Chains or Bands?

[70w30]

What gives you more progressive resistance?
Do bands come in varying tensions?
Chains can come in Different link sizes....but what about bands?

 

[BigRonWannabee]

Chains will give you a linear resistance curve while bands will give you more of an exponential curve, depending on material.

 

[70w30]

Exponential curve?
Ya lost me there bro...I,m A blue collar Canadian...not a thesourus

 

[pullinbig]

Exponential curve?
Ya lost me there bro...I,m A blue collar Canadian...not a thesourus

i thought a thesourus was a diansour. =0l

 

[70w30]

thanks for the technical info boss

 

[pullinbig]

heres some bands

http://www.ironwoodyfitness.com/

and yes they comer in different sizes/strenghts.

 

[70w30]

heres some bands

http://www.ironwoodyfitness.com/

and yes they comer in different sizes/strenghts.

Thanks tits

 

[pullinbig]

Thanks tits

you welcome lips.

 

[SCG2]

exponential: as the band stretches, each additional bit of movement by the bar will result in a bigger and bigger increase in tension. so you won't feel the tension increase much at the bottom, but at the top it will become very difficult.

linear: as the chain is lifted for the ground, the resistance only increases by the weight of each individual link that rises off the ground. the increase in resistance is more predictable and smooth.

 

[iron addict]

Bands are easy to carry, easy to set-up once you know how, and if your gym doesn't have them they are relatiely inexpensive and can be carried into the gym easily, or stored easily in your home gym. Dragging 200 lbs of chains into the gym is a drag if your gym won't let you leave personal equipment there.

That said, it is generally recognized that the correct progression is:

Weights alone
weights chain
weights band
weights band chain

The bands are MUCH harder on the joints and connective tissues and most people tend to use too much band weight for too long a time period.

If you decide to use bands, never, or rarely do the same lift more than 3 weeks in a row, and don't do a large percentage of your lifts using bands. They are a wonderful tool if used correctly, and a great way to overtrain if not used correctly.

Iron Addict

 

[Eze]

I don't know jack S*@$ about powerlifting, but I can figure out the use for bands.... But how are chains used?

 

[BigRonWannabee]

Just hang em from the bar and the chain will lay on the ground. As you lift the chain will be pulled off the ground and will weigh down on the bar more and more, the higher you lift. Kinda hard to explain.

 

[Eze]

Ahhhh, I see. Thanks

 

[DADAWG]

Just hang em from the bar and the chain will lay on the ground. As you lift the chain will be pulled off the ground and will weigh down on the bar more and more, the higher you lift. Kinda hard to explain.

adjust the so that they are barely touching the ground at lockout [ just enough to keep them from swinging works for me ] and at the bottom of the bench , squat, etc. they are almost completely on the ground . this way the resistance goes up as you near lockout .
i prefer chains to bands because as iron addict mentioned bands are rough on the joints and its easy to overtrain similar to too many negatives . when i use the bands from the bottom i dont do it to many weeks in a row . i like useing the bands attached at the top of the rack so that the bands lift up on the bar allowing me to lift more weight because the bands help me at the bottom where the lift is hardest .