Gym dudes, always ask for a spot! Graphic video/picture

[KnightTemplar]

Holy f. Brutal.

As I get older, I chase PRs less, and aim for quality sessions. I was chasing a 4 plate squat natty. My knees started getting sore. I was doing 3 plates 5x5 or 3x 8. It's not worth a acl repair or torn meniscus. #1goal should be optimal health and functionality.

The guy who writes my programs is a Powerlifter who's competed at an international level. One of the first things he told me is: if you're not planning on competing in Powerlifting, don't train like a Powerlifter. The two things you should ask yourself is,

1)Can I do this lift without getting injured?

2)Will it make me stronger?

That's the only two things that matter when designing a program. I don't max out anymore; the lowest I'll go is a triple.

 

[SummerStriker]

Me too. Have you ever had to bail with no collars though? It's kinda hilarious. You tilt the bar until the plates slide off one end, and then as soon as they do, the bar catapults to the other side.

Better than dying, but it does cause quite the ruckus

When I first started lifting, I was doing this program where I'd do six sets with small changes to the weight. My last set on bench was like 145 or something, but it was made almost totally out of 10 pound plates. So I lose control of the bar without clips, and it takes probably 30s for all the weights to rattle off one side, then the other.

This huge dude is standing there watching it unfold. When I'm done he's like "that is why you always use clips."

 

[KnightTemplar]

Mate I usually prefer dumbbells as I train solo with no spot and I don't want to be the Wuhan guy on video. I do agree with your points. I can let dumbbells drop safely. A barbell not so much or worse, incline or God forbid decline.

I almost died at 16 on decline. No spot. 2 plates. Fortunately, I left the clips off. I tried 1 more rep and it didn't end well. It came back and it puts the fear of God in you. You think you got it and suddenly your tapped out.

It was like a slow negative. I braced it but my one side is stronger maintained more weight. The plate dropped off one one side then the other. Fortunately, no injury. It scaree staff. It was loud. Not the pushy bumper plates. Steel plates smashed the ground.

I almost joined the world's dumbest man crew age 16. Between this incident and the leg press, I parked my ego at the door going forward. A old school power lifter taught me proper form and gym etiquette. Most are happy to spot a gun bro.

Ironic, everyone has a better lift with a spot. You got a psychological advantage in knowing there's a spot just in case so you can blow your wad and be safe.

Like I said before, I've done the Roll of Shame more times than I care to remember I'm well past that stage now. I lift strictly within my own limits. I know the only way I'll be the strongest Bro in the gym is if I'm the only one in it. Trying for Singles is less than useless to me. I'm not risking injury, or worse, for a PR that half the guys(and some of the women)in the gym could rep as a warm up.

When I started back in the gym, after nearly eight months of no training, I had a discussion with my PT. We both decided there was no point trying to build strength as I had hardly any muscle left. So at the moment I'm lifting baby weights in the 6 - 12 range. Once I finally build some muscle mass, I might look at going heavier. But for now, I'm happy to live that Bro Life.

Reps for Jesus!

 

[AFanNotAFighter]

The guy who writes my programs is a Powerlifter who's competed at an international level. One of the first things he told me is: if you're not planning on competing in Powerlifting, don't train like a Powerlifter. The two things you should ask yourself is,

1)Can I do this lift without getting injured?

2)Will it make me stronger?

That's the only two things that matter when designing a program. I don't max out anymore; the lowest I'll go is a triple.

I'm in my 50s now and can't do bench presses without pain in my shoulders. Incline presses are less direct stress. Military presses are a no no as well. All those years of heavy pressing and massive amounts of push ups have taken their toll so I do lateral raises and front raises and pec dec flys. Thank God I always stuck with high reps for squats so have literally never had any knee or hip pain.

 

[KnightTemplar]

I'm in my 50s now and can't do bench presses without pain in my shoulders. Incline presses are less direct stress. Military presses are a no no as well. All those years of heavy pressing and massive amounts of push ups have taken their toll so I do lateral raises and front raises and pec dec flys. Thank God I always stuck with high reps for squats so have literally never had any knee or hip pain.

Always nice to meet a fellow Old Fart

Yup, same here. Too much ego lifting in my misspent youth fucked my shoulders to the point where now I have to use a Bench Blokz just to press the empty bar. Looks and feels fucking embarrassing, but I'd rather be shamed than injured.

 

[dittohead84]

So what is better, free bench press or bench on the smith machine?

