Making Core lifts “Reactive” Core Lifts

It has often been said that Olympic lifts are the key lifts to developing athletic explosiveness and absolute strength. I would agree with this and add that these lifts are critical to developing integrated, not isolated, total body strength and loading stability. Based on the work done by Gary Gray PT, our body must load before any functional movement can occur. The quicker and more efficient the body loads, the faster the body unloads and creates a powerful force production.

Power is defined as Work (Force x Distance) / Time. Athletes often associate increased power with increasing weight or volume. However as most trainers realize power can also be increased by decreasing the time variable or in other words increasing the speed of the movement. This increased speed can occur with on the eccentric or loading phase as well as with the concentric or unloading phase.

How do I define “Reactive Training”?

First of all realize that I stole this term from an outstanding powerlifting coach named Louie Simmons. Louie is incredible with regards to his insight on strength and power development as it relates to powerlifting and performance. Make sure you visit his website (WestsideBarbells.com) to learn more.

I define reactive training as the ability to speed up the loading phase of lifting thus making it respond quicker so in turn a more explosive unloading phase or acceleration movement occurs. As an example, try to do a simple body weight reach squat, but instead of focusing on coming up fast, try to see how fast you can go down, touch a stool with your butt at parallel, and than get back to your starting position. Make sure your feet remain firmly on the ground and stable. Do not worry about doing multiple repetitions; just try to do each individual rep quickly which means you must hesitate at the top of the squat after each rep. to mentally set yourself.

Why Train Reactively?

This question is better answered in my “Functional Reactive Training” article but for now consider how movement occurs on the field. Every movement an athlete makes begins with a quick loading phase. As an example, a simple cut in football is a quick load or deceleration before exploding into a different direction. What you do not see is a slow deceleration or loading followed by an explosive acceleration, similar to what occurs with a traditional barbell squat performed in the weight room.

So how can we train the body to load quicker using Olympic lifts?

This can be done easily by using elastic resistance. First of all elastic resistance will speed up loading or gravity’s influences which in turn will cause the body to neurologically learn how to stabilize quicker in order for the body to transition into the unloading phase quickly and smoothly. Than secondly the band challenges the athlete to accelerate throughout the entire movement not just through a “sticking point”.

Dead-lifts, Jerk Presses, Bench Press, Back Squats, and Front Squats can all be performed reactively using flexbands. Also many functional auxiliary lifts like standing pushes, standing pulls, high pulls, standing bicep, dips, or pull ups can also be challenged reactively. Essentially if a movement is performed in a functional weightbearing position, by simply adding a light flexband to the exercise by either attaching to the body directly or to the bar, any exercise can become reactive.

The following pictures show the band set up I have been using with my experience athletes for the past 2 years. I have also developed modified versions for younger athletes using only body weight lifts which I will discuss in future articles. Keep in mind that the weight will obviously be lessened, usually to approximately 50% or less of a 1 RM. This is important in order to allow the athlete to feel in control and confident about accelerating the movement during either phase. Remember the goal is to create speed and acceleration throughout the movement, and subsequently I monitor quickness and quality of deceleration movement first before starting to challenge weight. Once the athlete begins to demonstrate quick deceleration control and no lose of speed during the accelerating phase, I will consider adding weight. You also do not want to create fatigue and therefore keep reps low (usually 2-4 reps) and sets at 5-7. I will usually work with 3 to 4 athletes in a partnership to allow a 4 to 1 work to rest ratio to automatically occur.

Advantages of Using Power Bands with Core Lifts

1. Can train for power with less weight which creates less injury potential

2. Creates the need to have to accelerate throughout the entire concentric movement, which will increase intensity

3. Increases greater primary muscle activation due to the accelerated loading

4. The crisscross set up creates a proprioceptive activation of the trunk muscles which in turn increases trunk stabilization

5. Flexbands provide other training options with regards to speed and functional strength development which also trains reactiveness

6. Easy to transfer from athlete to athlete during partner training or with station set ups

7. Flexbands flat construction allows bands to comfortably adhere to the body, therefore eliminating slipping or rolling off.

Reactive Bench Press Band Set - up and Lift

Push Press Crisscross Band Set-up and Lift

Mini Band Dead-lift Set – Up & Lift

Dead Lift Crisscross Band Set-Up & Lift

Dead Lift Double Band Set-Up

Special Note on Dead-lifts

When performing the dead lift the emphasis can be on the acceleration out of the down position or on the downward movement. However, if emphasizing the downward movement athletes must have excellent form and use very light weight as they tap the floor and return. I recommend athletes use the band and a dowel only at first.

Barbell Back and Front Squat Set-Up and Lift

Body Weight Squats can be a great way to help athletes develop their downward deceleration speed safely. Again, emphasis should be on performing one rep at a time and not just do uncontrolled speed reps.















Dave Schmitz is an Orthopedic Physical Therapist, CSCS, LAT and a Performance Enhancement Specialist with an emphasis on movement training and retraining. Dave recently created the only website exclusively devoted to functional resistance band training at www.functionaltrainingwithresistancebands.com.



He has written several articles, created 2 E-books and several DVDs on how to implement a Functionally Integrated Training (FIT) approach using resistance band.

Want to learn more about Resistance Band Training? Take a peek at Dave's video



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