Training with Chains

Sup guys,

I was wondering what you guys think about training with chains?
I have seen it is quite popular in BB pictures and so, but I have not seen anyone training with them (At least not at VA...LOL)

I never understood why people would make use of them, but after speaking to a strength athlete it started to make total sense. It might be obvious to some off you but I never thought about it that way...

The guy said he uses the chains to increase his strength. As an example, when using them with your bench press, at the very bottom of the movement, most of the chain will be on the ground, so the weight will still be light. As soon as you press upwards, less of the chain is on the ground, and the heavier the weight becomes. At the most difficult part of the movement, the weight is the heaviest..

Makes sense to me...but I don't know how effective it is...For me it is already brutal getting through the top part of the movement...even without chains...

It's not that I wanna rock up at VA with a bunch of chains, just curious, and thought I would share something I did not know before.

Also very interested in this- but sadly i doubt any virgin actives will ever get chains.

Santa wrote: Sup guys,

I was wondering what you guys think about training with chains?
I have seen it is quite popular in BB pictures and so, but I have not seen anyone training with them (At least not at VA...LOL)

I never understood why people would make use of them, but after speaking to a strength athlete it started to make total sense. It might be obvious to some off you but I never thought about it that way...

The guy said he uses the chains to increase his strength. As an example, when using them with your bench press, at the very bottom of the movement, most of the chain will be on the ground, so the weight will still be light. As soon as you press upwards, less of the chain is on the ground, and the heavier the weight becomes. At the most difficult part of the movement, the weight is the heaviest..

Makes sense to me...but I don't know how effective it is...For me it is already brutal getting through the top part of the movement...even without chains...

It's not that I wanna rock up at VA with a bunch of chains, just curious, and thought I would share something I did not know before.

why not just load more weights???

Koe007 wrote:

Santa wrote: Sup guys,

I was wondering what you guys think about training with chains?
I have seen it is quite popular in BB pictures and so, but I have not seen anyone training with them (At least not at VA...LOL)

I never understood why people would make use of them, but after speaking to a strength athlete it started to make total sense. It might be obvious to some off you but I never thought about it that way...

The guy said he uses the chains to increase his strength. As an example, when using them with your bench press, at the very bottom of the movement, most of the chain will be on the ground, so the weight will still be light. As soon as you press upwards, less of the chain is on the ground, and the heavier the weight becomes. At the most difficult part of the movement, the weight is the heaviest..

Makes sense to me...but I don't know how effective it is...For me it is already brutal getting through the top part of the movement...even without chains...

It's not that I wanna rock up at VA with a bunch of chains, just curious, and thought I would share something I did not know before.

why not just load more weights???

Because the full load is then lifted from the beginning of the lift throughout the movement. (I have never used chains, lol - just trying to clarify the reason why people do - don't know if there is anything special about the method ).

I bolded the relevant part above.

Theres been a few studies around using chains or resistance band while training and most have found positive results.

My old gym had these baas chains, you become shit strong when training with those, they are ussually used by strentgh athletes. Its best used by guys who have a weakspot just above the chest. So when performing the movement, you always generate force at optimal levels, most people are weak at the bottom of the movement.

So what the chain basically does is lighten the load at the weakest point in the movement and add weight when you are strongest. Really makes you fight the weight all the way through....

Thanks for the reply guys.

I find the use of the chains fascinating. Not only for strength development in chest, but basically any body part. Squats, Shoulder Presses, even perhaps some isolation movements like bicep curls. For me personally the most difficult part of the curl is at the bottom. Now if this part is lighter, the easier parts becomes heavier.

For me adding weight is still the tried and tested method of building muscle, just thought I will through the idea out there...

Happy lifting...

Santa wrote: I find the use of the chains fascinating.

Kinky bastard ! :lol:

It's called accommodated resistance, working with chains or bands.

Westside popularised the method as part of their dynamic days and many others have followed suit.

It's great for smashing through plateaus and getting used to a heavier load at the top, and still being able to manage the load at the bottom as the chain or band deloads.

In many cases it's better than using heavier weights, as it's easier on the joints, still get a good range of motion, and you develop a great amount of speed that will help power through the hardest part of the lift as the bands and chains kick in.

We use them quite a bit with our stronger guys.