Spotting the Bench Press

kevpants

This should be made a sticky (based completely on my current rage due to poor spotters and not any rational thought)

Maybe by posting this I can reach just a few people and maybe one day one of you will ask one of those people to spot you, then you'll come runnin to Kevpants with your thankyous...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mygns0H6Ok4

pvt.joker

excellent video.

Al_Fernz

Is that a man or woman benching????

pvt.joker

woman I think

Money Shot

Other than they guys who just grab the bar as soon as it starts to slow down, spotting as I see it today consists of groups of young lads 2-6 taking over a bench. They warm up with the bar fair enough. Then they put on two 15's and go at it. Most of them can't even manage one rep of this weight, but they proceed with the 10 reps with lots of help from their friends.
Now the funny part - another 10 or even 20 kilos is added to the bar, and the same again. I've seen these lads lie under 80-100 kilos and let their friends lift half the weight when they are barely even able to lift 50 kilos on their own.

I've heard of forced reps, but...:D

kevpants

Why do people keep grabbing the bar as soon as you slow down? I'm pushing my 1 rep max, sorry I'm not quick enough for you I didn't realise you had somewhere to be!

I mean honestly has anyone ever just dropped the bar if it's too heavy? Just given up and let it freefall onto your neck?

I even explicitly say "If I can't make the rep I'll lower it to my chest and you can help it up". No no no they'll either grap the fecker halfway up or wave their hands about in front of your face like a bloody new raver with their sweaty shorts inches from my cheek and then sympathise that I "Just couldn't lock it out, it's because your breathing isn't right, you should really exhale as you're trying to push it off your chest, maybe you need some wrist straps".

What to choke you with!!!!?? Thanks for the advice man, nice manboobs by the way!!!:mad:

BrokenArrows

good video.

I shall spot correctly from now on

Size=everything

I usually simply say ''dont touch the bar until I tell you to''

does the trick

Pen1987

he is right with what he's saying and all that, but he's an aggresive dickhead with the way he explains it.

0utshined

Thanks for posting.

I disagree that he was agressive. Straight talking, sure, but that's what you want a coach to be.

Hanley

Lol... you need to wait til I'm around to try out maxes in future!!

kevpants

Well by current count there are 148 people (views so far) who now know how to spot. Making a difference! Theres a part 2 to that video that deals more with safety for the lifter rather than spot technique. Mainly he's pointing out to lift then re-rack rather than lift diagonal into the rack and never use the "suicide grip" i.e. no thumbs = no teeth...maybe

gabgab

kevpants wrote: »

Why do people keep grabbing the bar as soon as you slow down? I'm pushing my 1 rep max, sorry I'm not quick enough for you I didn't realise you had somewhere to be!

I mean honestly has anyone ever just dropped the bar if it's too heavy? Just given up and let it freefall onto your neck?

I even explicitly say "If I can't make the rep I'll lower it to my chest and you can help it up". No no no they'll either grap the fecker halfway up or wave their hands about in front of your face like a bloody new raver with their sweaty shorts inches from my cheek and then sympathise that I "Just couldn't lock it out, it's because your breathing isn't right, you should really exhale as you're trying to push it off your chest, maybe you need some wrist straps".

What to choke you with!!!!?? Thanks for the advice man, nice manboobs by the way!!!:mad:

One of the funniest posts in a long time. I look forward to reading more of your stuff Kev,

I am reading his book starting strength and its class. He has some hilarious bits in it, but I dont think he was aggressive, he tells it like it is and he knows his stuff,

Agree with the 6 lads around a bench too, it just does not make sense, also dont forget that they will probably be chugging down a full beaker of workout fuel, normally with a bit extra, just in case........:D

Beau

What are people opinions on resting (barely touching, not adding any force) two fingers on the bar when someone is really struggling?

Its a weird thing cause it actually really helps mentally and you are more than likely going to be able to do finish the rep but do you think it should count?

Hanley

Beau wrote: »

What are people opinions on resting (barely touching, not adding any force) two fingers on the bar when someone is really struggling?

Its a weird thing cause it actually really helps mentally and you are more than likely going to be able to do finish the rep but do you think it should count?

If you touch the bar before it's locked out, it doesn't count. Simple as.

