Click Here for Free Bodybuilding and Fitness Magazine Subscription
Bench Press With Chains
Benefits of Bench Press with Chains Training
Training with chains attached to the end of the barbell is a way of creating a variable resistance that will keep constant tension on the muscles. The reasoning is a little complicated if you do not have a lot of basic biomechanical or kinesiology knowledge but the bottom line is that it works.
Without getting too complicated bench press training with chains has also been reported to have a major benefit in injury prevention. The reason why this is so is that the variable resistance that is offered by using chains will mean that you will have the least amount of stress at the bottom of a squat which will protect the knees.
It is calculated that accommodating resistance techniques have a better result than normal resistance weight training because of the decreased time of the deceleration phase. What this means is that training methods that decrease the deceleration phase and increase the time that the barbell is in peak velocity is a big advantage by increasing the weight of force development.
A recent scientific study that was done comparing the difference between training with chains, bands and regular training methods using free weights. The results where conclusive, as they proved that training with chains and creating a variable resistance had the result of increasing the strength of the athletes. The best was chains then bands and lastly free weights.
It may be important to note here that the group, who trained with bands, anchored their bands to the bottom of the cage on the ground which means that the lift was at its least resistance when starting out. This obviously did not have the greatest resistance at the beginning of the bench press but rather at the end.
It may be also important to note that the group who trained with chains used chains that were hung over the ends of the barbell. The problem was that the chains were resting on the floor at the bottom of the movement when the barbell was on the chest.
So although chains got a better result than bands and free weights it must be emphasized here that the way that chains and/or bands are used can vary greatly. There are many different ways that one can attach a band in order to get maximum tension at the bottom of the lift and not the top.
The bottom line is that training with a variable resistance can possibly increase your strength gains by as much as 9%. If you think about the fact that taking steroids will increase the amount of muscle that you can hold by only 5% it seems obvious which the wisest choice is.
For more information click on the link below: