When using Chains/bands how much of the total resitance should it be?

[dalvare1]

Just curious what you guys might be doing.

For example, if im doing a bench workout with chains. and I my working set would be say 300 pounds

how much of that should be freeweight and how much should be chains?

Do you just kinda wing it or do you try to shoot for 50/50? 75/25?

like 150 pounds of chains w 150 pounds freeweight or 225 pounds freeweight w 75 pounds of chains?

Same goes w bands... Do you do a ratio or maybe set a freeweight amount and add from there

For example squatting put 225 pounds of freeweight and add bands from there? Or do you try to make it a certain amount of the total?

[dakoose]

It depends on what you're using them for. I've recently started with bands (no chains) and therefore have read tons from Louie Simmons and seen damn near every clip he's got on Youtube. If you listen and read his stuff you'll learn loads....but anyways it depends on your goal for that day and the exercise you're doing.

If you're on DE/Speed day and benching, it's typically done with a bar weight equal to between 40-50% of your 1RM. However, that's just a general guideline and being that the goal on that day is maximal speed with sub-maximal weight, your main concern should be moving that bar as fast as possible, so if that means going a little lower than 40% then that's what you should do. It just so happens to be that 40-50 % is typically the range speed bench work falls into with most of his guys.

With the bench, guys also use bands on ME day in some the exercises that they rotate, but that's not really a percentage thing it's just about getting your max weight higher each time a move comes back around.

With the squat and dead the range with bands is typically 50-60%, but again that's just a guideline.

With all that said, this all depends on your goals. Are you going for size, strength, speed? If it's size, throw what I said out the window.

[dalvare1]

its for strength...

And i know, louie is the man... I jus got The Westside Book of Methods... and im like eating up every word of it!

I was jus curious what you guys are doing and how you load your freeweights vs. adding bands or chains and what the general ratio is in terms of the total resistance

[53greystreet]

For bands the typical tension will be 25-40% of the total weight, that is the range that should be used most of the time. Every once in a while this can be kicked up to some crazy tension but this should not be done very often or more than 2 weeks at a time

Chains are usually kept in the same range of 25-40%, however with chains going up higher will not be as taxing as the bands so it can be done more often

[dalvare1]

ok cool, thats what I figured... you wouldnt want more than 50% of the total to be the accomodating resistance... so 25-40% seems like a good guideling

buying bands and chains has been the best investment.... I seriously feel like im starting all over its really fun

[mark!]

Be weary of the tension on bands if you're benching alone. Never happened to me, but saw a kid use bands after I finished our set in the gym and got caught under 225 plus red bands.

[dakoose]

Be weary of the tension on bands if you're benching alone. Never happened to me, but saw a kid use bands after I finished our set in the gym and got caught under 225 plus red bands.

Great advice! And in addition, make sure you grip that bar nice and tight and don't go with a thumbless grip when using bands (or whenever), it'll keep you safe and also help your bench out a bit.