Weightlifting question

[MartyMcFly3]

Alright, I've been working out pretty steadily for the past 6 months or so. Granted, Im no muscle head (Im 6'1 at a now whopping 160lbs so i'm pretty much tall and lanky) but there's something going on when I bench that I don't understand.

This is kind of hard for me to explain in words so bear with me. When I go for the first rep after taking the bar off, I struggle. A lot. It feels like its something in the weaker arm's shoulder, as if it's not set right, but I'm not sure if that's it or what. However, after assistance with the first rep, I can punch the reps out a lot better. This first rep problem begins when I'm around 115lbs or so. (Like I said, I'm no muscle head) I just don't understand why I struggle with the first rep so much that I can't do it, but once i get the help, I can do the next 4-5 reps or so no problem. I need to be able to overcome this first rep issue.

Any advice? Thanks in advance.

 

[FleshLight]

Do a warmup set with just 100lbs or something.

 

[AbAbber2k]

If it feels like there's something specifically wrong with part of your body you should see a doctor. You might have soft tissue damage or something that is less noticeable after you've warmed up. At least get some X-rays done.

Edit: I usually "struggle" with the first rep if I don't warm-up at least a little first... but I've never felt what I think you're describing.

 

[MartyMcFly3]

Originally posted by: FleshLight
Do a warmup set with just 100lbs or something.

I do the warmup sets first and I can get the first rep on those out no problem. I have what I think is a good exercise routine. It's just when I start adding some decent weight (for ME to bench that is) I struggle with it. I just can't make the first transition from moving the weight down to bringing it back up.

 

[NuclearNed]

Do you lift the bar off the bench yourself on the first rep, or does someone help you?

 

[AbAbber2k]

What do you warm up with? What is your max?

 

[MartyMcFly3]

Originally posted by: NuclearNed
Do you lift the bar off the bench yourself on the first rep, or does someone help you?

Depends how I'm feeling. Usually I do it on my own until I get to the 125-135 mark.
I warm up at 75lbs/12 reps and 95lbs/8-10reps. My goal is to get 1 rep at 155-160lbs, and aside from the first rep issue, I think i can power my way through it (i've come pretty close to doing it already) I just need that first rep thing figured out.

 

[NuclearNed]

Originally posted by: MartyMcFly3

Originally posted by: NuclearNed
Do you lift the bar off the bench yourself on the first rep, or does someone help you?

Depends how I'm feeling. Usually I do it on my own until I get to the 125-135 mark.
I warm up at 75lbs/12 reps and 95lbs/8-10reps. My goal is to get 1 rep at 155-160lbs, and aside from the first rep issue, I think i can power my way through it (i've come pretty close to doing it already) I just need that first rep thing figured out.

Apparently some people I lift with believe that lifting the bar off the bench takes a lot of the strength out of you. They are always offering to hand the bar to me, or at least to help me get it off the rack so that I am holding it in the fully extended up position. I don't know if there is any truth here or not, but its something to think about.

 

[MartyMcFly3]

Originally posted by: NuclearNed

Originally posted by: MartyMcFly3

Originally posted by: NuclearNed
Do you lift the bar off the bench yourself on the first rep, or does someone help you?

Depends how I'm feeling. Usually I do it on my own until I get to the 125-135 mark.
I warm up at 75lbs/12 reps and 95lbs/8-10reps. My goal is to get 1 rep at 155-160lbs, and aside from the first rep issue, I think i can power my way through it (i've come pretty close to doing it already) I just need that first rep thing figured out.

Apparently some people I lift with believe that lifting the bar off the bench takes a lot of the strength out of you. They are always offering to hand the bar to me, or at least to help me get it off the rack. I don't know if there is any truth here or not, but its something to think about.

The reason I ask all this stuff is because im testing to become a police officer and have to bench 98% of my body weight. At the testing, I can get a lift off, and plan to... I also think I can power my way through lifting the weight if I overcome this first rep issue. I only have to do 1 rep at the testing.

 

[Sukhoi]

I'm guessing you mean BB. I've never had any problems with first reps on BBs. But yes warm up for a couple reps with 50-75% of the weight you're going to be doing.

DBs on the other hand, kill me on the first rep.

You warm up too much IMHO.

And keep your elbows in to use your triceps more since you're just going for weight and not trying to build your pecs a lot.

 

[MartyMcFly3]

Originally posted by: Sukhoi
I'm guessing to mean BB. I've never had any problems with first reps on BBs. But yes warm up for a couple reps with 50-75% of the weight you're going to be doing.

DBs on the other hand, kill me on the first rep.

