Accommodating Resistance

It’s impossible not to have bar deceleration if you don’t have “accommodating resistance,” says Shane Sweatt of Westside Barbell.

“If you have bar deceleration, you’re teaching yourself to slow down. … In sports, that is not optimal,” he says.

As you move a barbell, it’s natural to reduce your effort as you get to positions of mechanical advantage; e.g., the top of a bench-press rep. Enter accommodating resistance that incorporates the use of bands or chains on the barbell. By making certain parts of the rep more challenging, you’re teaching your body to exert maximal force throughout the rep.

“We want this to affect your central nervous system. We want your central nervous system to optimally fire through all range of the motion,” says Sweatt, who is accompanied by elite powerlifter Laura Phelps-Sweatt.

“We want (athletes) to accelerate all the way through the range of motion,” Sweatt says.

5min 45sec

Additional reading: CrossFit Strength Training by Louie Simmons, published Feb. 1, 2011.