Tip A New Way to Build Wide Delts Search Skip to content Menu Menu follow us Store Articles Community Loyal-T Club Loyal-T Points Rewards Subscribe to Save Search Search The World s Trusted Source & Community for Elite Fitness Training Tip A New Way to Build Wide Delts Band training is kinda weenie But adding bands to dumbbells will blow up your delts Here' s exactly how to do it by Dr John Rusin July 25, 2016August 18, 2019 Tags Tips, Training A Good Use For Those Dumb Handled Stretch Cords Using bands for accommodating resistance is usually reserved for the big lifts, but they should also be a staple in smart shoulder training. The only problem? Equipment restrictions. Bands are often too thick to complete enough full range of motion reps to get a good training effect. The secret is to use the ultra-light, handled bands that have become popular in commercial gyms. These bands have much smaller diameters and thickness, allowing you to apply accommodating resistance when used in combination with dumbbells. Holding the handles of the bands together with the handles of dumbbells works with the lateral raise and its variations. Banded Dumbbell Lateral Raise Keep the same light band and increase the dumbbell poundage. This allows you to train using strength, size, endurance, and metabolic-stress based rep schemes without sputtering out on range of motion or losing control of shoulder stability. Be Explosive With Bands Another advantage bands provide during lateral raises is the ability to train explosively without losing shoulder stability at the top of the movement. Because the load is lighter at the bottom of the range when your hands are down by your sides, you're able to engage the delts more explosively and have the speed of contraction slowed down by the increased resistance through the bands at the top. This is great for targeting the fast twitch motor units in the shoulders while also providing a novel, pain-free stimulus for shoulder training. Focus on increasing the contraction speed in the concentric (lifting) part of the movement while slowing down the eccentric (lowering) part of the exercise. Don't let the bands pull you down fast. Resist them. Get The T Nation Newsletters Don' t Miss Out Expert Insights To Get Stronger, Gain Muscle Faster, And Take Your Lifting To The Next Level related posts Training Tip Bulgarian Split Squats If you can't do your bodyweight for 6-8 reps, then it's time to bring up your single-leg strength. Exercise Coaching, Legs, Powerlifting & Strength, Tips Ben Bruno July 21 Training Tip 24 Reps To Bigger Biceps Biceps looking deflated? Combine these two training methods to get them growing again. Exercise Coaching, Tips Amit Sapir January 8 Training 20 Training Tips From John Romaniello Break out the tape measure and get ready to hit the gym. Roman's got some tips to make this your best training year ever. Bodybuilding, Training Nate Green July 5 Training Tip T-Spine Mobility for Lifters A locked-up thoracic spine makes your lifts stink and your life tougher. Free your T-spine with these drills. It Hurts Fix It, Mobility, Tips, Training Kyle Norman April 21