Power Band Training: Understanding the Mechanisms for Functional Adaptation #2

Movement has 2 aspects;

Solving a movement problem like taking a step, changing direction, getting up from the floor etc.

Liberating degrees of freedom. In our exploration of the task, our highest expression is to perform the movement with the greatest ease. This can be done by becoming clear on the task via improved coordination, or loading the task by increasing the demand.

Moving is a series of chain responses that are highly integrated. The functional view of training asks that we load movement, rather than being concerned with strengthening muscles. The muscles involved in the chain of movement will increase their firing through facilitation and this constitutes the adaptation. The body-brain is a global system and needs to be trained as such.

The 3 characteristics of functional movement adaptation using Power Bands are;

1. the body is working against gravity
2. ground reaction forces are present in overload and overspeed form
3. the athlete is dealing with their own momentum

Power Bands are a load enhancer that strengthen the loading phase (overload) and neurologically quicken the unloading phase (overspeed).  What this means for the athlete is;

• they are stronger against gravity
• they become more effective at controlling momentum (deceleration) while increasing foot quickness and decreasing ground reaction time

The key understanding that is taking place in the brain and nervous system is that we are teaching the proprioceptors to activate the chains of movement (muscle chains) in order to create efficient, effective and reflexive movement.

With Power Band training we are able to train the direction and drivers of movement. This means training movement in sagittal, frontal and transverse planes under overload and overspeed conditions to increase power output, increase resistance to fatigue and reduce injury potential.

The hip attachment trains the lumbo-pelvic girdle and facilitates triple extension (hip extension, knee extension and ankle plantar flexion).
The shoulder attachment includes trunk/abdominal activation and promotes the forward lean which enhances acceleration ability.

I have been amazed at how effectively training in the shoulder harness is at educating whole body movement. This is because we are getting vertical adaption via horizontal loading. In other words we are training from the shoulder/neck to the ball of the foot. People who have struggled to activate the lower extremity, or get any increase in gastroc-soleus firing, are increasing their activation and also increasing the cross-section area of this vital link in movement.

Power Band training consists of explosive, short duration training which conditions and enhances anaerobic systems, facilitates neural drive, while training the aerobic system via oxygen debt recovery.

What I am noticing as I use the Power Bands over time is that although the training is intense, it does not create a lot of eccentric damage in the muscle fibres. I think this is because the effect is directly influencing the propriosensory mechanisms, without the need to degrade the contractile apparatus.

Although there is neural fatigue within the session, myself and others are pulling up better than ever, this is also being reported by one of the AFL clubs who are using the Power Bands heavily this pre-season.

Agility Band training

Mark McGrath is an elite coach and bodyworker who has trained athletes to perform successfully at the highest levels over the past 17 years. He has helped people with chronic injury at all age levels to return to full function. His approach combines bodywork, movement control, dynamic neuromuscular stabilization, yoga, and movement overload/sophistication.

To find out more about Mark, please visit his web-site, www.markmcgrath.com.au