L Bands

REMEMBER TO ALWAYS FOLLOW UP A DRILL WITH THE BANDS DOING THE SAME DRILL WITHOUT TO WORK ON THE MUSCLE MEMORY OF THE ATHLETE WHEN IN COMPETITION!

A Brief Synopsis of the L System Research

For balance, the body uses a principle called reciprocal inhibition which means if one muscle is weak compared to its counterpart, then the body is only as strong as its weakest muscle in that joint. With sprinting, the hip flexor muscles are weaker than the buttock and hip extension muscles. This means that the body can run only as fast as the strength of the weakest muscle. In sprinting, the action of the leg pushing off is labeled the thrusting leg. The action of bringing the leg forward to thrust again is labeled the recoiling leg. The study above shows you can only run as fast as you can put your leg out in front of you. The graph shows an actual sprint of five seconds and how hard each leg is working. Though the sprint starts out with the thrusting leg working harder than the recoiling leg, the recoiling leg reaches its maximum ability to accelerate, which dictates the runner�s maximum velocity. Strengthen the body�s ability to recoil the leg and save the energy in the thrusting leg, you can achieve a higher running velocity. Shorten the leg for more speed! In physics a shorter lever always generates more speed than a longer lever.

For a better idea of the L Band philosophy and also if you're athletes are having trouble with the form click Here to get more in-depth information on the L Bands.

Testimonials

Kurt Dasbach CSCS
Director of Wakeman Speed Camp in Westport Connecticut
Assistant Varsity Boy's Soccer Coach
Staples High School in Westport Connecticut
...I wish there was something like the L-Band when I was in High School . We have found that the L-Bands are the most effective training tool to teach athletes proper running form.It is very simple -- the only way to effectively move while wearing the L-Bands is with effective running mechanics. Challenging your athletes to run while wearing the bands forces your athletes to solve a problem. The best solution to this problem is good sprinting form. Because all of your running form cues help solve the problem of how to run while wearing the L-Bands, it becomes much easier to coach good sprinting mechanics. As your athletes are figuring this out for themselves, proper running form is imprinted into their own muscle memory. Once your athletes can feel good form through use of the L-Bands, it becomes that much easier to coach them. L-Bands are a great training tool and we would not run a training session without them.

Terry Sullivan
Father of a current Division IA baseball player at one of the stronger and more traditional university baseball programs in the country
..."Graham grew almost 4 inches in 18 months and the growth was definitely noticeable in his legs. Also, his feet grew several sizes over the same period. The growth spurt slowed his running and he felt awkward trying to manage his body development. Fortunately, we were introduced to Jason and Graham was then enrolled in his speed and agility program. Jason compassionately understood what was going on with Graham. His excellent training methodology, patience and the L System program helped Graham with his confidence and managing his development and coordination. Any young athlete whom is serious about competing and playing at the highest level in their sport would benefit tremendously from Jason�s speed and agility L System program."

Chris Sload
Head Basketball Coach Wyoming Valley West High School
Wyoming Valley West in Pennsylvania
"As a top team in Northeast PA, we are always looking for an edge on the competition. After working our players out using the bands in just 6 weeks, we already see a difference in speed, agility and quickness."

Mickey Shuler-former NFL Pro Bowl Tight End
N.Y. Jets and Philadelphia Eagles
Father of a current Division IA scholarship tight end at a top university football program in the country
"My son used Jason Sload�s L Bands from the very first design. At that time I wondered how these bands could make a difference in my son�s athletic development. As a football, basketball and track (hurdles and sprints) athlete he needed his speed, explosion and jumping abilities. After consistently using the L Bands, he learned how to run more efficiently with better form. His overall sprint speed was faster and his explosion from the start was much better. Also the strength and conditioning he got from using the L Bands enabled him to compete with the best. I believe the bands really do work and can provide an added dimension to any athlete�s workouts. Keep the faith!

Tom Couch-former Penn State Football player
Father of a current Division IA prospect finishing up his senior year in high school and already having a couple scholarship offers
"Matt was playing and starting at offensive center in his sophomore football season. He knew that he wanted to play in college but realized he needed to become a stronger and more athletic player. He was introduced to Jason and his L-Band training program and Matt could tell a difference immediately. His total body control with explosiveness off the line of scrimmage improved immensely. The new and improved balance and footwork has caught numerous Division One universities attention. If your son or daughter has aspirations to compete at the highest levels, Jason's L-Band training and conditioning program can make a positive difference in their mental and physical goals."

QUESTION AND KEY POINTS ABOUT L BANDS
What is the purpose of having the bands?
The bands were created to be more efficient in athletes using their hips, especially with sprinting. As an athlete using his/her legs, the hips are the strongest, most balanced and powerful muscles of the body for positioning, movement and balance. In any jump or sprint, the strength and explosion comes from the hips. You must have full range of motion in performing the movement while moving fast as possible to create the greatest force and explosion. When jumping, performing agility drills or sprinting with the bands on, the athlete should keep as little stress on the bands at all times as to keep all stress on the hips. For the jumps and running that are performed with the bands, the athlete has the ability for full range of motion in the hips while working on the fast twitch muscles in the hips for movement and reaction.

Will the bands make me faster?
If performed properly you will learn how to keep stress on the hips while forcing the quick reaction in the hip flexors and extensors for the movement. If you keep your knees bent without putting tension on the bands while running, you will increase stride frequency in the hips (how fast your muscles will move forward and backward during a run). If you get your knees up in front of you during the run, you will achieve maximum stride length (full range of motion in the hips being able to maximize area covered during a run). The hard part is to combine these two areas for the best results. Some athletes are quick in stride frequency but shorten their stride length while others have long strides with slow stride frequency. The key is to combine the two areas for maximum results. If sprinting correctly with the bands, the athlete will become faster.

How long will it take to see results?
Nothing comes easy, especially in the case of the L Bands. Most athletes will take some time just understanding the positioning and conditioning their muscles need to keep resistance off the bands...easier said than done. The running isn't as strenuous on the muslces as the stances and conditioning drills for the hips, but it takes time to understand the concept and change your way of running. I have had athletes who've mastered the technique in a couple months while others have taken years to perfect. It depends on your dedication and devotion to using the bands with the training manual.

Why do my foot straps keep sliding to one side?
This was a great surprise and addition when creating the bands. If you keep your toes pointed up as much as possible (dorsiflexed) and keep a quick motion bringing the back leg forward during a run without stretching the bands, the foot straps will remain even on both sides. If you are slow with keeping too much tension on the bands or just letting the legs stay behind you during a movement, the straps will turn to one side. If the toes are pointed up during the whole drill it will be virtually impossible to keep the legs straight behind, thus teaching the athlete that quick hit off the ground for stride frequency and stride length. Keeping the toes up will help you think about hitting the ground with the balls of your feet all the time rather than the toes. The hard part about that is the chance that you will want to hit your heels on the ground. Maintain focus and think about what you are doing.

How do I keep the thigh straps from falling?
The L bands are a teaching tool and not a resistance device. I can not tell you how many times I told an athlete that before they put them on and they still stood up after putting them on. They're teaching muscle memory and conditioning for endurance and explosive reaction. The more someone stands with them, the more incorrectly they're using the bands. Make sure you also have the thigh strap all the way up until you can't pull it up anymore ( at the very top of each leg). I also tend to see someone put them on and only have them halfway up their thigh. You want the bands positioned at the highest point on the thigh so that the legs are around a ninety degree angle as much as possible without stretching the bands.