Overhead work with chains
 

What do you guys think about it?


I tried speed sets on the log (8 doubles, 45 second rest) yesterday. Had the log at about 80 lbs, with 70lbs of chains, with most of the chain's weight on the ground when the log was racked, but with the chains completely off the ground overhead.

What I noticed was not that it made the lift appreciably more difficult, but instead that it forced good push jerk form. The initial dip/drive was obviously quick because of the relatively light load, but as some as it came off the shoulders, the full weight of the chains came off the ground, making it quite natural to just drop under quickly rather than pres it out.

I'll be interested to see how it carries over to the log without chains. I'm doing an ME day once a week with the log, so I should find out before too long if it's helping much.

I have not tried with chains..have used bands and liked it a lot..really forced me to explode and drop

never tried. bands work awesome even for my anemic gamey shoulders.

Interesting, had no idea how often chains were used in this manner.

I'm guessing it's fairly similar to bands (which I have only used on front squats), except that the weight transfers to the bar in a little less linear fashion. Kinda just dumps on there at once.

Wonder if it makes much of a difference.

almsot the exact opposite is my experience. sets of heavy chains feel like you can keep adding and adding in almost a linear manner, bands feel like you reach a certain point in the band tension adn at a certain weight and it's a brick wall. chains you can overcome the weight to a degree with inertia, bands a lot less so.

one thing that is kinda like chains a little bit is suspended band work where the bar is hanging top down from bands. I relaly like this for squats and deadlift

I can see what you're saying with inertia overcoming the weight of the chains, especially with something like a pp/pj. Ill have to give band work a try sometime to experience it for myself.

I've tried suspended band dls, and liked them a lot. Felt like I got a lot of workout without getting taxed too heavily. Recovered really well from them.

i think you're right, the suspended work, even heavy seems to be easy to recover from. we do them on deload weeks...now if only there were stone deloads...

used chains for OH today...liked them a lot...easier than bands

I've yet to give the bands a try. maybe during the next 4 week cycle I'll give it a shot, still trying to figure out a good way to anchor them at the facility I go for this kinda stuff. I'm sure the owner will have some idea.

How'd you set the chains up? I used a long leader chain, connected to a bunch of chain about a foot and a half long which amount for most of the chain weight. The bunch is completely on the ground when the bar is racked, and loads up completely a few inches over my head to about 70# extra weight. Feels good, but my experience is limited in this area. I'm curious how other setups feel - I'm sure I'll try different ways out at some point.

my set up is pretty much the same, but from my experience and what ive gathered from wendler,tate, and simmons is that you still want a link ot 2 on the ground to help prevent swinging....ill put a vid up next week that will have chain FS, BS, OH strict and PP and events from this coming sunday