Does anyone else prefer to bench without a spotter?

[BlackTigers]

I kinda realized this today.

When I have a spotter, I have a weird tendency to lose focus and get sloppy, because I know I have someone to grab the bar if I falter or lose a rep.

Without one, I have honestly hit more PR's and broken plateaus much, much easier. Case in point, today I hit a +10lb, +2rep PR and a +15lb (paused) PR, just by ditching my spotter and going solo. I felt so much more concentrated, so much more connected with the lift. I'm more inclined to squeeze out a grinder as well, because the other option is dumping the weight to the floor.

IDK, might just be me,

 

[Alone]

I prefer to have a spotter, because I'm a beginner. I'm not confident enough, and it's really easy for me to lose balance on the bar so I have to use the clamps.

 

[Pantlegz]

I'm the exact opposite, I can lift more with a spotter. It's weird but I think it's way more mental and being worried, subconsciously, about dropping the weight or something I dunno.

 

[Deeko]

I benched for many years without a spotter, and still do on occasion. Definitely do not prefer it. I've gotten to the point where I know very well when I'm close to the limit, and I don't push that last rep that I might/might not get when I'm spotterless.

 

[MJinZ]

I kinda realized this today.

When I have a spotter, I have a weird tendency to lose focus and get sloppy, because I know I have someone to grab the bar if I falter or lose a rep.

Without one, I have honestly hit more PR's and broken plateaus much, much easier. Case in point, today I hit a +10lb, +2rep PR and a +15lb (paused) PR, just by ditching my spotter and going solo. I felt so much more concentrated, so much more connected with the lift. I'm more inclined to squeeze out a grinder as well, because the other option is dumping the weight to the floor.

IDK, might just be me,

Two camps:

Spotter camp - more confident because of safety net, thus harder pushes and more weight

No Spotter camp - more fear/adrenaline of looking like a fool, thus more focused and harder pushes

 

[MJinZ]

I prefer to have a spotter, because I'm a beginner. I'm not confident enough, and it's really easy for me to lose balance on the bar so I have to use the clamps.

Ooh, drop the clamps. Drop your weight. You should start low enough to gain balance. Those clamps are also not safe, because if you are alone, you need them to be clampless so you can slide the weights off or you'll have hundreds of pounds sitting on your chest with no way to get it off.

 

[BlackTigers]

I benched for many years without a spotter, and still do on occasion. Definitely do not prefer it. I've gotten to the point where I know very well when I'm close to the limit, and I don't push that last rep that I might/might not get when I'm spotterless.

I can definitely see how one would be more beneficial once I get into heavier weights, but I'm not moving a ton of weight yet, so even if I lower it on to my chest, I'll jsut dump the plates off. I always go clampless as well.

The only time I really use one, is when I know the guy, and he knows how to properly spot bench. Keep the fuck away from my line of sight, and keep the hands out from the bar until I call for you to come grab it. I HATE people who don't know how to spot bench. (1RM spots are different, of course).

 

[alkemyst]

Ooh, drop the clamps. Drop your weight. You should start low enough to gain balance. Those clamps are also not safe, because if you are alone, you need them to be clampless so you can slide the weights off or you'll have hundreds of pounds sitting on your chest with no way to get it off.

WTF?!?! you shouldn't be using weights that way.

Have you ever tried to slide off weights? It's not pretty the chain reaction a bar does...

Also if you drop a side momentarily without collars and the weights go in motion, you are equally fucked.

Use dumbbells if you are going to be in this boat.

It's only the freaking morons in the gym and online that talk about how spotters are worthless. They are not a requirement, but it's nearly impossible to get to the limits in many lifts without them.

 

[brikis98]

I bench much better with a spotter. Without one, I constantly have to worry if I should chance another rep or not. With one, I can focus 100% on technique and moving the weight.

WTF?!?! you shouldn't be using weights that way.

Have you ever tried to slide off weights? It's not pretty the chain reaction a bar does...

Also if you drop a side momentarily without collars and the weights go in motion, you are equally fucked.

