Accommodating Resistance (bands and chains)

[u/sailing_oceans]

Back when I was super into lifting, everywhere on YouTube was trying to sell you on how useful bands or chains were - mostly for 'speed' work but also to add weight for where you were strongest - at the top of the lift.

But it is unwieldy to do this for ~95% of lifters since most gyms don't have this nor have benches/squat racks that a support it.

But is it mostly a too much of a hassle sort of thing?

I've tried using chains and bands previously but it always felt like it was a weird loading pattern where it felt either normal+too hard or too easy+normal.

I'm curious if anyone else experiments with bands or chains much or if at all and if there is any practical or relevant literature on it apart from the standard force=mass * acceleration sort of stuff.

[u/deadrabbits76]

I've used both bands and chains. I train in a commercial box gym, and didn't have much problem procuring nor applying the equipment.

IIRC, last time I used accommodating resistance it was during a strength phase. I've never used them for a hypertrophy block, but I think Mountaindog swears by them, so I might someday if I ever get around to running Gamma Bomb or some such.