Everyone I train with knows the only time to touch a bar on my with near max weight is when it's on it's way back down. Unless it's moving back down, or I call for it, it doesn't get touched. Most of the guys are the same. There's one guy I bench with, one of the best BB's I've ever seen, but the last reps on his sets can take 8-10 seconds. It's one of the hardest things in the world not taking the bar off him. It moves... and stops. Moves.... and stops. Moves... and stops. Does this 4 or 5 times and eventually finishes the rep.

greenmonster

I agree with a majority of what's been said BUT.....

I personally have to train to complete failure, so I just think that a couple of forced reps are necessary to go to failure, which may require some assistance with the start/bottom of these reps. Sometimes, a little assistance can go a long way to completely knock the living sh*t out of your chest.

Also, for me, the negative part of the rep is very important if your goal is not power-orientated, so the first half would be assisted in order to focus on the negative.

And I'm pretty sure that's what those 6 kids around the 30kg bar are actually doing.... :rolleyes:

Malteaser!

greenmonster wrote: »

I agree with a majority of what's been said BUT.....

I personally have to train to complete failure, so I just think that a couple of forced reps are necessary to go to failure, which may require some assistance with the start/bottom of these reps. Sometimes, a little assistance can go a long way to completely knock the living sh*t out of your chest.

Also, for me, the negative part of the rep is very important if your goal is not power-orientated, so the first half would be assisted in order to focus on the negative.

And I'm pretty sure that's what those 6 kids around the 30kg bar are actually doing.... :rolleyes:

Surely if you need somebody to help, you've already reached failure as you're unable to complete any more on your own??

Edwardius

kevpants wrote: »

Well by current count there are 148 people (views so far) who now know how to spot. Making a difference! Theres a part 2 to that video that deals more with safety for the lifter rather than spot technique. Mainly he's pointing out to lift then re-rack rather than lift diagonal into the rack and never use the "suicide grip" i.e. no thumbs = no teeth...maybe

Hehe, he's a great quote about that. Something along the lines of "if you insist on using a thumbless grip then make sure you do it at home so that when the ambulance comes you wo't disturb anyone's training"

Roper

There's another good one about weighlifting gloves-

"The only time you should wear gloves is if you have a torn callous or if they match your handbag", or words to that effect! I'd prefer to be in a room being coached by someone who wasn't afraid to offend me to get his point across than with someone who danced around issues.

ronbyrne2005

One day about ten years ago I was training alone and was only 18 and thought I could manage another few reps at 90kg on my own. I could'nt raise the bar to frame and struggled for about 30 secondswith bar on chest untill a guy walked into gym and took it off me. Scared **** out of me! and never risked it again.

If i am getting someone to spot me I tell them what I want them to do. Don't assume the spotter who is doing you a favour knows you want to do max full reps and personal bests and no negatives etc. COMMUNICATION people or you'll give weighlifters a bad image

Baldie

Excellent video. Good find kevpants!

Diamondmaker

good vid all right, cheers KP.

I guess the over "helpful" ness of people is down to spotting a comlpete stranger usually and it is human inctinct to err on the side of caution.

I would have thought it very difficult to get stuck uder a bar, if at all. I failed twice when I 1st started out and all I had to do was tilt it to one side until one end hit the deck. then simpy use 2 hands on the bar at chest area and slip out.

If you have no clips I guess the weights will fall off at a point and you may get a dangerous catapult or imbalance that could lead to a bit of damage all right but with clips should be ok.

kevpants

Yeah you see when people who don't know what spotting really is get asked:

"Would you mind spotting me on the bench for one minute"

They hear:

"Hi we haven't met but I'd like to leave my life in your hands. Oh and could you hold this picture of my wife & kids?"

That tilting the bar trick works up to a certain weight but anything over 100kg leaning on one side of your ribs is going to result in several loud cracking noises.

rubadub

Malteaser! wrote: »

Surely if you need somebody to help, you've already reached failure as you're unable to complete any more on your own??

I think he is talking of negatives. If you cannot lift 100kg again for 1 more rep you might be able to manage 50kg, but you have no time to take plates off so somebody assists, and you get a full 100kg negative. I do negatives when chinning, do maybe 5reps with 30kg until I could probably manage 1 more, but then I switch and stand on a small box and do another 5 negatives.

I seriously doubt the 6 kids spotting the guy with 30kg even know what a negative is though.

