Monday, May 5, 2014

Benefits of Training with Chains & Thick Bars

    Thick bars and chains are an easy way to add a little twist into your regiment, without having to completely change your program! Both of these tools are staples in almost every strongman's training routine. In my eyes, if this equipment is good enough for some of the worlds strongest people, then its good enough for me!
    Thick handled dumbbells or bars usually are 2.5 inches or more in diameter and offer a host of benefits. Right off the bat, the thicker handle stimulates a greater amount of muscle fibers in the hands, forearms and upper arms. This is simply because the handle is larger and more difficult to hold on to throughout an exercise, forcing your muscles to contract more aggressively throughout the movement. Many lifters will tell you that you're only as strong as your weakest link. Your body is smart, it wants to use the biggest most powerful muscles for each lift! This isn't always the best thing when trying to get stronger because those supportive muscles can be lift behind. Thick bars will strengthen your hands, forearms and fingers much more then a regular bar ever could, getting rid of your weak points. Training takes a toll on your joints overtime and this can lead to injuries. Studies have shown that thick bar training, in some way, shifts the stress off your joints and puts it more on your muscles. This is exactly what we want, fewer injuries equal more
productive training. Thick handles spread the weight over a larger area of the hand, which in turn, resulting in the load being more evenly distributed throughout the arm and so on. This is perfect because we are keeping stress off the joints and activating more muscles! If your gym does not already carry thick bars, an easy way to solve this problem is to purchase a pair of Fat Gripz (shown in the picture to the right) from EliteFTS. They are made of strong, durable rubber and can be attached to almost any dumbbell or barbell. 
     We've all seen those badass pictures where people have hundreds of pounds in chains draped over a bar while lifting. There are benefits you'll receive from using chains, that you just couldn't get from using plates. The problem is, not a lot of people understand the idea behind using chains. Attaching a set of chains to a barbell can be done in an effort to build strength through a sticking point. The way this works is when your are at the bottom of the lift, the majority of the chains are coiled on the floor, making the weight lighter. As you ascend through the lift, more of the chain is off the floor, increasing the weight. This builds power and explosiveness through the lift, helping to work through the spots you'd usually get stuck at. The weight is lighter where you are weakest, so you can work speed, then, eventually getting to a point where strength is key, towards the top of the movement! This is a great way to build strength, however, many people load the bar incorrectly, defeating the whole purpose of using chains. In order to get this increased weight effect, almost all of the chains, excluding the support chains, need to be in contact with the floor at the bottom of the lift. Conversely, all of the chains need to be just off the floor at the top of the lift! This will ensure that you have a nice increase of weight throughout the movement! Try working with about 50 - 60% of your one rep max and having about 30 - 40 lbs of that weight being made up of chains. Keep the reps low and work on explosion!


- Brig Van Etten CSCS - 



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