Because the bench has always been awkward for me, and even more so if the bar doesn't directly align with the ceiling...

Better off dumbell pressing if you're doing it alone. Work on your form and have that comfort that you can always drop them to the side if needs be

 

[chimpoehurricane]

The guy who writes my programs is a Powerlifter who's competed at an international level. One of the first things he told me is: if you're not planning on competing in Powerlifting, don't train like a Powerlifter. The two things you should ask yourself is,

1)Can I do this lift without getting injured?

2)Will it make me stronger?

That's the only two things that matter when designing a program. I don't max out anymore; the lowest I'll go is a triple.

That's respectable.

I got trained how to bench by a manlet power lifter who had a baddie for a wife. Dude would struggle today dating but he walked around like he was Brock Lesnar but he had charm. Well liked
Had swag. He saves me shoulders.

I love training. Sadly, as a kid I thought gymnastics was geeeeeeeeee. We had equipment at school and I loved it.i wish I deep dived in. The strength to weight ratio is insane. Guys who never touched a weight transition well.

I picked up gymnastics rings later in life. I would have got much better far sooner. Small children can L sit or do iron cross. I picked up rings in the pandemic. I prefer it to weights tbh.

 

[chimpoehurricane]

Better off dumbell pressing if you're doing it alone. Work on your form and have that comfort that you can always drop them to the side if needs be

Agreed.

You can let it go worst case scenario. There's a hilarious video by hodge twins about finger shoes and a geek dropping a dumbbell on foot. Watchout for finger shoe broseph.

 

[Trabaho]

I 1 maxed 125kg. And survived. That was like 10 years ago. Yep it's dangerous even with spotter it might suddenly drop. It's not the weight but how high it is compared to your regular weight that you lift.

However when I lifted 125 one of my pecs hurt a but for a month.

Right now I could max lift 90 kg lol. Still impressive how much strength stays without even barely working out.

 

[WarHawk]

Don't lift heavy, do volume. You're not gonna get rid muscles anyway.

 

[chimpoehurricane]

Like I said before, I've done the Roll of Shame more times than I care to remember I'm well past that stage now. I lift strictly within my own limits. I know the only way I'll be the strongest Bro in the gym is if I'm the only one in it. Trying for Singles is less than useless to me. I'm not risking injury, or worse, for a PR that half the guys(and some of the women)in the gym could rep as a warm up.

When I started back in the gym, after nearly eight months of no training, I had a discussion with my PT. We both decided there was no point trying to build strength as I had hardly any muscle left. So at the moment I'm lifting baby weights in the 6 - 12 range. Once I finally build some muscle mass, I might look at going heavier. But for now, I'm happy to live that Bro Life.

Reps for Jesus!

Reps for Jesus. The body is the temple.

I went in my early 20s. All I did was pray, mma, run, clean low carb diet, meditate, and pray. No sex, booze or drugs. I went super sayain. Insane natty 8month transformation. Then I went on spring break and humped everything <Lmaoo>When young and dumb.

The older I get the more I think a ascetic lifestyle is the mark. I also think dudes should train themselves off pron and allocate their testosterone and sex drive to something productive. It is a Segway but I swear it's a better life. Cleaner.

I don't like gyms with camel toe everywhere when I'm trying to train.young guys get injured lifting a PR and BAM camel toe. <Lmaoo>

The older I get, the more I pursue a holistic lifestyle. I like solitude and meditation. A good night's sleep and deep REM sleep. Calisthenics park workouts outdoors.

Good stuff man.

 

[KnightTemplar]

That's respectable.

I got trained how to bench by a manlet power lifter who had a baddie for a wife. Dude would struggle today dating but he walked around like he was Brock Lesnar but he had charm. Well liked
Had swag. He saves me shoulders.

I love training. Sadly, as a kid I thought gymnastics was geeeeeeeeee. We had equipment at school and I loved it.i wish I deep dived in. The strength to weight ratio is insane. Guys who never touched a weight transition well.

I picked up gymnastics rings later in life. I would have got much better far sooner. Small children can L sit or do iron cross. I picked up rings in the pandemic. I prefer it to weights tbh.

Gymnasts are beasts. Most of them aren't big dudes but like you say, the Strength to Weight Ratio is off the damn charts. The Crucifix or Iron Cross just leaves me in awe. Even at my strongest, which was a very long time ago, I couldn't even get close to that level of Relative Strength.

