Comments on: How To Bench Press Safely When You’re Alone http://stronglifts.com/how-to-bench-press-safely-when-youre-alone/ Build Muscle & Lose Fat Through Strength Training Sun, 14 Dec 2008 00:24:18 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Barry http://stronglifts.com/how-to-bench-press-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-19892 Barry Tue, 01 Apr 2008 19:45:04 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/how-to-bench-press-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-19892 You can also buy a Free Spotter from http://www.shermworks.com. I have no affiliation with the website or the guy selling them. I have not yet purchased a free spotter, but it looks like a fool proof method of totally safe bench pressing when at home alone. You can also buy a Free Spotter from http://www.shermworks.com. I have no affiliation with the website or the guy selling them.

I have not yet purchased a free spotter, but it looks like a fool proof method of totally safe bench pressing when at home alone.

]]> By: Mehdi http://stronglifts.com/how-to-bench-press-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-14579 Mehdi Tue, 29 Jan 2008 09:51:31 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/how-to-bench-press-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-14579 @Patmanpato You answered the question yourself: you can't put the safety pins at the exact height where the barbell will get stuck. So usually you end up with the bar on your stomach anyway, and have to start rolling it. Easy to do with a 100kg barbell, but try to do that with 200kg. @Patmanpato
You answered the question yourself: you can’t put the safety pins at the exact height where the barbell will get stuck. So usually you end up with the bar on your stomach anyway, and have to start rolling it. Easy to do with a 100kg barbell, but try to do that with 200kg.

]]> By: Patmanpato http://stronglifts.com/how-to-bench-press-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-14572 Patmanpato Tue, 29 Jan 2008 08:29:35 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/how-to-bench-press-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-14572 Hmm, I'm still not clear what you mean. I would have the safety bars set up just above my chest, so that the barbell could rest on it without it touching me. So if anything goes wrong, such as dropping the barbell, it will only fall to the level of the safety bars and can just rest there an inch or so above you. Though you might sacrifice 1 or 2 inches of range of motion for the bench press having the bars high enough that your chest is below it. So I don't see what you mean by having to control the weight. Hmm, I’m still not clear what you mean. I would have the safety bars set up just above my chest, so that the barbell could rest on it without it touching me. So if anything goes wrong, such as dropping the barbell, it will only fall to the level of the safety bars and can just rest there an inch or so above you.

Though you might sacrifice 1 or 2 inches of range of motion for the bench press having the bars high enough that your chest is below it.

So I don’t see what you mean by having to control the weight.

]]> By: Mehdi http://stronglifts.com/how-to-bench-press-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-14513 Mehdi Mon, 28 Jan 2008 16:44:18 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/how-to-bench-press-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-14513 @Patmanpato It's hard to control weights above 100kg (depending on your body-weight of course) in case something goes bad. @Patmanpato
It’s hard to control weights above 100kg (depending on your body-weight of course) in case something goes bad.

]]> By: Patmanpato http://stronglifts.com/how-to-bench-press-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-14502 Patmanpato Mon, 28 Jan 2008 13:43:11 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/how-to-bench-press-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-14502 Sorry for commenting twice: cant edit my previous comment. Just like to speak out that more often than not, most pople would be better off staying atleast 1 or 2 reps shy of failure anyway. Particularly those focusing on strength, but also bodybuilders too. Training to failure should be kept for periods of stagnation - for something different. So this will help keep things safer when you're alone anywayz. Sorry for commenting twice: cant edit my previous comment.

Just like to speak out that more often than not, most pople would be better off staying atleast 1 or 2 reps shy of failure anyway. Particularly those focusing on strength, but also bodybuilders too. Training to failure should be kept for periods of stagnation – for something different.

So this will help keep things safer when you’re alone anywayz.

]]> By: Patmanpato http://stronglifts.com/how-to-bench-press-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-14499 Patmanpato Mon, 28 Jan 2008 13:35:55 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/how-to-bench-press-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-14499 with regard to spotting bicep curls, well, I've requested spotting in some instances, for some forced reps. Of course they weren't your usual girl curls that most people do. More in the order of 70kg ez-bar curls. But yeah, leaves the two people in quite an awkward position, lol. A question though Mehdi: Why do you suggest not using the power rack's safety bars for when pressing more than say 100kg? I'm about to start investing in my own equipment this year, with a power rack in mind especially for bench pressing when alone. Cheers, with regard to spotting bicep curls, well, I’ve requested spotting in some instances, for some forced reps. Of course they weren’t your usual girl curls that most people do. More in the order of 70kg ez-bar curls. But yeah, leaves the two people in quite an awkward position, lol.

A question though Mehdi:
Why do you suggest not using the power rack’s safety bars for when pressing more than say 100kg?
I’m about to start investing in my own equipment this year, with a power rack in mind especially for bench pressing when alone.

Cheers,

]]> By: Mehdi http://stronglifts.com/how-to-bench-press-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-9440 Mehdi Fri, 23 Nov 2007 13:31:21 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/how-to-bench-press-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-9440 <img src="http://www.stronglifts.com/images/strength-training-home-gym/bodycraft-power-rack.jpg"> That's my power rack. You see the two black safety pins (not the uprights where the bar starts in). You can put these safety pins at the height you want.

That’s my power rack. You see the two black safety pins (not the uprights where the bar starts in). You can put these safety pins at the height you want.

]]> By: Jared http://stronglifts.com/how-to-bench-press-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-9438 Jared Fri, 23 Nov 2007 13:14:43 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/how-to-bench-press-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-9438 I don't quite get how these "safety pins" work... I'd think that if they were too close to the edge of the power rack you wouldn't have room to get your hand past the hooks you grab the barbell off of. Do they just stick out far? And can they really handle it if you were to drop a lot of weight with your arms fully extended upward? I don’t quite get how these “safety pins” work… I’d think that if they were too close to the edge of the power rack you wouldn’t have room to get your hand past the hooks you grab the barbell off of. Do they just stick out far? And can they really handle it if you were to drop a lot of weight with your arms fully extended upward?

]]> By: Mehdi http://stronglifts.com/how-to-bench-press-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-4695 Mehdi Sun, 07 Oct 2007 06:26:01 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/how-to-bench-press-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-4695 Yeah but you're not doing the bench press anymore ;) Yeah but you’re not doing the bench press anymore ;)

]]> By: Young athlete http://stronglifts.com/how-to-bench-press-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-4693 Young athlete Sun, 07 Oct 2007 04:34:57 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/how-to-bench-press-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-4693 Ok when working out alone do simpler exercise body weight exercises with a weight vest would be great. Ok when working out alone do simpler exercise body weight exercises with a weight vest would be great.

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