Benching with links

[iron_alchemist]

I recently seen a bench press aid on www.westside-barbell.com which uses 5/8'' chain to improve your press. Has anyone attempted this training technique and what style of sets and reps did you use?
Young lifter finding his way...peace

[Big Jawn]

Iron, if you are refering to Westside Barbell using chain to improve their bench press this a fairly advanced technique, what kind of weight are you working with?

Regardless...its worth a careful try. Here's how you can build/use the technique.

Buy at least two 5-foot segments of 5/8-inch chain. Each one will weigh about 20 pounds give or take (weigh them if you can). You'll also need to buy some light chain on which to hang the heavy chain from the bar. Hang the chain so that approximately one-third of the chain rests on the floor when the bar is racked.

While you press the bar from your chest, the first inch or two of movement is easiest. With every inch (or 5/8-inch, to be exact) you press the bar up, it gets heavier as each chain link is lifted off the floor. Their weight is progressively added to the bar so that you're lifting more weight when you're in the strongest part of the lift. By using explosive movements, you'll be able to accelerate the weight to a lockout position.

Alot of WSB lifters have used this in their dynamic bench day with good sucess, they recommend warming up to the weight and performing 8-10 sets of 2-3 reps (paying specially attention to keeping fast/controlled bar speed-thus being dynamic). But it can also be used for maximal effort days, reps need to be experimented with (just like normal bench press) as they vary person to person. Using chains is most effective when you have a specific weakness you need to target, perhaps your lockout is weak, so you may have 250 bar weight, and 80lbs of chain...maybe at chest you'll be pressing 275 but at lockout you will have 330. Chain lengths can be varied person to person and for specific goals.

Let me know if I can help with anything else.

Stay Strong.

[Joe Pas]

i was always very interested in using chains to inprove me bench ...what do you think about using chains not so much from a powerlifting standpoint ...but bodybuilding standpoint to bring up a bodypart ...like chest strenght and size wise?

[Big Jawn]

Joe, normally I would suggest expermentation to bring up a weak bodypart if you've hit a plateau, but in this case I am a little hesitant.

Chains are used for a couple reasons in powerlifting (I have not heard of them used in bodybuilding training).

1) To overload an area of the lift that is not normally overloaded. For example...if you are doing a bicep curl with a dumbbell you will find the bottom portion to be more difficult, but as you get through the middle portion towards the top the body leverage changes and it becomes easier. So if am strong off the floor deadlifting with say 500 for one rep I might use 80lbs of chains attached in a fashion so that 1/4 of the way up I'd be lifting 525, 580 at lock out etc. It is obviously not possible to overload in this way with straight weight.

2) And this is the primary reasons powerlifter use chains in training, for explosiveness. Chains force you to be consistantly explosive thru the whole lift because it takes away any handicap one leverage point might have by overloading the stronger leverage points. Training like this will train you to drive to the top because you cannot slack off at the top phase as you used to.

I guess I'm just hesitant because I see better options to bring up most bodyparts, strength and size wise for bodybuilders...and it really depends where your weakness's are. I understand none of us want to be big but weak so its animal instinct for us to want to use any training aid possible. Chain's however (if you don't have access to them) can be expensive, time consuming and in a sense unneccessary from a bodybuilding point of view. A cheaper and quicker option could be bands or board work, but like I said it would be nice to know your weakness's before I know what to suggest.

[Kenzilla21]

I would try chains if you want to add variety to your routine. Bands are a whole different animal. Chains just add weight progressively through the lift. Bands create a different tension and torque through the lift. It is a whole different lift when you throw a couple bands on there.

[BLOWNBY]

The chains sound like a great tool. My weakness is the top half and lock out. I can get the weight off my chest, just not finish!

Thanks for the link also IRON!

[Big Jawn]

The chains sound like a great tool. My weakness is the top half and lock out. I can get the weight off my chest, just not finish!

Thanks for the link also IRON!

Boards might be a good tool for you also.

[Big Wides]

all of the westside techniques are clutch, whether it be the boards, bands, or chains. i switch between the bands and chains every two weeks on my speed day so that different parts of my bench are hit. but when doing it i do 9 sets of 3 (varing the grip every third set, start wide to regular to close grip) and follow the peridization percentages. trust me they work

[TheNaturalG]

Another option if you are weak on lockouts is to set up the pins in the power rack so that when you bench your range of motion is strictly the lockout part of the exercise.

[Joe Pas]

if i plan on doing a chain routine it would be more for my explosivness ...being that i play football that exploviness will be useful ...i also am looking into doing band workouts too ...ive heard very good things about them also ....

[Big Jawn]

Another option if you are weak on lockouts is to set up the pins in the power rack so that when you bench your range of motion is strictly the lockout part of the exercise.

Pin's are good if you don't have access to boards, but boards should be the no contest winner if you have access to both. You can target specific phases of your lockout or sticking point by adding/removing a board, and you maintain the regular bench ROM. If you do rack pulls, pin presses you tend to sacrifice proper pull or push technique.

[Big Jawn]

if i plan on doing a chain routine it would be more for my explosivness ...being that i play football that exploviness will be useful ...i also am looking into doing band workouts too ...ive heard very good things about them also ....

Great ideas Joe, it will no doubt help in your dynamic strength for football.

You'll be best off buying chain (5/8") from your local hardwear store. If your bench is under 300, try starting with 40lbs of chain total (20lbs a side).

If you want to use bands, I recommend only one brand and thats Jump Stretch (http://www.jumpstretch.com/), they are the brand used by anybody who uses bands basically. You can buy them thru that site I believe, as well as the EFS site and a few others.

Stay Strong.

[iron_alchemist]

Thanks Brothers...

[Big Jawn]

NP man...do it good for Atlantic Canada (I'm from NS).

[Joe Pas]

Great ideas Joe, it will no doubt help in your dynamic strength for football.

You'll be best off buying chain (5/8") from your local hardwear store. If your bench is under 300, try starting with 40lbs of chain total (20lbs a side).

If you want to use bands, I recommend only one brand and thats Jump Stretch (http://www.jumpstretch.com/), they are the brand used by anybody who uses bands basically. You can buy them thru that site I believe, as well as the EFS site and a few others.

Stay Strong.thanks for the link ...the first time i saw the chains was actually on the EFS site ...i think over the weekend im going to go to my hardware store last i remember they have 5/8" and bigger chain there ...see if i can save a few bucks...thanks again...

[BLOWNBY]

The chains sound like a great tool. My weakness is the top half and lock out. I can get the weight off my chest, just not finish!

Thanks for the link also IRON!

I have been using those a little lately as well