What are the Chains for?

Recently many people have asked me why they have seen commercials with athletes bench pressing with chains attached to the bar. Chains are used for what is called accomodating resistance. Accomodating resistance is used because in many exercises such as bench press and squats the movement gets easier as you get closer to locking out the bar at the top. When you add the chains the bar gets lighter as you lower it because more of the chain will rest on the floor. Then as you push the bar up it gets heavier because links of the chain come off the floor as the bar rises. This allows the exercise to be equally challenging through the whole range of motion because the top of the movement now has extra weight.

Chains are a great way for advanced athletes to improve their pressing or extension movements by adding extra resistance to the top of the movement. Chains however should only be used by people who are more advanced because they are much more challenging to the nervous system. If you can barely bench press half of your bodyweight you should not be using chains. Get stronger first by training properly and then consider adding chains later when you are stronger and looking for ways to improve. The other thing to consider is that chains are very taxing on the nervous system. For this reason chains should only be used in every other workout.