Roper wrote: »

There's another good one about weighlifting gloves-

"The only time you should wear gloves is if you have a torn callous or if they match your handbag"

I have heard him (and others) advise against them saying there is no need for material to get in the way. Does anybody here use them? I use gloves on certain lifts, like overhead dumbbell presses and sometimes on grippers, I can get out more reps with them so I use them, simple as that. They are thin grippy gloves, I use them in work to and can lift far more, partly in work becuase you are more confident you will not be cut up by unsanded stuff, but the grip makes a huge difference to me. I have bicycle inner tube on my chinning bar and can do more reps on that than on the smooth sections (I can just push it aside).

Ever see this contraption.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeTXXcJooMg

Looks awkward but you might get used to it.
http://www.shermworks.com/index.html

kevpants

rubadub wrote: »

Ever see this contraption.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeTXXcJooMg

Looks awkward but you might get used to it.
http://www.shermworks.com/index.html

The music in that vid alone would lead me to believe that thing would probably result in more deaths than cholera if it became popular.

WHIP IT!

lol - alright Kevpants, now I understand what you meant here >>> http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055444838&page=2

Alright, allow me to clarify - there is nothing more annoying than a spotter assisiting you before you need it. It takes away that satisfaction of eventually getting that final rep back up on the bar just when you thought it was gonna start coming back down toward you!

But, as far as "assisted reps" are concerned, I'd much sooner do 3reps-plus 1/2 assisted ones as opposed to just getting three on your own.

It might be those one or two "mini-reps" if you like, that help you make your (unassisted!) goal the following week.

To be honest, at times when people grab the bar before it's necessary, I think sometimes lads know what they're doing and do it "on purpose" just so they can say "ya needed help" - male ego thing, although maybe ladies do it too!

To sum-up: Bad spotters - bad. Assisted Reps - Not so bad and often very necessary.

To further sum-up: what the f*ck are you all listening to me for anyway, I know hardly anything about weightlifting apart from what I read on the net and ask "big lads" in the gym! :pac:

Flex

Great video. Something I absolutely hate, people ruining a set like that... Last 2 weeks in a row I was going for new personal bests on bench press and on both occassions theyve been ruined by spotters who cant listen. I always say

"Hey, would ya mind spotting me here please? Ill unwrack it myself, dont touch it unless I ask for help please, just wait til I say so"

They always reply

"Sure, no problem"

And sure enough as Im pushing the bar up they grab it and lift. Im not even struggling at this point and think Ill be able to wrack it myself.

Last time it happened I asked him why he did it and all he said "It was at a critical point in the lift" whatever that meant.... :mad:

eroo

Money Shot wrote: »

Other than they guys who just grab the bar as soon as it starts to slow down, spotting as I see it today consists of groups of young lads 2-6 taking over a bench. They warm up with the bar fair enough. Then they put on two 15's and go at it. Most of them can't even manage one rep of this weight, but they proceed with the 10 reps with lots of help from their friends.
Now the funny part - another 10 or even 20 kilos is added to the bar, and the same again. I've seen these lads lie under 80-100 kilos and let their friends lift half the weight when they are barely even able to lift 50 kilos on their own.

I've heard of forced reps, but...:D

Couple of soccer players with the mentality of 'bicep curls = beautiful girls' came in to my gym about a month ago.6 or 7 of them take over the bench, load it up so that it is too heavy. But it's alright, they have been warming up with the bar. One lad has a go, with all the others standing around. Bar falls to his chest, he can't even manage a rep. Tries but the bar starts to go lopsided. He moans. His friends jump to help. It takes 4 of them to lift the bar, you would be right in saying they couldn't manage that properly either. Cue loud bang as bar smacks down onto rack. Cue looks of bewilderment from everybody else, then subsequent muffled laughter!!:D

You have to have patience, but this video could help!

dioltas

I agree with most of the posts here, nothing worse than someone yanking the bar off you when your just grinding out that last rep. I've no problem with an assisted rep though if say I can't get the last rep and the bar starts to go back down, just a little help to get it up. I wouldn't count it as a complete set, but I think it does help towards the next time, where hopefully I'll manage to finish out the set without help.

This is kinda related, so, do people here always touch the bar off their chest at the bottom? I always bring it to within half an inch of my chest, for some reason I don't like the idea of touching it. Maybe I should start doing it though?

brianthebard

personally wouldn't count it as a rep unless it touches the chest.

Sangre

God I hate the bench press posse. 3/4 lads spending about 40 minutes taking over a bench managing about 3 complete sets between them. They were the reason I could never get a bench in UCD, that and the fact that its a **** gym! Thank god for TF sandyford, you still get them in there but I'm never waiting for a bench or rack at the times I go in.

