Why lift with chains

Baker and colleagues 1 compared the difference of bar velocity during two bench press conditions. The first condition was two sets of three reps at 75 percent 1RM plate loaded while the second condition was also two sets of three. However the 75 percent 1RM was broken down to 60 percent plate loaded and 15 percent chain loaded. Results of the study found that the plate and chain loaded condition increased bar velocity by a mean of 10 percent on both sets. The reason for the increased velocity could be explained by the eccentric unloading of the chains.

Baker explains that eccentric unloading will result in a more rapid stretch shortening cycle and possibly a repetition post-activation potentiation. The final study by Coker and colleagues 2 compared the biomechanical and perceptual influence of chain resistance while completing one rep at 85 percent 1RM on the snatch. The first snatch condition was 85 percent plate loaded with the second being 80 percent plate loaded and 5 percent chain loaded.

There wasn't any significant biomechanical difference between the chain and plate loaded conditions. However, subjects did perceive there to be a significant difference between the two conditions. The chains require greater force during the initial pull and a greater amount of stability within the shoulders, core, and back during the catch. The benefit of lifting with chains could have been overshadowed by the high load the lifters were tested with.

Because Olympic lifting is such a technically demanding lift, training with bands and chains could have a more profound effect when there are lighter loads on the bar. When all is said and done, accommodating resistance, which is accomplished by training with bands and chains, has the ability to take your training to the next level.

The benefits of lifting with bands and chains are most effectively realized during exercises that have an ascending strength curve, meaning exercises that require a large amount of force to be produced during extension. Applying chains to exercises that have a descending strength curve will apply a greater amount of instability to the bar, which has its own benefits separate from the topic of this article.

However, this doesn't fit the accommodating strength model. Applying chains or bands to exercises that fit into the descending strength curve category wouldn't provide the same benefits. Research on training with chains has shown that chains should be looped rather than hung linearly from the bar. Training with chains improves the speed of the bar during the bench press, and although research didn't show improved bar speed during the snatch, anecdotal evidence suggests a potential improvement in shoulder, core, and back stability.

In conclusion, training with bands and chains allows athletes, coaches, and experienced gym goers a way to improve their totals through accommodating resistance. Applying this modality to your training is a surefire way to improve your strength and speed throughout the entire range of motion of any lift that fits into the ascending strength curve.

Bobby Congalton. Benefits of Lifting Chains. Strength curves A strength curve is a mathematical model that represents how much force can be produced at specific joint angles. Squatting with chains is a great way to develop the sweet spot right their in the middle. It trains the nervous system to develop force at a fast rate. I like to use the on the minute method when squatting with chains to train the nervous system a bit more.

Not only does squatting with chains trains the body neurologically to create a lot of force fast, but under a little bit of a fatigued state the nervous system will get even more efficient at recruiting those motor units to do work. Last point I want to hit on his how chains can help a weightlifter squat consistently without taking a huge toll on the body.

If you take a look at a lot of weightlifters that squat heavy heavy, I mean volume or intensity consistently they get pretty beat up. Squatting with chains can be a great way for weightlifters to keep the consistent squat method, but not get the wear and tear that it causes…mostly to the knees.

When you look at the squat, back squat or front squat, the body is at the most mechanical disadvantage at the bottom. The bottom of the squat is where the joints, ligaments, and surrounding tissue are going to get beat up the most.

Squatting with chains limits that load at the bottom. So, there is some great work still being done by the body there. I recently just finished a training program where I was squatting heavy 4 days a week before I did any sort of Olympic lifting.

Learning a new training style or configuration takes time and expertise. Take the time to work with someone to help you get it right before you try to do too much with chains. Rogue offers a few different kits depending on what you are looking for. You can get pairs with 10lb lengths of chain, 15lb lengths of chain, or you can get single lengths of chain to expand your set.

For smaller lifters or beginners, adding 10lbs to each side of a barbell can add plenty of progressive resistance to help you break through a plateau or a sticking point. Resistance bands and reverse resistance bands are commonly used in the same lifting programs to get similar outcomes, but with added variation. Take a look at my article on Banded Deadlifts , which offers a guide on how to replace chains with bands. Resistance bands are a great way to get similar effects of training with chains for less money, and easier to bring to and from the gym.

When I do banded bench press, I use the 0. Every lifter runs into obstacles while trying to get stronger. Some of the most common ones are hitting a plateau in the amount of weight we can move, and discovering a sticking point in our lift.

In both scenarios, incorporating chains is a fantastic solution. When used properly, chains allow lifters to acclimate to heavier weights, target weak points of their lifts with deferred load, and increase the speed and power that accompanies their strength.

Adam Gardner is a proud resident of Utah, where he lives with his wife and two kids. For the past three years, he and his wife, Merrili, have coached beginning lifters to learn the fundamentals of powerlifting and compete in their first powerlifting competitions. To establish the value and benefit of chains, we have to define the strength curve. Here are the top benefits of lifting with chains: Increase Power Increase Strength Break through sticking points Increase stability 1.

Increase Power By Training With Speed When you use chains to unload weight at the bottom of your lift, lifters can focus on accelerating out of the bottom of the lift with less weight. Strengthen Sticking Points Working through sticking points is the primary benefit of training with chains and deferred loads.

This is typically effective with the squat and bench, less so with the deadlift. With deadlifting, you can do the same and hang the chains from the barbell sleeve.

For this setup, you can do two different things: Either lengthen the lead chain so that all or most of the heavy chain when folded over the end of the lead chain unloads on the floor at the desired point in the lift, or fold the heavy chain in half before draping it on the lead chain so that more of the heavy chain comes off the floor with each inch of ROM. If you fold the heavy chain over the lead chain once, you have 2 links coming off the floor at once, and half the distance to do it, so the weight loads and unloads twice as fast in half the distance.

Pick one exercise, run with it for a few weeks and see how you go. They are an advanced tool, so use them accordingly. Our People Our Culture. One of the most significant advancements in strength training in the last 20 years has been the introduction of chains. Find out more Learn how you can achieve your body transformation goals with the experts at Ultimate Performance. Learn more. Subscription successful!