Although they aren’t brand new, there’s a reason
Blast Straps have continued
to challenge athletes into 2010. Since being a best-seller in 2005, they
continue to be the No. 1 piece of equipment in gym bags everywhere.
What are Blast Straps?
The straps are made of heavy duty nylon that adjusts with a sliding clasp.
This makes it extremely easy to move from one exercise to the next. The straps
attach to the top of your rack and won’t scratch up your equipment. They include
two heavy single grip handles, ensuring comfort with every movement.
They’ll last for years even if you put them through the most brutal abuse.
How do they work?
They allow you to perform bodyweight exercises in a challenging way. Some of
you may think bodyweight exercises are for the weak, but I assure you they’re
not.
The movements performed with Blast Straps train athletes to move their bodies
against unstable forces and add external resistance. For example, a barbell
bench press does a great job of stabilizing the body. The individual performing
the movement can use the bench, floor and bar to stabilize themselves and the
weight.
With a Blast Strap pushup, however, the body is moving instead of the barbell
and must incorporate more muscles to stabilize itself.
Suspended pushups have been a part of many training programs, but setting
them up has always been a pain. I’ve used chains, ropes and cables. While these
all worked, they were very difficult to setup and almost impossible to adjust.
On-the-go training
If you’re traveling and can’t find a gym, or if you’re just looking to keep
your workout consistent on the road, here are the top 6 reasons why you should
keep Blast Straps in your gym bag:
1. Space: The Blast Straps require very little space in
the gym and allow you to train just about anywhere.
2. Convenience: They’re small enough to fit into any
gym bag and easy to take to and from the gym.
3. Stability: Training with the Blast Straps will add a
greater degree of stability with any movement you perform. These smaller
muscles, if weak or imbalanced, can lead to injury.
4. No weights needed: Just about every movement you can
do with the Blast Strap involves your bodyweight. This makes it a very fast and
simple devise that can be used anywhere.
5. Versatility: I’ve used the Blast Strap for almost 50
different movements and there are many more out there. Unlike other very
expensive pieces of equipment that you can only train one or two movements with,
these straps can be setup to train almost every body part. This makes the Blast
Straps one of the most functional pieces of equipment you could ever own.
6. Easy to set up: The Blast Straps were designed so
they only take seconds to set up. There are no chains, clips or other
challenging devises to adjust. Just toss over your rack (or other stable
surface), set the adjustable clips and you’re set. That’s how simple it is.
Benefits
The movements performed with the Blast Straps are challenging, but not
demanding. This means you can do the movements more often, or train with a
higher volume per workout and not have to worry about overtraining or recovery
time. This makes the Blast Straps very convenient for training weak points.
For example, many lifters have very weak lats and upper backs. With this in
mind, the lifter will begin adding in more exercises, more sets or more training
days, to their schedule. Many lifters will choose rows to strengthen their upper
backs and lats. Unfortunately, rows stress the low back and can be a very
demanding exercise to perform three or four days per week. Suspended lat rows
with the Blast Straps are a great solution as they won’t be as demanding on the
lifter as the barbell row, plus they can be performed many times per week
without overtraining.
7 Sample Movements
1. Suspended Pushups: This movement is performed by
setting up the Blast Straps around the top of a power rack or other stable
object. You can set the handles as close or as far away from the floor as you
like. (The closer to the floor, the harder the movement.) We’ve found it best to
set the straps four to six inches off the floor. With this setup, you’ll be able
to get a very deep stretch and increase the range of motion; something you can’t
do with a barbell or a standard push-up.
Grab the handles and set your body up in a standard pushup position. Make
sure your torso is rigid; don’t allow your lower back to sag or raise your
glutes in the air. Strive to keep your shoulders, hips and knees in a straight
line. If you have difficulty maintaining this position, you can perform the
pushups while on your knees. This is often because of a lack of abdominal and
lower back strength. I often use the suspended pushup position to access core
strength in athletes. To increase the difficulty of this exercise, try placing
your feet on an elevated surface or a stability ball. Placing a Jump Stretch
band behind your back is another great way to make this exercise more
challenging. Using a variety of hand and elbow positions during your sets allows
for great versatility.
2. Suspended Rows: Set up the Blast Straps so that your
arms are fully extended and your feet are out in front of you. Your glutes
should be off the floor. This will ensure a full range of motion. Keep your abs
tight and your knees, hips and shoulders in a straight line. Pull yourself up so
that your hands are even with your chest. This is a great exercise for your lats
and upper back. You can change the angle of your pull to hit different muscles.
If you bring the handles higher on your chest, you’ll strengthen your upper
back. If you bring the handles lower, your lats will come more into play. The
stronger athlete can place his heels on the floor; the weaker athlete can bend
his knees and place his entire foot on the floor. This will decrease the amount
of bodyweight that is being pulled in the exercise.
3. Rear Delt Pulls: This is a very challenging
exercise, but a tremendous way to develop your upper back. Set yourself in the
same position as the suspended row. Again, make sure you have a strong, rigid
torso. With a very slight bend in your elbows, pull the straps apart and raise
yourself until your arms are parallel to your body. This should look very
similar to a reverse fly and your arms and body should look like a “T”. This
isn’t recommended for everyone - be careful!
4. Suspended Flys: Begin this exercise in the same
position as the suspended pushup. Bend the elbows slightly and slowly extend
your arms to your sides. Don’t go down farther than you feel comfortable.
5. Abdominal Fall-outs: Begin this exercise in the same
position as the suspended pushup. Bend your elbows slightly and raise your hands
over your head. Again, only go as low as you feel comfortable. Your goal should
be to have your hands, shoulders, hips and knees in a straight line. The motion
is very similar to an abdominal wheel. This exercise is great for your
abdominals, shoulders and lats. When you lower yourself, be sure to stay tight.
6. External Rotator Raises: With the Blast Straps
attached to the top of a power rack, grab the handles and lean back at a 30 - 45
degree angle. Begin with your arms straight out in front of you and your feet
flat on the ground. Bend your elbows and bring your body to an upright position
while performing an external rotation. You should end the movement with your
elbows at a 90 degree angle.
7. Triceps Extensions: Place the straps about two feet
off of the ground and get into a pushup position. Begin by bending your elbows,
making sure to keep them close to the sides of your body. Keep lowering yourself
until your hands are at your chin. From this position, extend your arms, and
make sure to keep the stress on your triceps. Keep your wrists in line with your
elbows to prevent any discomfort.
Elite Fitness Systems strives to be a recognized leader in the strength
training industry by providing the highest quality strength training products
and services while providing the highest level of customer service in the
industry. For the best training equipment, information, and accessories, visit
us at www.EliteFTS.com.
