Here is a great warm-up with (powerlifting) chains for the bench press that will get your shoulders and triceps ready to get under the bar. The mark of a good warm-up is how your first repetition feels when you start ramping up on your main worksets.

When chains are introduced into most workouts, the goal is typically to provide accommodating resistance – i.e., resistance added to a bar path to provide mechanical advantage loading to the movement pattern that matches the lifter’s strength curve – in order to overload a specific range of a strength training movement pattern. For most powerlifting applications, chains are added in this way to barbell bench press, military press, deadlifts, and squats.

But, as I discussed and expanded on in the legendary Chaos Manual, chains have a much broader application in the weight room. Chains provide agitation and a ‘dynamic loading’ for various movements to provide greater adaptations for control, stability, bulletproofing joint systems, and various joint-friendly exercises to provide some relief for older lifters and older athletes who love training.

One example of the joint-friendly application of chains for warming up is this simple quick bench press warm-up.

Quick Bench Press Warm-up with Chains

1A) Cuban Press with Slow Eccentric, 10 reps
1B) Military Press, 10 reps
1C) JM Press or Bench Press, 10 reps
1D) Tricep Extensions, 10 reps

Run through this routine 3-4 times before you get under the bar to bench and you’ll notice how good your shoulders feel from the very first rep.

There are many more applications for chains in the weight room and even more with elastic bands. To see how elastic bands can also be used for the bench press in a ‘chaotic’ way, check out this advanced bench press application with bands and kettlebells.

For more joint-friendly pain free workouts, check out Ageless Athlete 2.0

Reference: The STRENGTH System – get stronger at the barbell lifts!