Resistance Adjustment Strategies for Weightlifters: Mastering Variable Resistance Training Techniques
Powerlifting with chains and bands can take your workouts to the next level. These methods, known as accommodating resistance, let you adapt the weight during lifts like squats and deadlifts, making them challenging in different ways at various stages of the movement.
Back in my powerlifting days, my coach Matt Reynolds made frequent use of accommodating resistance for my programming. It was a welcome change from traditional lifting, helping me overcome sticking points and add variety to my training routine.
So, I gave Matt a call to chat about the benefits of accommodating resistance and how to best add it to your programming.
A Peek into the Past
Using chains and varying resistance isn't a new concept. In the early 20th century, strongmen employed chains in their exercises, and even Soviet powerlifting legend Vasily Alekseyev trained in waist-high water to include accommodating resistance.
However, the rise of accommodating resistance as a popular training tool isn't until the 1990s, thanks to Louie Simmons of Westside Barbell. Simmons was instrumental in using heavy chains and later elastic bands to tailor the resistance to the barbell lifter's changing leverage throughout the movement.
Why Should You Embrace It?
By using accommodating resistance, you'll get a few key advantages:
- Match your strength curve: The increased load as you ascend the lift targets your stronger areas and recruits more muscle fibers, helping with strength and hypertrophy.
- Increase power and bar speed: As the weight increases the higher you lift, it forces you to push harder, promoting explosive strength and bar speed.
- Overcome sticking points: By reserving the heaviest weight for the top of the lift, you get more velocity going into the sticking point, allowing you to move further and hone your technique past those problem areas.
- Challenge your muscles differently: Bands force you to stabilize the bar, improve bar control, and stay tight throughout the entire lift.
Chains vs. Bands: Pros and Cons
There are two primary ways to add accommodating resistance to your lifts: chains and bands. Each method has its own unique pros and cons:
Chains
Chains provide a more linear resistance curve compared to bands. They don't actively pull down on the barbell, making them easier to control and more forgiving, especially for beginners. Chains are straightforward to set up, making them ideal for learning the benefits of accommodating resistance.
Bands
Bands offer a more extreme variable resistance. They actively pull down on the barbell as it rises, requiring more control and revealing weaknesses. Bands are better suited for more advanced lifters looking for explosive training and to expose weak spots in their technique.
Programming with Accommodating Resistance
When you're just starting with accommodating resistance, opt for chains. They're more forgiving and will help you get comfortable with the concept while building confidence in your lockout. As you grow more accustomed to accommodating resistance, you can move on to bands for added explosiveness and targeted work on your sticking points.
Use accommodating resistance no more than once per lift per week, favor chains for longevity and bands for short bursts of explosive training, and take regular deloads (every 6-8 weeks for chains and 4-6 weeks for bands) to prevent overtraining and joint stress.
Using accommodating resistance in your supplemental lifts can further boost your training by helping you overcome plateaus and targeted technique work for your main lifts.
Setting Up Your Barbell
Setup matters when working with accommodating resistance. Here's how to set up your barbell for both chains and bands:
Chains
Get a 5/8' chain kit from a company like Rogue Fitness. Attach the small leader chain to the barbell sleeve, loop the heavy chains onto it with a carabiner, and aim for one or two chain links to remain on the floor at the top of your lift.
Bands
Anchor bands to band pegs in your squat rack. Double up the bands to create slight tension even at the bottom of the lift, and use heavier bands for Challenging movements.
Final Thoughts
Accommodating resistance offers a fresh approach to lifting, challenging your muscles in new ways and helping you tackle plateaus by adapting the resistance during your lifts. Whether you're new to powerlifting or a seasoned pro looking to mix things up, giving accommodating resistance a try may help you take your workouts to the next level.
- In the early 20th century, strongmen utilized chains in their exercises, similar to the accommodating resistance methods used bymy coach Matt Reynolds in my powerlifting days.
- Accommodating resistance, such as the use of chains and bands, is a crucial tool for powerlifting, as it helps to match one's strength curve, overcome sticking points, and challenge muscles differently.
- When programming accommodating resistance, it is recommended to start with chains for beginners and gradually progress to bands for advanced lifters seeking explosive training and to expose weak spots in their technique.
- Louie Simmons of Westside Barbell played a significant role in popularizing the use of heavy chains and later elastic bands in the 1990s, tailoring the resistance to the barbell lifter's changing leverage throughout the movement.
