Bench pressing to failure

Sauce

I've only recently included bench pressing with a barbell into my training programme. Before this I was using dumbells. I have noticed that I am not able to push myself to failure using a barbell because of the fear that I will not make the last rep and end up possible injuring myself or looking like a fool with the barbell stranded across my chest. I train on my own so I dont have anybody there to spot me. How do you guys go about this?

Smellyirishman

If you are sure you're going to need a spot then ask someone around you for one. Most people will oblige and I have yet to have anyone turn me down (although I have only asked about 3-4 times).

Using that occasional spot, learn your limits, you will eventually know when you cannot do another rep without a spot and just need to stop there. You may fail a few times, and you could call someone, or just rest the bar on your chest and get up from there, a little awkward but better than lying down with a bar slowly crushing your chest and it won't take you long to learn when to stop.

rubadub

I think "on his own" might mean at home, although "looking like a fool" may be in a gym. I just know my limits. I can do 8 in a first set, then 6-7 in the second, then 5-6 in the last set. On the way up on the second last I can feel the strain, depending on how bad it is I do the next one slowly or quickly, or dont bring it all the way down to my chest.

jester77

One option would be to use the Smith machine when there is no one around. Another would be to use an olympic rack and use the metal spotters to catch the bar if you cannot get it back up!

TerrorFirmer

Lifting till failure doesn't have to mean literally lifting until you're left stranded either. Especially when you're lifting alone - you should know when you can't do another full one before you do it as opposed to suddenly discovering you can't lift the bar back up...

Sauce

I lift in a gym. Usually on my 8th rep I feel like I might fail on the next one. Sometime I have been tempted though to try it, still feeling I have enough in reserve, but I always stop just in case. When I was using dumbells I always use to go until I couldnt lift anymore

t-ha

Use a spot, or else use dumbells or the smith machine. Don't barbell bench press on your own - simple as.

iregk

I have never had a problem getting a spot for my bench. Ask anyone in the gym and they will usually oblige. If its a case that your slightly embarassed getting a spot with 10k on either side of the bar then don't be. Remeber eveyone had to start somewhere. We didn't all have 80k on the bar on out first lift!

I usually bench on my own for the first and second set of reps, going up in weight each time. On the 3rd set I would always get a spot. Now I know most of the guys that lift in the gym and we all spot for each other so its never a problem. On the 3rd set its necessary.

Sometime the steel holders dont allow you to move the bar down low enough on your reps so your getting 75% range of motion and the smith machine I find too constricting and a touch easier as your pushing against rails.

Reyman

I believe most of the really serious injuries in weightlifting (and there's very few) have come from guys overdoing it on the bench press.

It's hardly worth it for an extra few per cent strength gain in a year.

I never go near 1 RMs on the bench. In fact I rarely go below 5 reps for a set -- no point in it

Newaglish

Slightly off topic, but not worth its own thread;

If I say

"Hey man, I can bench press 120lbs!"

Does that mean I can get a 120lb weight, and push it up in a straight line starting from my chest? Once?

Or does it only really count if you can do a whole set?

I just thought that being able to lift something pretty heavy, but only really being able to do it once, doesn't really count...

daveirl

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t-ha

daveirl wrote:

This post has been deleted.

If you work out how much you can lift for a few other rep ranges, and then draw a best fit line across them you can get a pretty good idea what your 1RM should be. It's not perfect but it's surprisingly accurate for most people.

BossArky

Sauce wrote:

I've only recently included bench pressing with a barbell into my training programme. Before this I was using dumbells. I have noticed that I am not able to push myself to failure using a barbell because of the fear that I will not make the last rep and end up possible injuring myself or looking like a fool with the barbell stranded across my chest. I train on my own so I dont have anybody there to spot me. How do you guys go about this?

Same here...don't want to flatten myself so usually stick to dumbells which is annoying as they are awkard to get into position when you are trying to do something like 30 kg on each arm.

accensi0n

When doing it on your own, you get a good feel for where your limit is.

I had one incident about a half a year ago.

I had to let the bar down slowly to my chest and let it down to one side till the end hit the floor and then I could lift it up a bit and sit up. No harm done.

t-ha

BossArky wrote:

Same here...don't want to flatten myself so usually stick to dumbells which is annoying as they are awkard to get into position when you are trying to do something like 30 kg on each arm.

Using your knees to raise dumbells into position for bench pressing or shoulder pressing is probably the easiest way to do it.

daveirl

This post has been deleted.