Hey,
im looking to buy some new equipment for my home gym and I'm wondering wether i should buy chains or some bands first to improve my strength and mass.
My PRs are 250lbs squat, 330lbs dead and 210lbs bench.
Any help is appreciated, thanks
|
Thread: Bands or Chains?
-
04-03-2013, 06:44 AM #1
-
04-03-2013, 07:01 AM #2
-
04-03-2013, 07:11 AM #3
^That said, bands are great multi-purpose tools.
I use mine for rear delt exercises, and when traveling, and hang them up for an improvised cable-crossover.
I also don't buy into the whole, "don't use bands/chains too early, they will mess up your progress!" jive. You may not need them, but they aren't going to hurt you now or later.()---() York Barbell Club #5 ()---()
-!!!---!!!- No Excuses Homemade Equipment Crew #10 -!!!---!!!-
Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential.
Winston Churchill
Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.
Mahatma Gandhi
-
04-03-2013, 07:21 AM #4
-
-
04-03-2013, 12:57 PM #5
-
04-03-2013, 01:06 PM #6
-
04-03-2013, 01:26 PM #7
-
04-03-2013, 05:16 PM #8
Chains Vs. Bands: Good question
[QUOTE=DonLeone94;1049528281] im looking to buy some new equipment for my home gym and I'm wondering wether i should buy chains or some bands first to improve my strength and mass.
Chains Vs. Bands: Good question - They both serve a purpose, if i had to decide i would choose chains as they seem to be more versatile i.e You can use chains for bench exercises, weighted dips, walking lunges, squats, calf raises wow the list goes on almost anything you use your bodyweight for simply hang them around the back of your neck, bands seem to require a fixed point to create tension so they are great for bench, maybe squat.
Hope theat helps some.Last edited by Mattyd007; 04-03-2013 at 05:17 PM. Reason: selling
CEO @ http://www.********.com/PROSYNSUPPS
Squat: 140
Dead: 130
Bench: 110
Press: 80
-
-
04-03-2013, 05:19 PM #9
- Join Date: Nov 2008
- Location: Brentwood, Tennessee, United States
- Age: 56
- Posts: 5,290
- Rep Power: 30387
My understanding is that you should start with chains and then progress to bands (at least regarding the bench). Not sure which web page I read that on (maybe Westside or Elitefitness), but the rational was that bands are harder on the body than chains.
▪█─────█▪ Equipment Crew #39 ▪█─────█▪
▪█─────█▪ Ivanko Barbell Crew #2 ▪█─────█▪
▪[[[[────]]]]▪ York Barbell Club #93 (DD) ▪[[[[────]]]]▪
▪[M]====[6]▪ Mech6 Crew #10 ▪[M]====[6]▪
186lbs in Avatar
-
04-03-2013, 05:38 PM #10
-
04-03-2013, 05:55 PM #11
^^this. 531 can be used by anyone, but if you can make progress on a linear program, then you should do a linear program, since you'll make quicker gains. i say skip the chains and bands, do Starting Strength or even a 5x5. after that, there are plenty of programs out there for an intermediate lifter with or without bands/chains.
i don't really consider anyone "advanced" until you can bench, squat, and deadlift 1.5xbw, 2xbw, and 2.5xbw respectively (or you could go by: http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLi...hStandards.htm). by that time, you probably already know what your body responds to best.
-
04-03-2013, 06:08 PM #12
I use both bands and chains. I use bands on the top and bottom pegs at the same time. And I use chains too simultaneously on the bamboo bar attached to more bands attached to kettle bells. While Im doing 5/3/1. Basically I like to use everything at the same time.
[]---[] Equipment Crew #6 []---[]
Rogue R3 Crew -[]--(ಠ_ಠ)--[]-
Isn't it weird that pirates would go out to shore looking for buried treasure but the real treasure was in the friendships they were making?
"Where the **** are we at?" -Christopher Columbus
-
-
04-03-2013, 06:30 PM #13
- Join Date: Sep 2010
- Location: Birmingham, Westmidlands, United Kingdom (Great Britain)
- Age: 31
- Posts: 904
- Rep Power: 2279
when i said 5/3/1 i didnt mean just that, but that was the first strength program that popped im my head (probably because im doing it lol )
the point was,(clearer this time) just stick to a solid strength routine, fix form issues,figure out how your body responds to things then add in bands/chains w.e to help ... but once you get to the stage, i dont think u'd have to ask if you should be using them-!!!---!!!- No Excuses Homemade Equipment Crew #4 -!!!---!!!-
-
04-04-2013, 07:06 AM #14
With regard to the OP in my limited experience the difference is this
Chains
Pro - more durable, doesn't lock you in a groove, easier setup if you don't have a rack and/or deadlift platform with band pegs
Cons - larger, more difficult to transport, more expensive initial investment
Bands
Pro - smaller, lighter, less expensive initially, more possible uses aside from dynamic bench,squat,dead
Cons - less durable
From the westside reading I have done they seem to view bands as an evolution from chains of the dynamic resistance concept but also more taxing They did say that for unequiped squatting bands should only be used for box squats. I still use bands for unequiped squats because it isn't really feasable to bring chains to my gym where I do dynamic squats.
I think this article is a good intro
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_...ing_resistance
-
04-04-2013, 07:54 AM #15
- Join Date: Jan 2010
- Location: Oklahoma, United States
- Age: 37
- Posts: 3,220
- Rep Power: 3338
They're not that expensive, why not have both?
I use chains for pressing and pulling and generally use my bands for DL and Squat and maybe a little benching. Banded deadlifts are simply awesome. Granted I don't have bands that are that "heavy". Like said above though, I believe bands are a little more practical if you have a rack with band pegs, if not I would imagine chains would be a lot eaier to get set up.I am going to die under a heavy barbell one day and it's going to be f*cking awesome--HamburgerTrain
()---() York Barbell Club #36 ()---()
***Knee Dragger Unite***
***ShowerBEER Crew***
***Viking Crew***
-
04-04-2013, 03:20 PM #16
Similar Threads
-
bands or chains
By WilliamIron in forum Sports TrainingReplies: 3Last Post: 08-07-2011, 12:07 PM -
Bench With Added Resistance bands or chains?
By DhsHamada08 in forum Workout EquipmentReplies: 12Last Post: 01-13-2011, 03:54 PM -
bands or chains??
By hkeyees in forum Powerlifting/StrongmanReplies: 11Last Post: 03-31-2008, 05:44 PM
Bookmarks