setting up chains for benching

[startinfromscratch]

today i bought myself some chains with the intention of using them for bench. I found precious little info online about actually making up your own sets, plenty of places sell them for megabuks but i aint rich. whole setup costed me just over $100 which is cheap. thought id throw up a walkthrough of what i did.

you will need to measure your bar travel length first - ie how far the bar travels from lockout position to your chest. it will depend on lots of things: arm length, grip width, arch, setup etc. but you need to know your bar travel to set chains up properly.

the idea is that at lockout, the chain weight is all on the bar (exept a few links), but at chest height the chains are dealoaded. ideally each 'chain' should weigh about 5kg. you will need some smaller gauge chain, i bought 2 lots of 1 metre for this. the small chain is what connects the bar with your weight chains.

step1

use a clip to create a loop in one end of your small chain. this loop goes over the end of the bar. use a clip of some kind to secure your chains just like you would plates. (obviously)

step2

now you want to lay out your main chain. use your measurement for your bar travel to lay it out so that the chain hangs the right length as shown in the pic. best to go 1 or 2 extra links, so that the chains dont lose contact with the ground.

note: how many times your chain doubles over is gonna depend on the size chain you buy. thicker chain will have less length to get 5kg, smaller chain will be more gathered.

step3

now you need to take the loose end of your small chain, and thread it through the top links of your main chain. once its threaded, put your other clip on the end. The height that you clip this end up the chain is your adjustment. you want to clip it at a height that at lockout, the bottom of your chains are just touching the floor. hence, at the chest, the chains will be correctly dealoaded because youve set up the chains to the same length as your bar path. sorted!

step4

add more chains as you need them.

just my poor mans method, but worked pretty well and easy to setup. 8)

[drizzt]

Nice guide bro :nod:

[M.T]

Good set up man nice tutorial. Aint done chain bench in aaaages how do you find them? Pretty gangsta chucking on 20kg chains and repping them out. Also can use them for chins, press ups, Squats whatever you can think of really.

[Pseudonym]

Also can use them for chins, press ups, Squats whatever you can think of really.

:shock: Using them for squats is genius! You could add more weight at the top of the squat where it's easy, and relieve some of the pressure on the knees at the bottom. Thank you, MT. I'll have to get me some chains!

[M.T]

Also can use them for chins, press ups, Squats whatever you can think of really.

:shock: Using them for squats is genius! You could add more weight at the top of the squat where it's easy, and relieve some of the pressure on the knees at the bottom. Thank you, MT. I'll have to get me some chains!

Sweet as, Thought it was pretty standard round gyms? maybe not. Gets used at the House now and then would need alot of chain or dangle one chain and interlink it with another one for the deload at the bottom suffient enough to actually feel anything but yeah give it a go Pseud and see how you go. Would be the same set up as above though obvisouly need an extra meter or so haning off the bar or something like that.

Matt Squatsinator can be seen repping out 180kgs on the bar with some 20kgs chains either side THAT was awesome to watch.

[startinfromscratch]

yep pretty standard use for squats, usually box squats. just measure the bar travel on squat, and adjust chains accordingly. MT is right, youd need longer small chains to get it setup for squat.

theyre quite a cool feeling, having the extra weight at lockout, getting lighter as the bar lowers.. feelsgoodman

[Big john]

yep pretty standard use for squats, usually box squats. just measure the bar travel on squat, and adjust chains accordingly. MT is right, youd need longer small chains to get it setup for squat.

theyre quite a cool feeling, having the extra weight at lockout, getting lighter as the bar lowers.. feelsgoodman

gotta be good for the ole confidence booster! :nod:

[drizzt]

I find it interesting thinking about how they work, and end up assisting the full lift.

Squat for example (serious question coming too, not trolling); I'm strongest on the final quarter of the Squat (aka lockout) e.g in/out of the hole is my weak point, if I manage to grind out of the bottom I can stand up pretty much 100% of the time.

