Use chains and bands - WOW!!
Today I visited All American Gym in Lakeland, FL and trained. I have been there before, but not to work out. Louis Baltz, the owner, introduced me to a form of torture that I HIGHLY recommend everyone try. It was the first day I have ever used chains or bands on any lifts. I got the pleasure of using them on flat bench today. I started off with 3 warm-up sets (just normal weights), then 5 sets with chains, and 2 sets with bands. The chains move and sway as the bar is lifted, forcing you to use your stabilizing muscles to a greater degree than normal. It also seemed as if I was contracting/squeezing my pecs and triceps more. When the bands were put on the bar, it was as if the bar was alive and trying to wiggle out of my grip. It was amazing. Once I was finished with that, I did 4 sets of close-grip presses. My triceps were done after that.
If you’ve never tried chains or bands, they are incredible. It’s certainly a crazy, unique feeling.
January 18, 2008 at 3:03 pm
i was looking in a magazine and thought about buying some bands but i didnt know that worked like that. I just made me want to get them even more now
January 18, 2008 at 3:10 pm
I have used chains for a few years now.. I have been a proponent of them ever since I first tried them. I actually took the idea from an article on the training ways of prisoners. I got the largest link chain I could at like a Home Depot and measured from the floor to where the bar would be at the top of my press.. made a loop of smaller chain to slip over the bar and let the rest hang just off the floor.. I made it long so that when the bar is at the bottom of the movemet the chain is coiled on the floor.. as you lift, links come off the floor increasing the weight so the bar becomes much heavier at the top than it was at the bottom.. I then added 3 shorter lengths of chain only half way up so instead of one link at a time it’s now 4 that are the increase, any number of combinations can be used there.. helps immensly with sticking points..
I was glad to see someone else used and liked training with chains.. Keep it up.. their awesome..
Andrew