Benching with an unevenly loaded bar?

G86

I was chatting to a guy in the gym today, and he asked me if I'd ever tried benching with an unevenly loaded bar, i.e. 15kg one side and 20kg the other. He said it was part of one of the westside templates? He was talking about it working stablisers but I was only half listening at the time

Just wondering if it's bull, and if not - what's the actual reasoning behind it?

squod

Wouldn't do it in a fit.

the drifter

its bull....


or crossfit...

G86

the drifter wrote: »

its bull....


or crossfit...

Yeah I was wondering alright! But he normally has a fair idea what he's talking about so I thought I'd see what the craic was with it.

COH

I've done that a few times... never on purpose though!

G86

COH wrote: »

I've done that a few times... never on purpose though!

I was thinking the same thing!

But seriously, as misinformed as it may be, what would be the reasoning he'd have behind it? I'm curious, especially if it's on a westside prog? Surely it'd only lead to imbalances/injury?

the drifter

G86 wrote: »

I was thinking the same thing!

But seriously, as misinformed as it may be, what would be the reasoning he'd have behind it? I'm curious, especially if it's on a westside prog? Surely it'd only lead to imbalances/injury?

I'm sure its to work on an imbalance....like over load your weak side...

rubbish....

d'Oracle

This sounds awfully like someone has gotten the wrong end of the stick.

G86

d'Oracle wrote: »

This sounds awfully like someone has gotten the wrong end of the stick.

Nope, word for word, he told me I should try benching with 15kg one side and 20kg the other.

I'll ask him about it tomorrow and listen this time, my bull**** radar kinda tuned him out today.

d'Oracle

G86 wrote: »

Nope, word for word, he told me

Not you....Him!

Hanley

I've never heard that as part of ANY Westside template.

It SOUNDS kinda like it could work, but tbh it's stupid. If you're worried about stabilisation and all that jazz, there's lots more effective avenues to explore.

Hell I'd argue that it doesn't even target the traditional stabilisers in the correct manner because it doesn't require any greater scap control.

the drifter

Hanley wrote: »

I've never heard that as part of ANY Westside template.

It SOUNDS kinda like it could work, but tbh it's stupid. If you're worried about stabilisation and all that jazz, there's lots more effective avenues to explore.

Hell I'd argue that it doesn't even target the traditional stabilisers in the correct manner because it doesn't require any greater scap control.

+1 if its stability your worried about on the bench there are much better ways to improve it that benching with an misloaded bar

d'Oracle

It sounds to me like the guy heard/read someone talking about the bandbell.
Heard the term unstable load, didn't comprehend what they meant and just took it from there.

G86

d'Oracle wrote: »

It sounds to me like the guy heard/read someone talking about the bandbell.
Heard the term unstable load, didn't comprehend what they meant and just took it from there.

Never heard of that, I'll have a wee google.

He was also telling me that he moves the plates to the edges of the bar sometimes as it 'works completely different muscles'. Whilst drinking some green crap which he later told me was chlorophyll - to 'prevent lactic acid build up'. Hence why I kind of wasn't really listening when he started talking about the uneven loading ....

It just goes to show though, you need to be careful who you listen to! I'd talked to him a bit before about my training etc., and he's fairly built and seems to have a decent program so I figured he knew his stuff, til he started coming out with all that.

I'll ask him about it today though and put him on the spot:)

Hanley

G86 wrote: »

Never heard of that, I'll have a wee google.

He was also telling me that he moves the plates to the edges of the bar sometimes as it 'works completely different muscles'. Whilst drinking some green crap which he later told me was chlorophyll - to 'prevent lactic acid build up'.

Hence why I kind of wasn't really listening when he started talking about the uneven loading ....

I'll ask him about it today though and put him on the spot:)

Ask him how much light there is in his stomach next time you see him.

The thing d'Oracle is refering to is where they look bands onto the bar and attach KBs which cause the bar to shake and vibrate as you bench. Only ever really done as an assistance exercise afaik, and it's a good idea at that.

As for moving plates out...I'd be interested to see how that would have an effect since the load is still evenly distributed on a fixed bar. Physics dudes???

He sounds like a complete mong who's read a bit too much training stuff and misapplied it all.

And I'm obviously not a bio-chemist, but I know I've read a lot about how there's huge debate over the whole concept of lactic acid causing a "burn".

G86

Hanley wrote: »

Ask him how much light there is in his stomach next time you see him.

The thing d'Oracle is refering to is where they look bands onto the bar and attach KBs which cause the bar to shake and vibrate as you bench. Only ever really done as an assistance exercise afaik, and it's a good idea at that.

As for moving plates out...I'd be interested to see how that would have an effect since the load is still evenly distributed on a fixed bar. Physics dudes???

He sounds like a complete mong who's read a bit too much training stuff and misapplied it all.

And I'm obviously not a bio-chemist, but I know I've read a lot about how there's huge debate over the whole concept of lactic acid causing a "burn".

He's actually a sound enough guy, I think he was genuinely trying to be helpful, just obviously has things a bit mixed up! I Ah well, sure I'll leave him too it so! I don't think he'd appreciate the only girl in the gym telling him he's wrong....:p

d'Oracle

I hope you are getting enough Chlorophyll.

Dathai

Nearly punched the screen there. Saw her face and instinct kicked in.

rubadub

Hanley wrote: »

As for moving plates out...I'd be interested to see how that would have an effect since the load is still evenly distributed on a fixed bar. Physics dudes???

Plates out further will be more unstable, in effect you are lengthening the bar.

A more extreme version to demonstrate it would be using a barbell in one hand to do curls, it will be more difficult than using a dumbell of the same weight.

Your 2 hands will of course balance it easier but it still forces you to use both arms "more evenly" going up and down. I noticed this when I switched from a short ezcurl bar to a 6ft bar for benching.

For this guy rather than loading one side more than the other you could also just shift your hand positions down towards one end more.

kbyrnsie13

Hanley wrote: »

Ask him how much light there is in his stomach next time you see him.

The thing d'Oracle is refering to is where they look bands onto the bar and attach KBs which cause the bar to shake and vibrate as you bench. Only ever really done as an assistance exercise afaik, and it's a good idea at that.

As for moving plates out...I'd be interested to see how that would have an effect since the load is still evenly distributed on a fixed bar. Physics dudes???

He sounds like a complete mong who's read a bit too much training stuff and misapplied it all.

And I'm obviously not a bio-chemist, but I know I've read a lot about how there's huge debate over the whole concept of lactic acid causing a "burn".

good shout
sounds lik a dumb hippie
ya cud sell him snake oil for f**k sake

and if its stabiliser muscles you want to target
just do dumbell bench press
each side will stabilize themselves
but without under working one side and delaying progress

besides who wants lobsided titties neway

dartstothesea

I'd have thought DB pressing would be the way people do whatever he's on about trying to do. but I know you might be limited to less weight then.

If the lactic acid thing is really just him talking about DOMs, what kind of mentaller actually wants to avoid that delicious feeling?

kbyrnsie13

if you DB press for a month or two upping the weight your bench strength will shoot up

Barry.Oglesby

Plates further out or eh, just lift more weight?