Does anyone else prefer to bench without a spotter?

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

I almost never bench with a spotter because I hate spotting people. I don't usually train to failure but if I have a spotter I'm more likely to try to squeeze out an extra rep.

 

[brikis98]

If you are totally alone...no pets, people...then that's the only way out.

Which is EXACTLY what I've been saying all along. Thank you for finally catching up with the rest of us.

 

[Deeko]

I need a spotter to get the bar off the rack. I've always been weak getting it out of the rack LOL.

Koing

heh. Yea I can unrack it without a spotter, but the awkward movement definitely knocks me out of my arch and makes me a lot weaker. Its a bigger deal now that I powerlift, because so much effort goes into getting a proper arch.

 

[gramboh]

I have problems unracking as well, there are two pin positions for the bench I use at my gym, the lower one is too low and the upper one I can use but have to take my shoulders slightly out of position, so a spot with hand-off is essential for max efforts.

I actually like spotting people on bench. I ask if they want a hand-off, they usually do, then I step back, it's fun to see the panic on people's faces who are used to having someone help with an upright row (of course I grab the bar when they get in trouble, and then rack it).

 

[darkxshade]

That's weird about the unracking part for some of the reponses, I quite enjoy the unracking of weights when I bench. What I do is lock my arms out but drop my shoulders back(kinda like arching horizontally) and I would grab the weights and push my shoulder back up... it's a lot easier to me than actually benching the weights.

 

[alkemyst]

All hail the all-mighty, all-knowing, all-seeing Alkemyst, Ignorer of Facts and Statistics. Bow to his superior knowlege and wealth of experience.
It's his way or the highway bitches!

WTF?

so do you lift even? How is that statistic noteworthy to you?

I don't get it...

 

[alkemyst]

Which is EXACTLY what I've been saying all along. Thank you for finally catching up with the rest of us.

yet this thread is about PREFERRING to bench without a spotter /et al...not all alone in a private shrine of fitness.

I can bench alone no problem. I am not going to go for max or push to my boundaries.

When I do this, I am not putting a bar above me I don't have a way to stop.

 

[alkemyst]

I would assume that number includes death associated with dumping of weights in addition to the bar dropping or do you think deaths with weight dumping is not considered part of the statistic? So if 304 is insignificant to you, there should be no issue either way. It's a perfectly acceptable risk to take, especially if no one is around. I don't use collars for benching... if someone is around, I'll yell for help... failing that, I dump the weights.

What have you dumped? What happened when you did that?

 

[Whisper]

What have you dumped? What happened when you did that?

Speaking of dumping, I've actually seen more people injured by wildly-dropped and out-of-control dumbbells than dumped barbell weights. Probably because there are a LOT more people wantonly dropping dumbbells in a gym than getting stuck under a barbell.

However, I have seen barbells almost flip end-over-end off of squat racks because people try to unload three or four plates from one side without taking any off the other. Always makes for an exciting gym visit.

 

[conorvansmack]

WTF?
so do you lift even? How is that statistic noteworthy to you?
I don't get it...

Watch your mouth, it doesn't help your already damaged credibility.

Yes, I lift. Read my thread if you doubt me.

9 deaths in 304 days is wildly different than 304 deaths in one year. If nearly one person died per day performing an exercise, many people would find that significant. Read carefully, you misquoted.

 

[alkemyst]

I meant what I said. 304 deaths in a year is INSIGNIFICANT. 9 in 304 days is not even worth mentioning.

I swear people are worrying more and more about things that aren't even blips on the screen yet totally ignoring more dangerous things like simply crossing the street.

 

[BlackTigers]

i saw something that topped everything today.

this guy, was using straps, to seated military press 55lb dumbbells. He was wrapping them so tight. I try to mind my own business, but this has got to be an awesome way to dislocate a shoulder or something.

 

[alkemyst]

he could have arthritis or grip problems.

 

[coreyb]

never had a spotter, you shouldnt need one until you've been benching a while and are doing some serious weight IMO.

 

[Koing]

heh. Yea I can unrack it without a spotter, but the awkward movement definitely knocks me out of my arch and makes me a lot weaker. Its a bigger deal now that I powerlift, because so much effort goes into getting a proper arch.

Probably due to the angle etc and the lack of unracking it on my own. But f0ck it, I dont' care man. I only bench press with a spotter anyway.

never had a spotter, you shouldnt need one until you've been benching a while and are doing some serious weight IMO.

Thats a rubbish idea. So beginners shouldn't push it because they don't have a spotter? Doesn't matter what your lifting, if your pushing it hard you WILL FAIL/ STRUGGLE at one point or another, and need someone to just be there in the 'just in case' situations you don't get it. Better to be safe then to drop it or lower it on your chest and roll 100kg+ on your chest which will be a bast and then sit up with 100kg+ across your crotch.

It's safer for anyone everyone and you will get better results if you push yourself and not play it safe and stop 1-2reps short. A few assisted reps in a program will more often then not be useful. Unless you do like 6-8 assisted reps in every set...then the training protocol is probably in question for most people. Even the odd negative session would be a good mix up for more expereinced people.

Koing

 

[HannibalX]

I use a community gym that's run by my condo association. It's very rare that I encounter anyone else working out when I am (between 9PM and 2AM usually) so I don't really have the luxury of a spotter.

After I bought my condo I cancled my gym subscription because the facility we have is very nice, fully equipped with showers and locker rooms. We have everything a public gym has equipment wise, just less of it (we have 4 treadmills instead of 50, 4 sets of free weights instead of 15, two benches instead of 15, etc, etc).

I actually like working out alone, I have the entire 3,000 s/f facility to myself most of the time.

 

[oogabooga]

I usually don't have a spotter - just cause of when I go workout/who is there normally. It hasn't been a problem so far, I do wish sometimes I had one though.