Did my first bench press today.

Boston

Inspired by Transform's Guide and the heated discussion during the week about doing weighted to loose weights I decided to give it ago. I only lifted 10kg (2 10 rep sets) but man it was intense, I surprising enjoyed it. What type of weights should I be aiming to lift.

Something I notice was that I was able to lift far more on my back pushing up, then standing pushing up, what type of excercises should I be looking at doing to improve this. Is it just a matter of proper form, I changed the way I had been doing weight work perviously based on advice here and it made a huge difference.

btw, for those that offered diet advice, it's going pretty well. I feel alot healthier, no idea about weight drop or BMI, not really interested in finding out either. Thanks for the help.

ali.c

Congrats, You are so right not to worry about the numbers, if your feeling better then its working so all good.

What gym are you in btw?

Its perfectly normal AFAIK to be able to bench more than a standed shoulder press (which it sounds like you are doing). Quick question though, was that a db press or a bar press. If it was a bar press then you add the 20kg to the weights on the bar. If you do a seated shoulder press then you can lift more than standing as you dont have to stabilise yourself.

As regards what weight you should be lifting, if its challenging and your working hard then its perfect. If you eat well and train hard the number will fly up, Sure I started out benching about 2 5kg dumbells a few months ago, now i can bench 35kg for 2 reps.

Keep a training diary though, then you can look back at all the fantastic progress you make!!

Boston

In was one of these So I guess 30Kg then. I joined the trinity one, was going to join the one that the regulars here seem to like, but decided best not to get a head of myself and just go for the one thats on the way home from work.

I will start a training diary, problem is that alot of the equipement doesn't seem to have weights on them, just numbers (1 to whatever) at first I thought these where kg, but now I'm starting to think they represent tens of pounds (10lb,20lb and so on) judging by the new equipment with figures attachted.

empirix

LOL where the hell did you get that photo/link from! Its party boy

Boston

empirix wrote:

LOL where the hell did you get that photo/link from! Its party boy

Thats not a very helpful reply. I googled for images of flat-bench-press and that was the only one close to what I did.

ali.c

best bet is to ask someone or one of the trainers, numbers dont matter so much so aslong as you can keep track of what you are lifting (when i was in ucd gym, i used to have descriptions for each on the dumbells i used weight cause i just couldnt figure it out)

Sangre

Trinity gym is fine, has all the equipment you need (I'm there). Some annoying stuff in it but thats not really related to the equipment.

Regarding machine weights I have no idea either (I just note what number I'm on). Although I only use a machine for one exercise, try and limit their use imo.

edit - on lifting more with the bench press than shoulder press, that is always going to be the case with most as the former is a larger muscle group.

xebec

Like ali.c says, ask about the weights - the Trinity gym instructors have always been friendly. You could also ask about other exercises you could be doing and not just concentrate on bench & shoulder presses.

Boston

Well I do most of whats here (Whats there's equipment for anyway) and a few others, like the pull down bar one and the push out one. Mostly I've been doing dumbbell roles and that one where you lie on your back with two dumbbells and bring them up together in front.

One of the criticism about the trinity Gym is that it can get packed, put personally, as a beginner, I think it's great. You can watch how other do lifts and copy them, you can also see what type of exercises people do. I never would have done a press if I hadn't seen how someone else did it first.

BaZmO*

Boston wrote:

Thats not a very helpful reply. I googled for images of flat-bench-press and that was the only one close to what I did.

Irrespective of whether it's helpful of not, it IS Partyboy!!

Boston wrote:

One of the criticism about the trinity Gym is that it can get packed, put personally, as a beginner, I think it's great. You can watch how other do lifts and copy them, you can also see what type of exercises people do. I never would have done a press if I hadn't seen how someone else did it first.

I'd be very careful about copying what other people do in a gym. There are a shocking amount of people that use bad form when weight lifting. It's best to get an instructor to show you what to do.

justsomebloke

I have to agree with bazmo, be careful of just copying people in the gym as most people who lift weights in gyms have also jsut copied the movements of somebody else and so don't really know what they are doing or why.

http://www.exrx.net/ would be a much better guide.

Also that had seriously if you post up a link of a person benching in a pair of speedos and don't warn people be prepared for them to take the piss or for them to think that you are taking the piss

Smellyirishman

You don't speedo-bench? Shorts are too restrictive.

GreenHorn

As the Todd would say: "Ya gotta hammock up!"

Transform

I personally favour a g-string under my shorts.

surprisingly snug fit and have added 20lbs to my stiff legged deadlift through using them!

p.s. stick to the basic program for at least 2-3 months and just get stronger, getting distracted with what others are doing can be a disaster.