Competitive Climbers can do insane body weight stuff as well. I've seen them hang off a climbing wall with just the fingers of one hand, with no visible strain. Spider-Man shit.

 

[KnightTemplar]

Don't lift heavy, do volume. You're not gonna get rid muscles anyway.

Even Powerlifters say something very similar,

"Reps build strength, Singles demonstrate it".

A lot of top Powerlifters now include considerable Hypertrophy work in their training. Especially when they're not peaking for a Meet.

 

[KnightTemplar]

Reps for Jesus. The body is the temple.

I went in my early 20s. All I did was pray, mma, run, clean low carb diet, meditate, and pray. No sex, booze or drugs. I went super sayain. Insane natty 8month transformation. Then I went on spring break and humped everything <Lmaoo>When young and dumb.

The older I get the more I think a ascetic lifestyle is the mark. I also think dudes should train themselves off pron and allocate their testosterone and sex drive to something productive. It is a Segway but I swear it's a better life. Cleaner.

I don't like gyms with camel toe everywhere when I'm trying to train.young guys get injured lifting a PR and BAM camel toe. <Lmaoo>

The older I get, the more I pursue a holistic lifestyle. I like solitude and meditation. A good night's sleep and deep REM sleep. Calisthenics park workouts outdoors.

Good stuff man.

Sleep is absolutely vital. I tend to have a nap after coming home from the gym, and try to get a minimum of seven hours sleep each night. As the old saying goes,

"You don't get stronger by lifting weights. You get stronger by recovering from lifting weights"

 

[Fedorgasm]

When I first started lifting, I was doing this program where I'd do six sets with small changes to the weight. My last set on bench was like 145 or something, but it was made almost totally out of 10 pound plates. So I lose control of the bar without clips, and it takes probably 30s for all the weights to rattle off one side, then the other.

This huge dude is standing there watching it unfold. When I'm done he's like "that is why you always use clips."

I always hated it when huge dudes gave me bad advice, because it feels like you shouldn't argue with them because they've clearly been lifting way longer than you and have the muscle to prove it.

But whatever. I'm not going to risk my life because a gym bro thinks I'm dumb

 

[Ballsaque]

I'd rather come over my "shyness" than risking death.

Pussy

 

[SummerStriker]

I always hated it when huge dudes gave me bad advice, because it feels like you shouldn't argue with them because they've clearly been lifting way longer than you and have the muscle to prove it.

But whatever. I'm not going to risk my life because a gym bro thinks I'm dumb

I do use clips, but I almost never lift heavy. And I'm pretty aggressive about asking for spotters. But yeah, heavy without a spot, I don't know what else you can do besides not use the clips.

 

[KnightTemplar]

I do use clips, but I almost never lift heavy. And I'm pretty aggressive about asking for spotters. But yeah, heavy without a spot, I don't know what else you can do besides not use the clips.

Cages and Power Racks, along with competition-quality Benches, have adjustable Safety Bars built in. The trick is to set the bars at just below the level of your chest when your back is arched. That way, if you fail a lift, you just lie flat and the barbell will rest on the safety bars, allowing you to slide out from underneath.

 

[SummerStriker]

Cages and Power Racks, along with competition-quality Benches, have adjustable Safety Bars built in. The trick is to set the bars at just below the level of your chest when your back is arched. That way, if you fail a lift, you just lie flat and the barbell will rest on the safety bars, allowing you to slide out from underneath.

lol I'd love to have that kinda equipment but I'm sure I've never seen any of it. None of the power racks at my gym have benches and I'm sure it is taboo to drag one across the astroturf to do what you're saying. Great idea though, honestly. I imagine the best strength gyms are set up that way.

 

[KnightTemplar]

lol I'd love to have that kinda equipment but I'm sure I've never seen any of it. None of the power racks at my gym have benches and I'm sure it is taboo to drag one across the astroturf to do what you're saying. Great idea though, honestly. I imagine the best strength gyms are set up that way.

I'm lucky; the Edinburgh University Centre for Sport and Exercise has four different gyms in the same building. One of them is kitted out by Eleiko. The Squat Cages all have safety bars, and no one complains if you put a Bench in one.

Another gym I used to train regularly held officially sanctioned Powerlifting meets, so the Benches were competition standard. They had footplates at the back for the Spotter to stand on, giving him extra leverage. And each Bench had it's own safety bar built in.