Yeah i meant BBs. DBs also kill me on the first rep

 

[MartyMcFly3]

I just wanted to say thank you guys for the responses so far. It's getting me thinking on a few things I'm doing/possibly doing wrong. Keep them coming

 

[Phlargo]

Have you tried to use dumbells for the bench? I have a friend who had a lot of trouble with very narrow ranges on the barbell for the straight bench and when he switched to slightly lighter weights with dumbells (you have to go down for dumbells any - they're harder), he was able to build up that range and was able to move back to the barbell weight he was going for before. It really worked well for him. Try to start out with 40% less weight. You may just be starting too high. You may also try a Smith Press if your gym has them.

Personally, I find that barbell bench presses are very uncomfortable for my shoulders so I've focused on the dumbells and the Hammer Strength machines.

 

[91TTZ]

Originally posted by: MartyMcFly3

The reason I ask all this stuff is because im testing to become a police officer and have to bench 98% of my body weight. At the testing, I can get a lift off, and plan to... I also think I can power my way through lifting the weight if I overcome this first rep issue. I only have to do 1 rep at the testing.

That's going to let some pretty weak police officers into the force.

 

[Sukhoi]

Originally posted by: 91TTZ

Originally posted by: MartyMcFly3

The reason I ask all this stuff is because im testing to become a police officer and have to bench 98% of my body weight. At the testing, I can get a lift off, and plan to... I also think I can power my way through lifting the weight if I overcome this first rep issue. I only have to do 1 rep at the testing.

That's going to let some pretty weak police officers into the force.

:roll: Bench press isn't everything.

And I wouldn't recommend a Smith machine, especially if you're going to have to do it free for your test. You don't work stabilizer muscles on a Smith machine. Really, I wouldn't recommend a Smith machine for anything. All Smith machines should be replaced with power racks.

 

[MartyMcFly3]

Originally posted by: Phlargo
Have you tried to use dumbells for the bench? I have a friend who had a lot of trouble with very narrow ranges on the barbell for the straight bench and when he switched to slightly lighter weights with dumbells (you have to go down for dumbells any - they're harder), he was able to build up that range and was able to move back to the barbell weight he was going for before. It really worked well for him. Try to start out with 40% less weight. You may just be starting too high. You may also try a Smith Press if your gym has them.

Personally, I find that barbell bench presses are very uncomfortable for my shoulders so I've focused on the dumbells and the Hammer Strength machines.

I spend about an equal amount of time doing dumbell bench presses as I do with barbell bench presses. I've seen more improvement on dumbells than barbells.

 

[CKent]

I've had a joint annoyance or two (wouldn't call it pain) and worked through it by doing more / slower reps at a lower weight for a while before slowly working my way back up. You'd be surprised at the burn you can get lifting a light weight really slowly for 10-15 reps; ~4 seconds up and 4 more down sounds about right. There's even a lifting method with this as its central tenet, forget the name.

On the other hand, I'm no doctor and you could have a horrible injury that would get worse if you take my advice, so YMMV, see a doctor, etc.

 

[91TTZ]

Originally posted by: Sukhoi

Originally posted by: 91TTZ

Originally posted by: MartyMcFly3

The reason I ask all this stuff is because im testing to become a police officer and have to bench 98% of my body weight. At the testing, I can get a lift off, and plan to... I also think I can power my way through lifting the weight if I overcome this first rep issue. I only have to do 1 rep at the testing.

That's going to let some pretty weak police officers into the force.

:roll: Bench press isn't everything.

And I wouldn't recommend a Smith machine, especially if you're going to have to do it free for your test. You don't work stabilizer muscles on a Smith machine. Really, I wouldn't recommend a Smith machine for anything. All Smith machines should be replaced with power racks.

It's not everything, but if you can't even lift your own weight, then you're weak.

 

[Sukhoi]

Originally posted by: 91TTZ

Originally posted by: Sukhoi

Originally posted by: 91TTZ

Originally posted by: MartyMcFly3

The reason I ask all this stuff is because im testing to become a police officer and have to bench 98% of my body weight. At the testing, I can get a lift off, and plan to... I also think I can power my way through lifting the weight if I overcome this first rep issue. I only have to do 1 rep at the testing.

That's going to let some pretty weak police officers into the force.

:roll: Bench press isn't everything.

And I wouldn't recommend a Smith machine, especially if you're going to have to do it free for your test. You don't work stabilizer muscles on a Smith machine. Really, I wouldn't recommend a Smith machine for anything. All Smith machines should be replaced with power racks.

It's not everything, but if you can't even lift your own weight, then you're weak.

If I can squat 225 but can't bench my bodyweight am I weak?

