# Chain Training



## aben (May 18, 2010)

Read loads of stuff on Chain Training and looking to invest! Anyone had any experience with chains....ive read if you bench between 90 to 180 kg you need about 25kg of chain.

Thoughts?


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## Guest (Nov 9, 2010)

Have a look at Joe Defranco. He loves the chains and uses extensively, not just on bench, squat deads.

Pressups, chins etc etc


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## aben (May 18, 2010)

Yeah Ive been on his site a fair bit to have a look! I really wanna give them a go....theyre just fvcking expensive!


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## Guest (Nov 9, 2010)

Call round any local scrapyards. They have been known to have them. Ive not had any luck yet like.


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## MarkFranco (Aug 26, 2010)

Got some in the gym i train ive hung them over my neck for dips and used them on bench press and considerd using them for squats BUT there vert noisy and abit of a mess around so i never end up bothering


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## aben (May 18, 2010)

How much did each chain weight?

Whats an average amount to add to the bar for something like bench? For example....if you did reps with 100kg, then added a couple of chains, how many are you likely to push out?


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## 8103 (May 5, 2008)

aben said:


> How much did each chain weight?
> 
> Whats an average amount to add to the bar for something like bench? For example....if you did reps with 100kg, then added a couple of chains, how many are you likely to push out?


theres too many variables to say that easily - length of chain, weight of chain, how many reps you can do with 100 etc

Why don't you try and find a hardcore gym near you, they may have chains and bands?

I doubt you would be allowed to take chains into a commercial gym lol


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## MarkFranco (Aug 26, 2010)

20-25kg

you might struggle, as far as im aware chains make the top part of the lift heavier than the intial push/pull

Think there used to overcome sticking points in lifts and to generally lift more weight overall

Like if you have no trouble board pressing 140kg but struggle to do full range you could add chains and the start of the lift would be 100kg then slowly build up to 140/50kg as the chains come off the floor


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## tom0311 (Nov 17, 2008)

MarkFranco said:


> 20-25kg
> 
> you might struggle, as far as im aware chains make the top part of the lift heavier than the intial push/pull
> 
> ...


Yep. I saw a lad doing them yesterday (with small chains...) to help strengthen the second half of his bench press. I'd love to get hold of some big ones to use but doubt my gym would let me.


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## aben (May 18, 2010)

Yeah thats the idea...makes the weight progressively heavier.

I train from home so it wouldnt be a problem with noise or taking them into a lovely health club haha.....ill just have to hunt some down somewhere! Theyre 150 quid on the internet which i dont fancy paying!


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## MarkFranco (Aug 26, 2010)

'kin hell thats alot, best to try DIY stores but again they wont be cheap specially for the length and weight you will want, metal is expensive atm


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## 8103 (May 5, 2008)

aben said:


> Yeah thats the idea...makes the weight progressively heavier.
> 
> I train from home so it wouldnt be a problem with noise or taking them into a lovely health club haha.....ill just have to hunt some down somewhere! Theyre 150 quid on the internet which i dont fancy paying!


yeh mate don't pay that

like mike said, ring up some scrapyards / shipping places etc, look on ebay - theyll come by soon enough


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## aben (May 18, 2010)

Yeah think ill have to give that a go! Ill find some sooner or later!


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## Guest (Nov 9, 2010)

DIY stores etc are very expensive.

Cheapest ive found online for a decent heavy chain, (Around 15mm diameter links is what most use) is £15/m!


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## aben (May 18, 2010)

Crazy isnt it.....what do you think would be enough.....2 to 3 metres per chain?


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## Guest (Nov 9, 2010)

Normally 1m lengths of the heavy stuff clipped to the bar for benching, and then clipped to a length of lighter stuff when squatting. like so>>


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## 8103 (May 5, 2008)

why not look at getting some bands, they're great too


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## aben (May 18, 2010)

Ive looked at that....stupid question but what would the band attach to? Obviously it goes around the bar, but what does it attch to on the floor?


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## Guest (Nov 9, 2010)

aben said:


> Ive looked at that....stupid question but what would the band attach to? Obviously it goes around the bar, but what does it attch to on the floor?


Heavy DB's


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## aben (May 18, 2010)

mikex101 said:


> Normally 1m lengths of the heavy stuff clipped to the bar for benching, and then clipped to a length of lighter stuff when squatting. like so>>


so if a metre was needed for bench, then as long as it was heavy enough 15 quid a metre isnt that bad is it?


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## Lois_Lane (Jul 21, 2009)

I use chains a lot in my training.

Makes the lock out harder and makes stablizing muscles work harder.


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## Guest (Nov 9, 2010)

aben said:


> so if a metre was needed for bench, then as long as it was heavy enough 15 quid a metre isnt that bad is it?


1 length per sides not going to do much mate. doesnt weight that much, (around 5kg/m from memory) you want a couple lengths hanging off each end of the bar. It soon adds up. Youll need clips etc on top too dont forget.

It is far cheaper to make them up yourself. but still not cheep with all new chain.


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## nelly1972 (Jun 15, 2010)

Iron woody bands are a good cheap alternative to chains, i got some raw bolts with a 10mil eye on them and sunk them into my garage floor and with a couple of carabiners i have a good anchor point for the bands, i can use my bands for added resistance to deads, squat, bench etc, also i can use the lighter bands for rotator cuff exercises, shoulder dislocations etc..


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## aben (May 18, 2010)

Bands might have to be the way forward then while I try and get my hands on some chains. My heaviest DB's at home are a pair of 50's so that'll be enough to anchor the band down wouldnt it?


