You’ve in all probability seen powerlifters deadlifting or squatting with chains draped from their barbells.
It seems and sounds badass — but it surely’s not only for present.
Putting chains (in addition to bands) in your barbell known as accommodating resistance, and it may be a great tool to provide help to break by way of lifting plateaus and hit new PRs.
As you raise a barbell to which chains have been connected, the chains step by step rise off the ground, growing the load because the barbell will get larger.
You may also get this variable resistance by utilizing elastic bands. You connect one finish of the band to the barbell and the opposite finish to an anchor close to the ground. At the underside of the raise, the bands are slack, however as you increase the barbell, the band stretches and will increase pressure, making the barbell really feel heavier as you get to the highest of the raise.
Back in my powerlifting days, my barbell coach, Matt Reynolds, included chains and banded lifts into my programming fairly a bit. I actually loved them as a result of they added selection to my coaching and helped me get previous some sticking factors in my lifts that had plagued me for months.
To assist stroll us by way of the advantages of accommodating resistance and how to incorporate it into your programming, I hopped on the horn with Matt to get his insights and recommendation.
A Brief History of Accommodating Resistance
The concept of various resistance by way of a raise’s vary of movement has been round because the early days of power coaching. Early Twentieth-century strongmen would use chains of their workout routines to differ the load in the course of the raise. In the mid-Twentieth century, Soviet powerlifting legend Vasily Alekseyev would do his lifts in waist-high water to add some accommodating resistance to his train.
It wasn’t till the Nineties that accommodating resistance grew to become a preferred software amongst powerlifters. And the person who had the most important affect in spreading its use was Louie Simmons of Westside Barbell.
Simmons started attaching heavy chains to barbells to accommodate the physique’s altering leverage all through the raise. He later began utilizing elastic bands along with his lifters in its place approach to present accommodating resistance.
Why Use Accommodating Resistance
Here’s what accommodating resistance provides:
Matches Your Strength Curve. The greatest purpose you’d use accommodating resistance is that it makes the raise match your power curve: you’re stronger on the prime of lifts just like the squat and bench press than you’re on the backside.
As you raise a barbell outfitted with accommodating resistance, the chains step by step rise off the ground or the bands stretch, growing the load because the barbell goes larger and larger and getting the heaviest on the prime of the motion. Thus, the raise is lighter on the backside, the place you’re weakest, and heavier on the prime, the place you’re strongest. “By growing the resistance as you progress into the stronger components of your raise, you recruit extra muscle fibers, which helps with power and hypertrophy,” Matt instructed me.
Increases Power and Bar Speed. “Accommodating resistance forces compensatory acceleration,” Matt says. “You’re form of in a race to the highest. The bar will get heavier as you raise it, so it teaches you to push more durable all over.” This develops explosive power by requiring a excessive price of steady power.
Overcomes Sticking Points. At some level in your coaching profession, you’ll uncover you may have sticking factors — locations within the raise the place you’ll be able to’t appear to go any additional. For instance, I had a interval the place I used to be having bother locking out my bench press. I began including chains to the raise and as a result of the barbell obtained heavier because it moved up, I used to be ready to actually prepare getting by way of lockout. Once I took the chains off, the barbell simply felt tremendous mild all through the raise.
As Matt explains, as a result of accommodating resistance overloads the components of a raise the place you’re sturdy and retains the burden mild the place you’re weak, you get “extra velocity going into the sticking level; you typically get larger up and in a greater leverage place earlier than the sticking level actually catches up with you.”
Challenges your muscle tissue differently. Accommodating resistance, particularly within the type of bands, forces you to stabilize the bar. It additionally improves bar management and requires you to keep tight all through the raise.
Chains vs. Bands: Pros, Cons, and Best Uses
There are two methods to add accommodating resistance: chains and elastic bands. Each one has its execs and cons:
Chains. Chains present a resistance curve that deloads and masses in a extra linear approach in contrast to bands. As Matt defined, “They don’t actively pull down on the bar; commonplace gravity applies.” That makes them simpler to management and extra forgiving. Chains are simple to arrange. Just grasp some chains from the bar. (I’ll present you the way beneath.) They’re preferrred for learners and glorious for matching the power curve whereas nonetheless serving to with sticking factors.
Bands. Bands supply extra excessive variable resistance. “Bands truly enhance the velocity of gravity,” Matt stated. “What I imply by that’s in case you let go of the bar, it could fall sooner than gravity alone as a result of the band is actively pulling the bar down.” Bands additionally introduce horizontal forces, so in case your type is off, you’ll know. They’ll yank the bar out of alignment, making them much less forgiving however simpler for exposing weaknesses.