 

[MartyMcFly3]

Originally posted by: CKent
I've had a joint annoyance or two (wouldn't call it pain) and worked through it by doing more / slower reps at a lower weight for a while before slowly working my way back up. You'd be surprised at the burn you can get lifting a light weight really slowly for 10-15 reps; ~4 seconds up and 4 more down sounds about right. There's even a lifting method with this as its central tenet, forget the name.

On the other hand, I'm no doctor and you could have a horrible injury that would get worse if you take my advice, so YMMV, see a doctor, etc.

I dont think it's an injury really because after I get help with the first one, I do the next few quite well on my own. I dont think it's the weight that's the problem more as just something im doing wrong on the first rep. I just read something online about keeping your elbows in so maybe I'll try that as well as some of the suggestions in the thread.

 

[91TTZ]

Originally posted by: Sukhoi

Originally posted by: 91TTZ

Originally posted by: Sukhoi

Originally posted by: 91TTZ

Originally posted by: MartyMcFly3

The reason I ask all this stuff is because im testing to become a police officer and have to bench 98% of my body weight. At the testing, I can get a lift off, and plan to... I also think I can power my way through lifting the weight if I overcome this first rep issue. I only have to do 1 rep at the testing.

That's going to let some pretty weak police officers into the force.

:roll: Bench press isn't everything.

And I wouldn't recommend a Smith machine, especially if you're going to have to do it free for your test. You don't work stabilizer muscles on a Smith machine. Really, I wouldn't recommend a Smith machine for anything. All Smith machines should be replaced with power racks.

It's not everything, but if you can't even lift your own weight, then you're weak.

If I can squat 225 but can't bench my bodyweight am I weak?

Yup.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Originally posted by: MartyMcFly3

Originally posted by: NuclearNed

Originally posted by: MartyMcFly3

Originally posted by: NuclearNed
Do you lift the bar off the bench yourself on the first rep, or does someone help you?

Depends how I'm feeling. Usually I do it on my own until I get to the 125-135 mark.
I warm up at 75lbs/12 reps and 95lbs/8-10reps. My goal is to get 1 rep at 155-160lbs, and aside from the first rep issue, I think i can power my way through it (i've come pretty close to doing it already) I just need that first rep thing figured out.

Apparently some people I lift with believe that lifting the bar off the bench takes a lot of the strength out of you. They are always offering to hand the bar to me, or at least to help me get it off the rack. I don't know if there is any truth here or not, but its something to think about.

The reason I ask all this stuff is because im testing to become a police officer and have to bench 98% of my body weight. At the testing, I can get a lift off, and plan to... I also think I can power my way through lifting the weight if I overcome this first rep issue. I only have to do 1 rep at the testing.

WHAT! When I was at my best, I never could do more than about 75% of my body weight. And I was a monster that was like an oxe relative to others. I could probably do 160 pounds when I weighed 200.

I'm guessing that this is a way of making sure that an officer can man handle someone. But a 100 pound officer in a fight with a 300 pound man has no chance if he can only bench 100 pounds.

 

[psteng19]

Originally posted by: Sukhoi
If I can squat 225 but can't bench my bodyweight am I weak?

Weak arms/chest, decent legs/back.

 

[platinumike]

Originally posted by: Sukhoi

Originally posted by: 91TTZ

Originally posted by: Sukhoi

Originally posted by: 91TTZ

Originally posted by: MartyMcFly3

The reason I ask all this stuff is because im testing to become a police officer and have to bench 98% of my body weight. At the testing, I can get a lift off, and plan to... I also think I can power my way through lifting the weight if I overcome this first rep issue. I only have to do 1 rep at the testing.

That's going to let some pretty weak police officers into the force.

:roll: Bench press isn't everything.

And I wouldn't recommend a Smith machine, especially if you're going to have to do it free for your test. You don't work stabilizer muscles on a Smith machine. Really, I wouldn't recommend a Smith machine for anything. All Smith machines should be replaced with power racks.

It's not everything, but if you can't even lift your own weight, then you're weak.

If I can squat 225 but can't bench my bodyweight am I weak?

You are either fat or not squatting properly. Remember when it comes to squats if your legs arent PAST parallel with the ground it aint for sh1t.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

WHY HAS NO ONE ASKED ABOUT TECHNIQUE????

THis is VERY important. I have some minor shoulder issues now from when I used to lift in high school. Sounds almost like whath et OP is describing. When I got older and started lifting after college, I started researching technique. And I have to say, in high school, I was doing it ALL WRONG and doing it wrong can result injury.

What I know is wrong is going directly up and directly down. It's been to long so I no longer remember what the proper motion is. Hopefully someone in the know will chime in.