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## Guest (Nov 10, 2010)

aben said:


> Bands might have to be the way forward then while I try and get my hands on some chains. My heaviest DB's at home are a pair of 50's so that'll be enough to anchor the band down wouldnt it?


Depends on the bands and how much tension is on them.

I lifted a pair of 65's up the other day while trying to figure out the best way to do band DL's

Bands are not the same as chains either. Similar, but not the same.


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## Robbo90 (Mar 6, 2008)

Get round some local scrap yards and keep asking. Thats how I got myn although to be honest I don't use them that much as there such a chew on to move around.


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## Robbo90 (Mar 6, 2008)

mikex101 said:


> Depends on the bands and how much tension is on them.
> 
> I lifted a pair of 65's up the other day while trying to figure out the best way to do band DL's
> 
> Bands are not the same as chains either. Similar, but not the same.


The only time i've used bands for deadlifts I was doing rack deads so I looped the bands round a safety bar at the bottom of the rack and then around the bar which was supported further up by another set of safety bars. Doubled them round if that makes any sense.


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## Guest (Nov 10, 2010)

Robbo90 said:


> The only time i've used bands for deadlifts I was doing rack deads so I looped the bands round a safety bar at the bottom of the rack and then around the bar which was supported further up by another set of safety bars. Doubled them round if that makes any sense.


Yeah, seen that done mate. Unfortunately the racks at my gym arnt like that.

Ended up just standing on the fooker and doubling it over.

e voila


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## Robbo90 (Mar 6, 2008)

mikex101 said:


> Yeah, seen that done mate. Unfortunately the racks at my gym arnt like that.
> 
> Ended up just standing on the fooker and doubling it over.
> 
> e voila


Looks good :thumb: . To be fair without buying a band platform or getting 4 really heavy dumbbells thats probably the best way to go.


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## aben (May 18, 2010)

Ill be hanging around the local scrap yard like a fly round sh1t then...def want to give them a go, i like to try different things so worth the work finding them


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## monkeybiker (Jul 21, 2010)

I got some bands from america a few weeks back.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Kilo-Band-Pack-1-Powerlifting-Stretch-Jump-Fitness-Flex_W0QQitemZ270658673683QQcategoryZ79759QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp4340.m263QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DSIC%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BFICS%252BUFI%26otn%3D10%26pmod%3D270653404775%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D4856005962765859012#ht_500wt_922

Works out as about £50 in English money with postage. I'm quite happy with them and they are proper heavy duty ones not the junk you would find at argos. Just getting to grips with them at the moment. I've tried them with bench press and also squats.

The way I used them was to loop them over the top frame of my power rack and then loop them to the end of the barbell inside of the weights. I then overload the barbell to more than I would use normally. The bands take weight off the bottom but as you lift, the bands un stretch and the weight feels heavier.


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## aben (May 18, 2010)

Yeah I get what you mean, so the lower half of the lift is assisted slightly?


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## Robbo90 (Mar 6, 2008)

aben said:


> Yeah I get what you mean, so the lower half of the lift is assisted slightly?


Youtube reverse band bench press. Thats what he means.


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## aben (May 18, 2010)

Like I said then?


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## monkeybiker (Jul 21, 2010)

aben said:


> Like I said then?


Yes you are correct. It's pretty much the same effect as as holding the bands down with dumbells but easier to set up.


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## aben (May 18, 2010)

Yeah that would probably work best with my set up


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## Guest (Nov 11, 2010)

This is how i see it.

Pinned to the floor, bands offer a huge impact on the stretch reflex during the negative proportion of the lift. resulting in a faster harder contraction of the muscles.

Use sub max weights on bar

Reverse band offers support & assistance when learning to handle supra maximal weights. Reduced stress during lower part of lift. lockout traingin.

Use more than your max for rep range on bar.

Chains

Offer dead linear increasing weight to the bar during lift. During bench this overloads your tris.

Stretch reflex is unaltered.


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## Robbo90 (Mar 6, 2008)

To be honest i think that reverse band bench press in more of an ego booster unless your going to be training with shirts.


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## Guest (Nov 11, 2010)

True.


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## monkeybiker (Jul 21, 2010)

I can't see how reverse bands or using bands held down by dumbells are different apart from loading the bar with a heavier weight with reverse bands.

In both set ups the weight increases as you lift. I don't see how it matters which way the bands are being stretched.

As far as I can see they are they same.


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## martin brown (Dec 31, 2008)

monkeybiker said:


> I can't see how reverse bands or using bands held down by dumbells are different apart from loading the bar with a heavier weight with reverse bands.
> 
> In both set ups the weight increases as you lift. I don't see how it matters which way the bands are being stretched.
> 
> As far as I can see they are they same.


It matter alot.

Reverse bands accelerate the bar for you and slow down the negative.

Bands against strongly decelerate the bar AND increase the speed of the negative (faster than gravity).

These are very different.


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## Dig (Aug 28, 2007)

Try ship yards for chains also may have more luck there.


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## monkeybiker (Jul 21, 2010)

martin brown said:


> It matter alot.
> 
> Reverse bands accelerate the bar for you and slow down the negative.
> 
> ...


Maybe I need to try it in both methods but in my head I don't see the difference. It's just so much easier just loop the bands over the top of the rack.


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## Hard Trainer (Apr 29, 2009)

MarkFranco said:


> Got some in the gym i train ive hung them over my neck for dips and used them on bench press and considerd using them for squats BUT there vert noisy and abit of a mess around so i never end up bothering


I agree on chains making a noise. I mate of mine wont use chains for that reason, lol. I gave them ago on bench press last week I felt it work pretty good but im not sure what reps/sets etc to do with chains for the best effect.


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