Injury
• Unique Single Dumbbell Workouts to Build Your Strength and Work Capacity

References 

1. Almansoof HS, Nuhmani S, Muaidi Q. Role of kinetic chain in sports performance and injury risk: a narrative review. J Med Life. 2023 Nov;16(11):1591-1596. doi: 10.25122/jml-2023-0087. PMID: 38406779; PMCID: PMC10893580.
2. Li X, Ma R, Zhou H, Thompson M, Dawson C, Nguyen J, Coleman S. Evaluation of Hip Internal and External Rotation Range of Motion as an Injury Risk Factor for Hip, Abdominal and Groin Injuries in Professional Baseball Players. Orthop Rev (Pavia). 2015 Dec 28;7(4):6142. doi: 10.4081/or.2015.6142. PMID: 26793294; PMCID: PMC4703912.

Featured image: @juddlienhard on Instagram