How to get the bar from my shoulders to the floor safely?

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  • threnjen
    threnjen Posts: 687 Member
    edited December 2014
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    dbmata wrote: »
    If you're doing SL 5x5 exactly as written, is there a new module released that includes cleans and push pressing, or lunges? I'm obviously missing something here, I only have used vanilla SL 5x5, and there is only 4 lifts in it.
    I feel I answered this question in my op. I sometimes cannot get control of the cage for my entire gym visit, and am forced to seek an alternative workout. It certainly is not desirable when this happens. My primary and sole interest is in doing SL 5x5, but I am NOT going to spend an hour on the elliptical if I can't get the cage. I am just not a cardio bunny.
    dbmata wrote: »
    Also, you also say your PT taught you to do lunges this way... did they teach you, or just have you do it that way after helping you put the bar up? If they taught you, why didn't they address the questions you posed here? Personally, I'll pick up and press up an ez curl bar and do lunges with it, but if I go heavy I just load a barbell on the rack, or I'll use DBs which are safer and more preferred, particularly when alone. I loathe lunges, so I don't do a ton of them alone.
    It was back when I was just starting, and she helped me put the bar up. It's been a long while since I worked with her and only recently have I had difficulty securing the cage and needing to seek alternative strength work with my gym time. I assume it's because the resolutionists are starting to come.
    I would never pick alternative work over SL.

    I appreciate the recommendations that I just wait, but I have small children and that's not possible. I need to exercise within my allotted time.

    Mostly I just didn't realize I was so ill-prepared for days when the cage was totally unavailable. I rely on it completely to do my work.

    As I said though, I will focus more on DB work, rather than risking injury doing weird stuff with the free bars. And I can usually, at minimum, secure a bench for bench press even if I can't get the cage for squats.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,951 Member
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    I live in the cage, I'll OHP, Squat, and Bench in the cage, because I don't workout with a spotter. I know I'm lucky at my gym, since I'm one of the few folks using the cage. I'd investigate though, is it open at other times that are convenient for you to work out?

    Also, what prevents you from working in with the person in the cage?
  • threnjen
    threnjen Posts: 687 Member
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    feralX wrote: »
    Because most PT's are worthless. Do some sets with the DBs, when grip starts failing use lifting straps. Don't ruin a compound exercise just to improve grip strength.

    Roger that. Will pick up some lifting straps. Thanks for your replies, it has been helpful.
  • Jennloella
    Jennloella Posts: 2,287 Member
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    everyone's already said it, use the rack don't push it back up and over like that. If you can't use the rack and you don't do this all the time, why not dumbbells?
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    If it's feasible definitely try some different times. Before I started working out at home I discovered that 5 am is the absolute worst time to go to our local gym. Everywhere else I've lived that's been the least busy time, but we live near a Navy base and that's when all the sailors work out. The best time turned out to be between 10 am and noon.
  • threnjen
    threnjen Posts: 687 Member
    edited December 2014
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    dbmata wrote: »
    I live in the cage, I'll OHP, Squat, and Bench in the cage, because I don't workout with a spotter. I know I'm lucky at my gym, since I'm one of the few folks using the cage. I'd investigate though, is it open at other times that are convenient for you to work out?
    Maybe the middle of the night :) Not sure what is going on, lately no matter when I go, it's in use! I wish they had room for another cage!
    I'm also at a disadvantage because there is a cage and a rack, but on the rack, the stationary safeties are too tall for my short *kitten*.

    I am hunting for other times to go for sure. Usually I go at 10am, but I tried Sunday night 9pm (cage had a line). Am about to go now at 3pm, we shall see.
    dbmata wrote: »
    Also, what prevents you from working in with the person in the cage?
    Hypothetically nothing, except changing out the weights every single set. I can't squat anywhere near what the average male squats. And perhaps my own lack of assertiveness.
    I've asserted myself to work in my deadlifts before, but just because that's a quick task.

  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,951 Member
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    threnjen wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    I live in the cage, I'll OHP, Squat, and Bench in the cage, because I don't workout with a spotter. I know I'm lucky at my gym, since I'm one of the few folks using the cage. I'd investigate though, is it open at other times that are convenient for you to work out?
    Maybe the middle of the night :) Not sure what is going on, lately no matter when I go, it's in use! I wish they had room for another cage!
    I'm also at a disadvantage because there is a cage and a rack, but on the rack, the stationary safeties are too tall for my short *kitten*.
    dbmata wrote: »
    Also, what prevents you from working in with the person in the cage?
    Hypothetically nothing, except changing out the weights every single set. I can't squat anywhere near what the average male squats. And perhaps my own lack of assertiveness.
    I've asserted myself to work in my deadlifts before, but just because that's a quick task.