So chain squats would be no good for me, because I'd just continue to strengthen that final part of the squat while I retain the same strength (or weakness as it may be) in the hole? Or am I looking at it the wrong way?

Example I guess, would be 140kg in bar weight + 80kg in chains. At the bottom, I'll have no problem shooting 140 out of the hole nice and fast, and with the lockout being my strength I would be confident of easily locking the 220 weight at the top out as well.

I guess the only advantage I can come to, would be beginning (and ending I suppose) with the increased poundage on the back, giving you confidence with controlling that sort of weight.

Thoughts?

[startinfromscratch]

i think barspeed is one of the factors though aswell drizzt, if your 1rm was 220kg, then if you had 40k of chains and 180k bar weight, you would have more speed/momentum assisting you than you would with straight bar weight.

suppoedly if set up correctly, chains are good for DE work, OB probably knows more than most about it hopefully he chimes in. 8)

[drizzt]

True, bar speed is a good point. Yeah will probably chat to OB next time I remember to bring it up :nod:

[Mike Zero]

Squat for example (serious question coming too, not trolling); I'm strongest on the final quarter of the Squat (aka lockout) e.g in/out of the hole is my weak point, if I manage to grind out of the bottom I can stand up pretty much 100% of the time.

Same as most people. That's why you add chains to overload the top while being able to practice and strengthen the same movement. As sfs stated as well it encourages bar speed. Personally, I think they have more carryover to an athlete than they do to your average raw powerlifter. Still a great tool though.

Also can use them for chins, press ups, Squats whatever you can think of really.

:shock: Using them for squats is genius! You could add more weight at the top of the squat where it's easy, and relieve some of the pressure on the knees at the bottom. Thank you, MT. I'll have to get me some chains!

Whilst I'm not doubting M.T's genious, that really is the point of chains. Compensate for the leverage advantages as you get closer to the top in most movements. I like using them to bench as it allows me to go heavier even though my shoulders having a heavy weight on them at the bottom of a press.

P.S. if you're planning on buying your own, be prepared to shell out big time.

[Old Bull]

Squat for example (serious question coming too, not trolling); I'm strongest on the final quarter of the Squat (aka lockout) e.g in/out of the hole is my weak point, if I manage to grind out of the bottom I can stand up pretty much 100% of the time.

So chain squats would be no good for me, because I'd just continue to strengthen that final part of the squat while I retain the same strength (or weakness as it may be) in the hole? Or am I looking at it the wrong way?

Correct Drizzt, your weakness would still be the same, and your strength portion would be getting stronger. Chains would not help there.

Example I guess, would be 140kg in bar weight + 80kg in chains. At the bottom, I'll have no problem shooting 140 out of the hole nice and fast, and with the lockout being my strength I would be confident of easily locking the 220 weight at the top out as well.

In your case you would benefit more from 180BW + 40C

I guess the only advantage I can come to, would be beginning (and ending I suppose) with the increased poundage on the back, giving you confidence with controlling that sort of weight.

Chains have a bigger carry over to Equipped lifters and also what MZ stated.

I think they have more carryover to an athlete than they do to your average raw powerlifter.

Your options would be

(i) More Bar Weight less Chain Weight as opposed to what is being talked about above.

(ii) Weight Releasers which I am in the process of building ie 280kg on the way down and 250kgs from parallel exploding back up.

(iii) Paused Squats 4-5 second count

(iv) House Members only

OB1

[Pseudonym]

Whilst I'm not doubting M.T's genious, that really is the point of chains.

Heh! OK, perhaps I got a little carried away! I did actually know about squatting with chains, but this was more a eureka moment as I realised they'd be perfect for my dodgy knee.

[M.T]

(ii) Weight Releasers which I am in the process of building ie 280kg on the way down and 250kgs from parallel exploding back up.

Say waaaaaat! Man that sounds awesome OB can't wait to see what the mad scientist comes out with next :notworthy:

Sorry for derailing from your awesome guide SFS but must admit is a good discussion to be had.