Meet the Jettisons
The Jettison technique is where two different forms of resistance (free
weights, cables, machines, resistance bands, lifting chains, etc) are combined
during the same exercise to create a variation of a mechanical drop
set/improved leverage set aimed at maximizing muscle recruitment and fatigue. An
example would be a barbell with a resistance band wrapped around it (which you would
be standing on to anchor the band), curled till failure, remove the band, pick
up the bar and curl to failure once more, put the bar down, pick up the band
and curl that till failure.
While performing exercises with two forms of resistance coming from
different planes may not be practical, it is extremely beneficial, regardless
of your goal (building muscle, increasing strength, etc), because of the enhanced
effect that it has on the nervous system, specifically motor unit recruitment.
Something’s
missing here
When lifting a single form of resistance, whether it is a free weight,
cable, machine, resistance band, or lifting chain, the nervous system has a
much easier time formulating the most efficient motor pattern to produce the
movement and generate force. Because of this, it can end up putting things on ‘cruise
control’, or ‘autopilot’, once it’s figured out how to take the path of least
resistance. This is why most will generally experience quick improvements in
terms of strength gains when trying something new, or going back to something
they haven’t done in a while, before seeing those gains taper off, almost as
quickly as they came. The nervous system is always adapting, pretty much
instantaneously from rep to rep, and set to set (until fatigue becomes a
limiting factor), as it finds a way to make things easier so it doesn’t have to
work so hard.
When the resistance increases and/or decreases throughout the range of
motion, as it does with a resistance band or lifting chains, not only does the
nervous system have to process the actual movement you are doing, but it also
has to keep up with the demand of the varying amounts of force that need to be
applied in opposition of the resistance to do the movement. This in itself
leads to an increased level of motor unit recruitment.
Pair that with also having to adjust to resistance being applied from different
planes, and you have a very effective technique for building muscle or
increasing strength by way of forcing the nervous system to learn to recruit
more motor units.
Due to practicality, the most popular variations of the Jettison technique
involve curling or upright rowing a barbell, while standing on a resistance
band that is also wrapped around the barbell, or performing those same
exercises, along with front and lateral raises, with dumbells and bands. Upon
reaching failure the set is discontinued, the lighter form of resistance is removed,
and the set restarts. When no further reps are possible, you switch back to the
piece of resistance that was removed, and perform as many reps as you can from
there. Once you have an understanding of the principle at play here, you can
take the Jettison technique and apply to whatever exercise you choose.
2 for the price of
1
Exercises like free weight chest presses/flyes (any angle), and free weight
triceps extensions fail to keep the tension on the targeted muscles throughout
the full range of motion (primarily in the end range with the arms extended),
making them ideal candidates for implementing the Jettison technique. With these
exercises, the tension is all but removed from the targeted muscles as the arms
reach full extension and the weight is held over the body. In these cases,
having a resistance band or even cable pulley, placed at your side, or behind
your head, can create a more well-rounded movement and increase the
effectiveness.
One way to apply the Jettison technique to a dumbell press of any angle would
be to place a bench (adjusted to the angle of your choosing – flat, incline,
decline) between a cable crossover station (with the pulleys appropriately
adjusted to the right height) and wrap the ankle wrap attachments around your
wrist, pick up your dumbells, lay back on the bench, and perform presses, or
flyes, as the cables try to pry your arms apart while the dumbells are drawn
towards the floor because of gravity. This ensures that tension remains on the
pecs at the top of the movement where it would otherwise be removed. Upon
reaching failure, you can easily drop the dumbells and continue performing
presses, or flyes, with the resistance from the cable pulleys still attached to
your wrist. For those looking to label this exercise, you could just call it a ‘dumbell-cable
combo press/flye’.
To apply the Jettison technique to triceps extensions you could wrap a
band around a couple of really heavy dumbells (the heavier the better, as you
don’t want them to move during the set), or even a power rack, and loop it
around a barbell and perform lying triceps extensions. This way, in the top
position the weight is being pulled back, as well as gravitating towards the
floor, which results in a more thorough contraction of the triceps, especially
the long head (which also acts as a shoulder extensor).
Curiosity killed
the cat
Because of the assortment of training equipment, and the versatility of
the Jettison technique itself, the only factor preventing one from practically
applying the Jettison technique to any exercise would be their imagination. To
go over each and every exercise, and how to practically apply the Jettison
technique to it would be exhaustive. So for now, here are a few pointers
instead:
-
Free weights can generally be paired with bands pretty
effectively. After reaching failure the bands can easily be removed, and the
set can easily be continued without the bands. Upon reaching failure the free
weights can be set down, the bands can be picked back up, and the exercise can
generally continue. Depending on the strength discrepancy (how challenging it
is to perform the exercise with just the bands), the way in which the reps are
performed can easily be modified to make the exercise more effective (basically
slow things down and hold the bands still at various joint angles to maximize
muscle activation, or perform as many reps as you can in as short a time as
possible). Lifting chains can generally be substituted for bands when applying
the Jettison technique to most free weight exercises (the same sequence applies
– take off the chains upon reaching failure, finish off by performing reps
holding only the chains).
-
The major difference between bands and chains is that
chains are obviously fighting against gravity, whereas bands are resisting
against whatever it is they’re anchored to. This creates endless possibilities to
apply the Jettison technique, as well as subject the muscles to multiple planes
of resistance. This makes bands the most versatile piece of equipment, as they
can be stood on, or anchored to an immovable object like a power rack, or could
even be held down by other free weights (tied around heavy dumbells, wrapped
around another heavy barbell, or looped through barbell plates).
-
Cables can be paired with free weights in multiple ways as
well. Using the ankle wraps allows you to attach the resistance from the cable
stack to your wrists while holding onto a dumbell, or could even be wrapped
around a barbell. Barbell plates, or lifting chains, could also be thrown onto
a bar (straight bar, or EZ-bar) attachment.
To infinity, and
beyond
There’s no right or wrong with the Jettison technique, so feel free to
experiment with it. Ask yourself – Can I wrap a band around this beam, or
machine? Can these chains be applied to this exercise? Can I add some weight to
this cable attachment with barbell plates? If the answer is yes, do it! Keep
your eyes open, and look for ways to use every part of the gym. The lat
pulldown cable doesn’t just hang from the ceiling, it’s supported by a steal
beam. You think you can’t wrap a band around that? Of course you can! Just don’t
be that guy who is holding the lightest barbell in the gym with chains hanging
off the end, standing on a pair of colourful bands that are wrapped around it,
screaming bloody murder as if your muscles are going to explode as you struggle
to lift the bar. For the love of God, don’t be that guy! Nobody likes that guy.
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