Although once I did have to ask to use a squat rack as someone was doing biceps curls in them looking at the mirror. I also keep running into the oddest guy. Now he is decent enough shape size wise, much better than me (as if that's hard). He spends about 20 minutes doing heavy biceps curls. However between every set he does imaginary biceps curls sideways in the mirror with his arms looking at them. He even does an imaginary warm up set.

Brian?

dioltas wrote: »

This is kinda related, so, do people here always touch the bar off their chest at the bottom? I always bring it to within half an inch of my chest, for some reason I don't like the idea of touching it. Maybe I should start doing it though?

I don't think its "legal" unless you touch your chest with the bar, just don't go bouncing it.

Malteaser!

briankeating wrote: »

I don't think its "legal" unless you touch your chest with the bar, just don't go bouncing it.

That's true. If you were in a competition you'd also have to actually pause it on your chest for a second or two.

the drifter

Malteaser! wrote: »

That's true. If you were in a competition you'd also have to actually pause it on your chest for a second or two.

yip have to wait for the signal before you press....them 1-2 seconds can feel like a life time...

Remmy

Malteaser! wrote: »

That's true. If you were in a competition you'd also have to actually pause it on your chest for a second or two.

God,going from a dead stop to lock-out would be a lot more difficult strength wise than just touching it off and using some of the momentum to drive the bar back up.

Hanley

Remmy wrote: »

God,going from a dead stop to lock-out would be a lot more difficult strength wise than just touching it off and using some of the momentum to drive the bar back up.

That's the whole idea

dioltas

Suppose I'll have to start touching then! Just don't like the idea of the bar pressing on my chest, even though it's just touching. Hopefully won't make too much of a difference to my bench because I go fairly close anyway.

Hanley

dioltas wrote: »

Suppose I'll have to start touching then! Just don't like the idea of the bar pressing on my chest, even though it's just touching. Hopefully won't make too much of a difference to my bench because I go fairly close anyway.

It shouldn't make any difference at all. It's not like you relax and let your chest take the full weight of the bar. If you do it right it'll be like getting no more than a light poke in the chest by a finger.

Guvnor

Sangre wrote: »

God I hate the bench press posse. 3/4 lads spending about 40 minutes taking over a bench managing about 3 complete sets between them. They were the reason I could never get a bench in UCD, that and the fact that its a **** gym!

You are not referring to any Saturday mornings about 4-5 years ago are you?
Think there was 6 people in there once! We did a touch more than 3 sets each!

I possibly agree with you on the gym being not great but it did serve a few people well and has seen some big lifts in it's day.

Rocket!

kevpants wrote: »

Why do people keep grabbing the bar as soon as you slow down? I'm pushing my 1 rep max, sorry I'm not quick enough for you I didn't realise you had somewhere to be!

I mean honestly has anyone ever just dropped the bar if it's too heavy? Just given up and let it freefall onto your neck?

I even explicitly say "If I can't make the rep I'll lower it to my chest and you can help it up". No no no they'll either grap the fecker halfway up or wave their hands about in front of your face like a bloody new raver with their sweaty shorts inches from my cheek and then sympathise that I "Just couldn't lock it out, it's because your breathing isn't right, you should really exhale as you're trying to push it off your chest, maybe you need some wrist straps".

What to choke you with!!!!?? Thanks for the advice man, nice manboobs by the way!!!:mad:

Youre a hero...

Great vid. Gonna have to show it to a few friends. His rant for the last minute is great. I dont actually ask anyone to spot for me any more, id prefer to let it roll to my chest and wait silently for help than see an extra fcuking pair of hands attached to my barbell as it moves up and down!!
You dont know if its you or them lifting the weight and thats only going to throw you off. Aggravating!:mad:
Training alone, its the way forward...

BraziliaNZ

Sangre wrote: »

I also keep running into the oddest guy. Now he is decent enough shape size wise, much better than me (as if that's hard). He spends about 20 minutes doing heavy biceps curls. However between every set he does imaginary biceps curls sideways in the mirror with his arms looking at them. He even does an imaginary warm up set.

does he make grunty noises when he does these imaginary ones? I used to go to Westwood in Fairview and some dude used to do that too, was pretty weird

FunkZ

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

does he make grunty noises when he does these imaginary ones? I used to go to Westwood in Fairview and some dude used to do that too, was pretty weird

I could understand doing imaginary tricep exensions but bicep curls are just plain weird.

Damn I need sleep!