Accommodating Resistance
I’ve been experimenting with accommodating resistance (AR) recently by adding band tension to some of my usual lifts, so I figured I’d make an article about it.
The main reason to add AR to an exercise (usually in the form of bands or chains) is to alter the strength curve of that lift. A strength curve refers to the difficulty of an exercise throughout the range of motion. If you think about any exercise you’ve done, there is usually a part of the movement that feels easiest and another part that is the hardest, even though the amount of weight you’re lifting remains the same throughout that repetition.
There are two kinds of strength curves, ascending and descending.
An exercise with an ascending strength curve will be easiest at the bottom and hardest at the top. This includes exercises like pull ups and leg extensions.
An exercise with a descending strength curve will be hardest at the bottom, and easiest at the top. This includes exercises like squats, deadlifts, and presses. People usually miss these lifts at the bottom of the movement. It’s rare that they’ll miss the lift at lockout if they’re able to successfully accelerate the bar off their chest in a press or out of the hole in a squat.
For example, in exercises like squats, deadlifts, and presses, the hardest part of the lift is at the bottom. Even though the weight on the bar stays the same throughout, you are weakest and more likely to miss the lift at this point. Almost nobody misses at the top or near lockout.
When you add bands or chains to the bar for these exercises, the amount of resistance is actually the lightest at the bottom and increases throughout the lift as you move the weight from the anchor point. Maximal tension is achieved at the top of the lift, where you are the strongest. Lifting with AR has several advantages:
1. There are no “dead spots” with AR, which makes it hard not to execute each rep with speed and intent. You need to accelerate throughout the entire range of motion and not get complacent at any point. This can help you break through sticking points.
2. Accelerating through the full ROM builds explosiveness and improves rate of force development, which are important for sport and athletic performance.
3. Lifting with AR might be a little safer than lifting with just straight weight. For exercises like squats and deadlifts, most people miss/get injured at the bottom of the lift where they’re the weakest. Bands and chains “deload” this portion and overload the top where you’re the strongest and less susceptible to injury. AR is therefore a good way for athletes in a competition/racing season to continue building or maintaining strength in the gym while removing some of the risk of pulling or squatting heavy with just straight weight.
AR might seem like an advanced training method reserved only for elite or high-level athletes who are preparing for a race or competition. While it’s certainly more popular with this specific population, AR is a tool that anyone can incorporate into their training and see benefit from. A phase of lifting with bands or chains can be a nice change of pace if you’re struggling to add plates to the bar or if you feel like you’ve hit a plateau. You’ll probably find that the same weight moves much faster than it previously did once you finish a period of lifting with bands or chains.
Remember to reduce the weight on the bar when you start including AR. Lifting with bands or chains is a different experience and stress on the body than lifting with just a barbell and plates. Try a few sessions with 50-70% of your 1RM on the bar plus the bands or chains before attempting to max out. It might take some trial and error to find the right set up and the appropriate amount of band tension.
Lastly, AR isn’t just for compound lifts like squats and deadlifts. You can also use bands and chains for isolation exercises like curls, triceps, and leg extensions to add some novelty to your assistance work.
What is your experience with accommodating resistance? Again, this is something I’m still playing around with, but let me know if you have any questions!