For those of you that use chains in your training, what is the typical length and size of the chains you use for
squats
push press
push ups
bench press
deadlift
Also, what is the size chain and length that you use to hook the larger chains to?
5 foot lengths of 5/8. I just loop mine through some longer 1/4 that I have a carabiner on to adjust length for squat/bench.
We use chains for bench and we basically have doubled up chains with a rope tied at the end. We use rope because you can tie knots at various lengths so that you can adjust how high or low you want the chain to hang.
You want the chain to come off the ground (or close to it) to really get the use of all the weight.
On the Elitefts website, Dave Tate explained that they keep half the chain on the floor, and therefore uses twice as much chain weight to get the same effect. He does that so that the chains aren’t swinging all over the place at lockout. When we lift, we use 10 pound chains, and work up to 3 chains on each side, and I have noticed that when I unrack, they do swing a little, so you might want to take that into consideration.
5’ lengths of 5/8" chain = 20lbs apiece like mattwray said.
I also have tow chain that are (I think…) 14’ lengths of 3/8" = 20lbs apiece. I fold them into thirds and then hook them onto connector chain - you have more chain on the floor, but it works reasonably well.
me and my training partner are both pretty tall and have long arms, so we use 6ft chains doubled over in a carabiner for the heavy chains, for the feeder, we have about 4-5 ft and we adjust the length by using another carabiner to create a loop to put over the bar.