They’re additionally extra intense, which makes them higher for superior lifters searching for explosiveness. The different upside of bands is they’re cheaper and quieter than chains. You can use bands at a public health club with out inflicting a clanging metallic ruckus.
One of the downsides of bands, I feel, is that they’re form of a ache to arrange. You want a squat rack that can permit you to use band pegs. And you may have to be sure to place the bands on the barbell evenly in order that every thing stays good and easy in the course of the raise and you’re not getting pulled in several instructions.
When to Use Chains or Bands
Start with chains in case you’re new to accommodating resistance. They’re extra forgiving and provide help to construct confidence in your lockout with out compromising type. Bands are higher for skilled lifters who need to prepare explosively and work on bar management and velocity.
“When you’re actually attempting to get quick and explosive, bands are in all probability the higher selection,” Matt famous. “But for hypertrophy and studying to get by way of sticking factors, chains are superior.”
How to Program With Accommodating Resistance
Here’s Matt’s steerage on programming:
- Use accommodating resistance not more than as soon as per raise per week.
- Favor chains if longevity is the aim; bands for brief bursts of explosive coaching.
- Use bands for 4–6 weeks earlier than deloading and taking a break from them.
- Use chains for six–8 weeks earlier than deloading and taking a break from them.
The purpose there’s a differential within the size of time you’ll be able to prepare with chains versus bands is that bands are more durable on the physique whereas chains are simpler.
Use Accommodating Resistance in Your Supplemental Lifts
Matt thinks probably the greatest methods to add accommodating resistance is to use it together with your supplemental lifts. That’s how he programmed it for me once I was utilizing it repeatedly.
A pattern week of barbell coaching with accommodating resistance would possibly appear like this:
- Upper Day 1: Main Lift — bench press; Supplemental Lift — chain shoulder press
- Lower Day 1: Main Lift — squat; Supplemental Lift — chain deadlift
- Upper Day 2: Main Lift — shoulder press; Supplemental Lift — chain bench press
- Lower Day 2: Main Lift — deadlift; Supplemental Lift — chain squat
Setting Up Your Barbell for Chain and Band Work
To get the total good thing about accommodating resistance, setup issues. Here’s how to do it proper:
Chains
I obtained my chains from Rogue Fitness. I obtained the 5/8″ chain package, and it comes with:
- (2) 15LB lengths of 5/8″ chain with carabiners. I’d get two extra 15LB lengths of the 5/8” chain, so that you’ll have 30 kilos of whole chains to work with.
- (2) 4′ lengths of 1/4″ chain with carabiners. This is your chief chain that you just’ll grasp out of your barbell. Once you’ve obtained that chief chain hanging from the barbell, you’ll grasp the heavier 15LB chain lengths on it.
In addition to a series set, get your self some EZ Straps. They make attaching chains for deadlifts a breeze. More on that in a second.
Secure the Chains to the Bar
For bench, squat, or press, you’re going to loop the small chief chain across the barbell sleeve, like so.
Then connect the large ol’ heavy chains to the chief chain with a carabiner. Attach the carabiner to the chief chain in order that once you’re on the prime of your raise, one or two chain hyperlinks ought to nonetheless be on the ground.
Should appear like the above when all is claimed and achieved.
For the deadlift, simply place your EZ Straps on the deadlift bar and thread your chains by way of the rings.
Super simple!
Bands
In my opinion, bands are form of a ache within the butt to arrange. If you don’t set them up evenly on each side, your raise goes to be screwy.
You may also use bands on weight machines in case you’re a machine man.
Deadlift
Anchor the bands to band pegs in your squat rack. You’ll want 4 pegs like above. If you don’t have band pegs, you’ll be able to loop them round heavy dumbbells, however anchored bands are safer.
Start with mild or medium bands. When you arrange your bands, the band ought to have slight pressure, even on the backside of the raise. This will usually require you to double up the bands.
Squat
You’ll additionally want band pegs for the squat. Place the band pegs in the course of the rack the place your midfoot can be once you unrack and stroll again the burden.
Remember, bands pull down more durable than gravity, so that you gotta keep tight and managed in the course of the reducing part.
By incorporating accommodating resistance, you’ll be able to prepare extra explosively, recruit extra muscle fibers, and bust by way of your sticking factors.
And once you’re utilizing chains, you’ll appear like a badass doing it.
Give it a strive and quickly you is likely to be hitting a brand new PR.