alone at the gym?

[CalvinHobbes]

Random question, but what do you do if there's no one else at your gym for exercises like bench press with no spotter?

I wasn't worried about doing dead lifts with barbells because you can just drop the weight, but I can totally see myself getting stuck under the bar. And I can totally see myself trying to lift too much.

I could just use dumbbells....but I am being stubborn. And paleo bitchy.

Thoughts? I only have a week before I go back to school and will have to fight for a bench with the Jersey Shore.

[Oz.]

Well firstly, dont attempt any 1 rep max weights without a spot.

If your concerned with your working weight, bring it down to your chest as slow as possible and using arms and chests roll it to your waist and onto your thighs. It what i used to do in a gym that had no bench rack, just benches.

Just be sensible, and dont use weights that are out of your comfort zone.

[Centurion]

You've got a number of options with the bench press:

1) Do it inside a power rack like you would squats so you can have the pins either side of you to catch the bar if you can't lift it to the top

2) If you fail on a rep do the 'roll of shame', lower the bar to your body, roll it down to your thighs and carefully lift it to the ground (not particularly well explained but you can find videos on youtube of people doing it)

3) Tilt the bar so the weights slide of each side. Probably not ideal as a) there's a potential danger if someone is too close to you (unlikely but possible) and its gonna make a big bang and probably draw a lot of attention to yourself

[ZenGwen]

Probably not ideal as a) there's a potential danger if someone is too close to you (unlikely but possible) and its gonna make a big bang and probably draw a lot of attention to yourself

There was also a story around my old gym that someone once put a plate through the floor doing that, and into the parking garage below!

[m00se]

I've done the roll of shame in my garage before as I have no spotter. I wouldn't even think about trying for a 1rm without one.

Side ditching is fun but noisy, though its worth mentioning you usually get two bang-clatters, one for each side. Awesome noise though

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[This is Seth]

I was "that guy" bemchimg in the power cage, during our MMM a few weeks back. There was only like three other people in the gym and I didn't feel like bothering them, so I used the safety arms to catch the bar when I inevitably dropped the weight on my chest.

And...I'm a huge proponent of the roll of shame. Just be sure to place your neck past the arms of the bench, so you so t have to fear choking to death. The roll of shame is quite easy to master.

[m00se]

The roll of shame is quite easy to master.

But more painful the heavier you go.

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[CalvinHobbes]

I would never do a 1RM without one. I just meant I was curious if my muscles got fatigued faster than expected.

Thanks for the tips--hilarious story about the plate going through to the garage!!!

[andygates]

Squat cage and roll of shame are both in my repertoire.

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

As long as the gym isn't busy I do my benching in the power cage. I set the safety bars so that they are below my chest level but higher than my hips/gut. That way, if I fail, I can roll of shame the bar off my chest down to the safety pins around my waist and get out from under it.

[Hemi]

there's really nobody around? or no one you know?

[spezzy]

You've got a number of options with the bench press:

1) Do it inside a power rack like you would squats so you can have the pins either side of you to catch the bar if you can't lift it to the top

2) If you fail on a rep do the 'roll of shame', lower the bar to your body, roll it down to your thighs and carefully lift it to the ground (not particularly well explained but you can find videos on youtube of people doing it)

3) Tilt the bar so the weights slide of each side. Probably not ideal as a) there's a potential danger if someone is too close to you (unlikely but possible) and its gonna make a big bang and probably draw a lot of attention to yourself

i never use a spotter for bench press. i use these three things above

[Centurion]

Another thing I forgot to mention is to just get to know your body so you can anticipate/know when you aren't going to be able to manage a rep. It's difficult though because if you are trying to push yourself you may ignore your gut feeling and end up failing and having to do the roll of shame or whatever. On the other hand you can misjudge it the other way and not push yourself hard enough because you don't believe you'll be able to make the next rep (when actually you may well be able to). Personally I think doing it in a power rack is the best option. Confidence is important and knowing that you're not going to get trapped/hurt yourself will really help in that respect

[Shortkaik]

I am almost always alone in my gym - which I love because I don't have to fight over the weights!

I do all my work in the power rack, like people have suggested. And it can be hard to predict when you're not going to be able to do a rep - just this morning, I did a set of 5 and then my second set I totally failed at 2, which I didn't expect. Dropped the bar down to the wonderful safety supports and just squeezed out from underneath and reset.

I totally trust the safety bars more than a spotter who might get distracted by something at the wrong moment.

[jm0990]

The roll works fine, smith or power rack are also decent options. I use dumbbells for incline and flat bench so I never get trapped under a bar. I've also done the embarassing slide-off accidentally while several people were in the gym.

[ETFnerd]

Random question, but what do you do if there's no one else at your gym for exercises like bench press with no spotter?...

...Thoughts? I only have a week before I go back to school and will have to fight for a bench with the Jersey Shore.

<<< may i suggest a refreshing energy drink?

[Centurion]

The roll works fine, smith or power rack are also decent options. I use dumbbells for incline and flat bench so I never get trapped under a bar. I've also done the embarassing slide-off accidentally while several people were in the gym.

I'm gonna disagree about the Smith Machine. Don't use the Smith Machine. I won't retread all the arguments against it but needless to say you'll get much more from doing regular bench presses with free weights in a power rack. As for dumbbells, they have their place but you're never going to be able to bench as much with dumbbells as you are with a barbell

[CalvinHobbes]

Yea, there's really NOONE around. I go before work or after work, so either at 3am or midnight (oh the benefits of a 24 hour gym...). Today when I went I didn't even have to sign in, just walked right in because no one was at the desk. Kind of creepy.

I also disagree with the smith machine--it almost killed me with squats. Back in my pre-NF days I thought I could squat a LOT more than I could because I was using the smith machine and tried that with just a bar and weights in the squat rack--I don't think I need to elaborate anymore

Tomorrow I'm definitely trying this thanks everyone!!!

[andygates]

Am I the only one who really dislikes unsecured plates?

Not that I'm OCD about it, or would have just ordered some lovely lockjaw collars, no no...

[bigm141414]

Am I the only one who really dislikes unsecured plates?

Not that I'm OCD about it, or would have just ordered some lovely lockjaw collars, no no...

I get weirded out seeing people without clips on their bars. Especially when I see brosef spotters sliding more plates on while the bar is still in the guys hands. You know instead of racking the bar and loading up like a normal person.

[This is Seth]

I get weirded out seeing people without clips on their bars. Especially when I see brosef spotters sliding more plates on while the bar is still in the guys hands. You know instead of racking the bar and loading up like a normal person.

Please tell me that doesn't really happen...

[bigm141414]

Please tell me that doesn't really happen...

Seen it with mine own eyes, and about slapped the mofos. If I wasn't a pacifist I might have.

[Oz.]

I dont generally clip on the bar except for OHP and occaisionally Deadlift.

Squats they dont tend to move same with other exercises, and there is a good foot of bar beyond the plates.

You have to put the bar at quite a severe angle for them to slide off, and generally something has really gone wrong if that is the case!!

Oz.

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

I dont generally clip on the bar except for OHP and occaisionally Deadlift.

Squats they dont tend to move same with other exercises, and there is a good foot of bar beyond the plates.

You have to put the bar at quite a severe angle for them to slide off, and generally something has really gone wrong if that is the case!!

Oz.

If you ever have to dump the squat bar, not having clips could be a bad idea.

[This is Seth]

It would be a great showing of science though... as the bar slips free of the 150+ lbs on one side and goes rocketing towards the wall, lodging itself in anyone that happens to be walking in that general area.

For science.