If you are bench pressing alone, you should NOT use collars on the bar. Sliding weights off the bar is certainly loud and uncomfortable - it might even damage the weights or the floor - but it is FAR better than being trapped with several hundred pounds on your chest. Of course, ideally you have a power rack with safety rails setup if you are benching alone, but leaving the collars off is an important last resort to have when you are really in trouble.

 

[BlackTigers]

I bench much better with a spotter. Without one, I constantly have to worry if I should chance another rep or not. With one, I can focus 100% on technique and moving the weight.


If you are bench pressing alone, you should NOT use collars on the bar. Sliding weights off the bar is certainly loud and uncomfortable - it might even damage the weights or the floor - but it is FAR better than being trapped with several hundred pounds on your chest. Of course, ideally you have a power rack with safety rails setup if you are benching alone, but leaving the collars off is an important last resort to have when you are really in trouble.

I see what you're saying. It's just a mental game for me though, so eh. I have spotters for heavier doubles or triples, but for my 5rep sets, I've never once gone to the point where the bar literally fell...it's always came down slowly. I am fairly confident that if a bar slowly falls to my chest, I'm going to be able to dump the weight off the side.

 

[brikis98]

I see what you're saying. It's just a mental game for me though, so eh. I have spotters for heavier doubles or triples, but for my 5rep sets, I've never once gone to the point where the bar literally fell...it's always came down slowly. I am fairly confident that if a bar slowly falls to my chest, I'm going to be able to dump the weight off the side.

Well, if the bar just suddenly falls, a spotter probably won't be able to catch it anyway. At any rate, in most cases, you simply get stuck part way through a rep and the bar slowly starts to come back down. Without a spotter, it'll end up sitting on your chest, which with serious weight on the bar is a surprisingly difficult position to get out of (not to mention uncomfortable). With a spotter, there is someone there who makes sure that you never get into this situation. The most dangerous possibility is to have the bar end up on your neck, which unfortunately does happen from time to time. Assuming the impact itself doesn't kill you, the spotter is essential there too in getting the bar off of you before you suffocate and suffer more damage. Benching in a power rack with safety rails (so the bar can't drop to neck level) plus a spotter is the safest option overall. And if you are benching alone, ALWAYS leave the collars off.

 

[Deeko]

I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you from a safety perspective, but I never bench with the collars off when I bench alone. A lot of people - especially earlier in their training - don't necessarily push the bar up in a perfectly straight line. Gravity can do nasty things with those plates.....

 

[BlackTigers]

Well, if the bar just suddenly falls, a spotter probably won't be able to catch it anyway. At any rate, in most cases, you simply get stuck part way through a rep and the bar slowly starts to come back down. Without a spotter, it'll end up sitting on your chest, which with serious weight on the bar is a surprisingly difficult position to get out of (not to mention uncomfortable). .

With the way the racks are, I can situate myself so that my neck is behind the safety bars....so it's physically impossible for the bar to catch my neck.

No fucking way would I bench if the bar could roll onto my neck, without a spotter.

 

[brikis98]

I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you from a safety perspective, but I never bench with the collars off when I bench alone. A lot of people - especially earlier in their training - don't necessarily push the bar up in a perfectly straight line. Gravity can do nasty things with those plates.....

That is a good point: beginners will struggle a lot with balancing the weight and if the bar doesn't have good knurling on the ends, the plates might slide off accidentally. There are also cheepo barbells out there that are completely unusable without collars because the plates slide around like crazy. In those cases, a spotter and/or power rack with rails becomes a necessity to stay safe. If neither of those is a possibility, then DB bench is probably the next best bet. In some ways, DB bench is even a superior exercise, although once you get strong enough, having to find heavy enough DB's becomes limiting.

 

[darkxshade]

I do better with a spotter... just having them stand over me gives me the insurance I need to take on the risk of more weights and usually end up not needing them for that last rep anyway.

 

[alkemyst]

I bench much better with a spotter. Without one, I constantly have to worry if I should chance another rep or not. With one, I can focus 100% on technique and moving the weight.


If you are bench pressing alone, you should NOT use collars on the bar. Sliding weights off the bar is certainly loud and uncomfortable - it might even damage the weights or the floor - but it is FAR better than being trapped with several hundred pounds on your chest. Of course, ideally you have a power rack with safety rails setup if you are benching alone, but leaving the collars off is an important last resort to have when you are really in trouble.

