If you’ve ever braved your way into the powerlifting section of the gym, chances are you may have seen some heavy, thick chains sitting amongst the dust, chalk, and other debris. You may have wondered why these chains were there. Perhaps they serve some purpose in pulling vehicles or some other exotic purpose – but surely they have no place in standard bodybuilding routines, right? Think again! Chains can provide an ascending or descending level of resistance on any exercise. They are used to help you overcome sticking points on movements by adding weight at those critical times. When you take the chains off and complete the exercise, you’ll notice some new growth

Squats

Hanging chains from the bar during squats allows you decrease the resistance as you lower, and make it the least at the very bottom – the sticking point for many. As you explode out of the parallel position, each inch upward pulls another 5 or 10 pounds of weight onto your back. This isn’t particularly useful for powerlifters, as they are typically already strongest at the top of the squat, and fail at the bottom. However, for bodybuilders, it can be useful for delivering greater stimulation to the quadriceps, and less to the glutes and hips. Remember, for the bodybuilder, the goal of squats is to build massive thighs, not break any records in terms of weightlifting numbers. Accentuating the heavy part of the movement which focuses upon the quads definitely does that.

Bench Press

The lower the bar descends toward the chest, the greater emphasis is placed on the chest. Many bodybuilders, particularly long-limbed ones, have no problem stimulating the chest. However, their arms may lag. As a result, their bench press numbers will be low, and they won’t be able to load the bar heavy enough to stimulate new growth in the chest. Using chains on the bench press movement allows the bodybuilder to face an increasing workload as he moves tension from his chest, to his shoulders then triceps. It will mean the chest does 100% of the workload, then the shoulders do 110% of the workload, and then the triceps complete 120% of the workload. It’s a good tool for stimulating these weaker, smaller muscle groups to grow in the exact areas needed for greater bench strength.

Deadlifts

Many bodybuilders and powerlifters find that the top portion of the deadlift is the one most beneficial for their upper- and middle-back muscle gains. As a result, they use rack deadlifts. They are useful, but they also neglect the important bottom part of the deadlift, so that more weight can be used at the top. Attaching a chain to the ends of the bar solves this problem, and allows a medium workload at the bottom of the deadlift, and a heavier workload at the top.

Play with different exercises and see which movements you enjoy completing with the use of chains. You may discover new and unique ways to implement chains into other movements to increase workload resistance when you need it most.

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