    That sucks about the rack. At my gym we have one cage, and one rack.

    Generally, I have no problem going from the cage to the rack if the power using the rack isn't right for it. I have a feeling just talking to the person in the cage might be helpful.

    You know, there's always goblet squats, pick up a couple of the 80# dbs and go to town. ;)

    The removal and replacement of weights happens, but it's not a big deal. If nothing else, it's a little bit of a break time. Just a thought, but I don't think it will be so bad, ya know?

    What about keeping an alternate gym? I'm thinking of adding in another gym just so I have access to more cages and a platform.
  • threnjen
    threnjen Posts: 687 Member
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    There is a Planet Fitness up the street! Maybe they will let me curl some cute 3 lb pink weights :)

    OK off to the gym, wish me luck, NO crazy free bars going up on my back though no matter what! Will stick to goblet squats,lunges with DB if I HAVE to find something else to do. And hopefully I won't. Thanks everyone :)

    I'll try to work up some assertiveness too to work in. Maybe if I felt more confident, but I'm the newbie, and I'm embarrassed putting my tiny cookie weights on the bar!

    Anyway off to kick some *kitten*, thanks for feedback all.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,951 Member
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    Listen, newbie or not, you're wanting to use the squat cage for what it is designed for. You have every right to use it. You might also start meeting folks if you go out and randomly ask people to hurry up in your cage. ;)

    I want a cookie.
  • velmada
    velmada Posts: 9 Member
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    Bear in mind that for most women there is a significant difference between strength lower body and upper body (much more so than men) - its just one of those things. So it isn't at all unusual to struggle to OHP a weight that you barely notice when squatting. When I started lifting I could squat 80lbs but couldn't lift an oly bar from a rack.

    If you really struggle to use the rack due to the gym being busy, consider doing front squats or goblet squats as an alternative. They will be lighter weights than back squats so its a different benefit, but better than injuring yourself. Front squats are great for improving your range of movement and they are easier on your back than back squats (so for example you can include front squats in the same session as deadlifts, whereas usually deadlifts and backsquats wouldn't be recommended together). Try doing front squats or goblet squats and pausing at the bottom of the squat. That's a damm fine workout!

    I'd also encourage you to ask people to work in when the gym is busy. If you're not feeling too confident think about timing it so that you start when someone else is working their warm up sets - I've often seen guys squat the bar and then squat low weights for multiple sets, so you could see if that fits with your plan. Even so, once you've got over your nerves about asking people you'll probably start to feel more comfortable about changing weights between sets - I've often done so and found men to be helpful, offering to deload the bar each time, and once they start going really heavy quite often they'll offer to let me finish my sets first so that they don't have to repeatedly move really heavy weight (being more of a safety issue than anything else). In fact the only truly awkward bit for me is having to repeatedly ask them to help re rack the bar a few notches down. I'm pretty damm short!

    One last point - in my experience most PT's will teach you to do things that aren't safe/comfortable to do on your own. If they didn't, they'd be redundant pretty quickly.
  • threnjen
    threnjen Posts: 687 Member
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    Thanks Velmada! That was really great feedback :)

    Everyone thinks my PT is awful now but I do have to defend her because she DID teach me how to do all of the SL moves properly, at my request. So I am so happy I had her.

    I got the cage, yaaaay! Did not have to face my fear tonight of asking to work in! (I forgot the other point on working in that Velmada made which is that I also have to lower the bar EVERY set too. I'm sooo short. So working in will really be a hassle for the other person which is why I hesitate)

    Wouldn't you know it, at the gym tonight I saw a dude doing EXACTLY what you all convinced me here not to do. Clean, push press, setting bar on back, doing squats, then doing a push press to get the bar off his back. Now to be fair he was not squatting that much compared to how burly he looked. He probably wanted the cage/rack but me and another girl were in them. I would bet he was going lower weight for safety but it was still funny to see after this discussion.
  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
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    If you can clean the bar to your shoulders, how about learning the front squat? Then you don't have to push press the bar when you are fatigued after the squats.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,951 Member
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    threnjen wrote: »
    ... I also have to lower the bar EVERY set too. I'm sooo short.
    srsly, not an issue.

    Like I said, I'll throw an easy curl on my back that way. Might go as heavy as 80-90 pounds, but my OHP is higher than that, and my squat is significantly higher than that. There's no good technique for it, so then it comes down to how well you can manhandle the weight, and even then it's not safe. Particularly for a newbie.

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