Two wrongs don't make it right. You shouldn't be bench pressing alone, therefore should always have collars.

Sliding weights off the bar, especially in a gym is downright dangerous. I have witnessed one bystander lose a toe as well as the bar catapult through a wall another time.

If you are dealing with a single set of 45's or light weight then it's probably an non-event.

Dump 125+ off a side of a bar especially after not being able to rep it, it's going to be a disaster.

Use dumbbells or a power rack/stand alone spotters or skip it.

 

[Deeko]

That is a good point: beginners will struggle a lot with balancing the weight and if the bar doesn't have good knurling on the ends, the plates might slide off accidentally. There are also cheepo barbells out there that are completely unusable without collars because the plates slide around like crazy. In those cases, a spotter and/or power rack with rails becomes a necessity to stay safe. If neither of those is a possibility, then DB bench is probably the next best bet. In some ways, DB bench is even a superior exercise, although once you get strong enough, having to find heavy enough DB's becomes limiting.

Yea, I agree with that. Dumbbells are the best option for beginners. They do a better job of training your stabilizers and they're definitely safer.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

Two wrongs don't make it right. You shouldn't be bench pressing alone, therefore should always have collars.

Sliding weights off the bar, especially in a gym is downright dangerous. I have witnessed one bystander lose a toe as well as the bar catapult through a wall another time.

If you are dealing with a single set of 45's or light weight then it's probably an non-event.

Dump 125+ off a side of a bar especially after not being able to rep it, it's going to be a disaster.

Use dumbbells or a power rack/stand alone spotters or skip it.

I never use collars because I never have a problem with balance but I've been instances when its a life saver if you dont have collars. You never know what might happen, if you pull a muscle, tear something, or if some random event happens that you need to ditch your weight rather than having it end up smashing your chest.

On the spotter, I'd much rather have one if they were a good spotter. A bad one would help you too much when you dont need it. I dont usually push myself as hard without a spotter since I have that lingering thought of what if I couldnt push that last one and get stuck. More so when doing 20+ reps or 225 lbs +.

 

[brikis98]

Two wrongs don't make it right. You shouldn't be bench pressing alone, therefore should always have collars.

Sliding weights off the bar, especially in a gym is downright dangerous. I have witnessed one bystander lose a toe as well as the bar catapult through a wall another time.

If you are dealing with a single set of 45's or light weight then it's probably an non-event.

Dump 125+ off a side of a bar especially after not being able to rep it, it's going to be a disaster.

Use dumbbells or a power rack/stand alone spotters or skip it.

I think we're in agreement - people should have a spotter and/or rack when doing barbell bench press. However, if they choose to take the (unrecommended) risk of bench pressing alone and without a rack, then they SHOULD leave the collars off.

 

[disports]

I prefer without a spotter because most people can't spot properly but at the same time, I know my limits pretty well. As for dropping the weights to the side, I can unfortunately relate to that. I lifted one early morning at my college gym several years ago (175 lbs without clamps), got stuck, and dropped weights off from one side to the other. It wasn't pretty I can tell you that.

 

[TallBill]

I think we're in agreement - people should have a spotter and/or rack when doing barbell bench press. However, if they choose to take the (unrecommended) risk of bench pressing alone and without a rack, then they SHOULD leave the collars off.

Some people work out at home. Of those, not all have power racks.

As far as commercial gyms go -- unless you work out at 3 am you shouldn't push close to your max without a spotter.

 

[alkemyst]

it's probably different doing crossfit. I don't think those guys use much weight.

 

[BlackTigers]

it's probably different doing crossfit. I don't think those guys use much weight.

I'm pretty sure dude pulled a 2.5x BW deadlift the other day.

That's quite a bit of weight.

 

[Red Dawn]

I usually don't use one unless my neighbor is at the gym with me (6'5" 280 lbs giant). I prefer using one as I can push myself until I fail without having to worry about embarrassing myself .

 

[alkemyst]

I'm pretty sure dude pulled a 2.5x BW deadlift the other day.

That's quite a bit of weight.

Go look in the average crossfit gym and figure out how you could possibly dump weights...those people look like worker bees jumping station to station/area to area.