Looking to take your strength and muscle development to the next level? Or are you looking for extra athletic ability and explosive power? Either way, weight
lifting chains are where it’s at! By attaching chains to barbells,
dumbbells, and even machines and cable attachments, you can completely
change the way exercises work. Read on to find out how can use these
simple implements to jack up your training!


Changing the Strength Curve…


In every full range weight lifting movement, you’ve got what’s called the “strength curve.” Simply put, the strength curve is the reason why an exercise is hardest
at the lowest or most stretched position, and easiest at the highest or
most contracted position. Why is it easier to bench at the top than off
your chest? Why is it easier to do a half squat than a full,
rock-bottom squat? The strength curve!


Now, if you’re training properly, you should usually be doing full-range movements. If you want full muscle development and total-body strength, working through a
full range of motion is almost always more beneficial than doing
half-reps with too much weight. However, you still want a way to
accommodate the strength curve and really overload your muscles as
exercises like bench presses, deadlifts, and squats get easier near the
top – that’s where weight lifting chains come in!


Using Weight Lifting Chains


Let’s say you usually work with 225 pounds on the bench press for 6-8
reps. If you’re like most people, this lift is hardest coming off your
chest and far easier at the top near lockout. To really make the
movement harder, attach 20-40 pounds of chains on each side! Make it so
that almost all of the chain is on the floor when the bar is at chest
level, and so that almost all of it comes off the floor at lockout. As
you push through the lift, the chains will rise off the floor, adding
more and more weight to the bar!


If you set this up right, you should still be able to get a few good
reps with your normal working weight. As the chains come off the floor
and into play, the added weight will cause the lift to remain
challenging all the way through the range of motion. Whereas a normal
bench press might primarily work your chest and shoulders, the added
challenge of more weight at the top of the movement will really torch
your triceps!


You can use basically the same application with tons of other movements. Usually you see powerlifters adding chains to their squats, bench presses, and
deadlifts, but you can use them with almost any exercise! Add some extra
challenge to your dumbbell presses and rows by attaching chains to each
dumbbell handle. Make curls and extensions harder, too. You can even
add chains to your body to make bodyweight movements like pull-ups and
dips harder and more beneficial!


Explosive Power


While weight lifting chains can be great for pure bodybuilding purposes, a lot of lifters use them because they are great for making you FASTER at lifting weights. Remember from physics class, force is equal to mass times acceleration. The better you
can use your muscles to accelerate a weight, the more you can lift! And
of course, being able to lift more will translate into greater muscle
gains on down the line.


The reason that chains are so great for building speed is that the added
challenge throughout the range of motion FORCES you to push as hard as
you can. Sometimes even the best of lifters get lazy and only strain
through the hardest portion of a lift. You’ve probably done this
yourself! You’ll get a heavy squat past that hard part at the bottom and
then keep going just hard enough to make it to the top.


When you lift like this, you still complete your lifts, but you didn’t get the maximum training effect from doing them! Whether or not you’re using chains, you want to
push as hard as you can throughout the entire range of motion. When
you’ve got chains on the bar, adding more and more weight as the lift
gets “easier,” you simply can’t help but do this. Once you go back to
lifting straight weight (no chains), you’ll be astounded at how fast you
move the iron, and how each rep seems to just “snap” at the top as you
power through your sticking points to lockout.

www.justinwoltering.com