Barbell Bench Press without spotter

nknis8556
nknis8556 Posts: 26 Member
edited November 24 in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
Hi all--I've been looking over quite a few of the beginner/intermediate weight training programs posted in the link provided in the sticky thread up top, and many of them recommend progressive overload with 5 or so reps of traditional barbell bench presses. I've avoided the barbell in the past when I don't go to the gym with a regular workout partner, since it simply doesn't seem safe to push an appropriate amount of weight (viz., 5 reps with the last being close to failure) without a spotter. I've been using dumbbells instead. I have no problem asking Random Dude #352 to spot for a set, but doing so for several sets is just inconsiderate.

So, any advice is appreciated. Stick with dumbbells? Go lower, "safe" weight on the barbell, and, if so, increase reps?

Thanks!
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Replies

  • Davidsdottir
    Davidsdottir Posts: 1,285 Member
    Just ask someone. I do it all the time. Everyone at my gym does.
  • Jonnydebrasco
    Jonnydebrasco Posts: 68 Member
    I have a home gym and workout by myself. I dont have someone to spot me but I bench press in my squat rack as mentioned above just in case but never needed it really. I would say do them and when you notice that your having trouble take extra rest and try again or a little less weight extra reps.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    Ask someone. I find that 5 reps and up is not really weight that I would need a spotter on anyway. Sometimes toward the end of a cycle 5's can get tricky but it wouldn't be every time.

  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    edited February 2018
    I did the AllPro programme that increases reps before weight and has a heavy, medium and light day.
    By the time it was time to increase my weight I was confident doing so without a spotter.

    Cheers, h.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    I train with bench press regularly without a spotter. But it is not with heavy weights and low reps. It is moderately heavy and 8 to 12 reps. I just don't take it all the way to failure. I can tell when I have one, maybe 2 reps left and that's where I stop.

    If I'm going heavy or testing 1RM, I wouldn't do it without a spotter. I'm always happy to spot for someone. That is just good gym etiquette.
  • ForecasterJason
    ForecasterJason Posts: 2,577 Member
    While I generally do more than 5 reps per set, I stop before I would get to the point of needing help.
  • Erik8484
    Erik8484 Posts: 458 Member
    pdxhak wrote: »
    Bench in a squat rack with the safety bars set at the height to rest the bar if you cannot complete the lift

    Recommending this approach.
  • nknis8556
    nknis8556 Posts: 26 Member
    Great advice--thanks, everyone!
  • fb47
    fb47 Posts: 1,058 Member
    I aim for 5 reps on the bench press, I simply stop when I am unsure if I can succeed on the next rep and that is okay, you still make gains and it's less taxing on the body then going for failure on every rep and you have less chances of getting injured too. That is still a big win in my books.
  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,069 Member
    edited February 2018
    I only ask for a spotter if I know there is a high likelihood I'm going to fail. But I've failed plenty of times without a spotter. Most times I can rack it on the lower pins. Once or twice I've had to do the roll of shame. Of course I'm not lifting significant weight, so no danger of really hurting myself.
  • Davidsdottir
    Davidsdottir Posts: 1,285 Member
    mom23mangos wrote: »
    I only ask for a spotter if I know there is a high likelihood I'm going to fail. But I've failed plenty of times without a spotter. Most times I can rack it on the lower pins. Once or twice I've had to do the roll of shame. Of course I'm not lifting significant weight, so no danger of really hurting myself.

    I've done the roll of shame myself
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    edited February 2018
    This content has been removed.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    In addition to using a power cage for benching, you could see if your gym has adjustable stands like below. There are a few different types, so they might not look exactly like these. With just the empty bar, you can figure out how high you need them for safety. Make a note of how they're set up, so you can just walk in and set them up right away in the future.

    61gb1y-CGSL._SX425_.jpg
  • TheHobbit2017
    TheHobbit2017 Posts: 96 Member
    I use a power cage I picked up cheap on gumtree. It has catchers. I tend to train hard and up my weight around weekly but fractionally rather than big jumps. I’ve only been caught out once and I just rolled out from the bar on the catchers
  • fb47
    fb47 Posts: 1,058 Member
    crossfit_dottir wrote: »
    Don't use the collars to secure the weight, that way you can lift the bar on one side to slight the plates off and dump the weight.

    Plenty of videos on youtube about dumping the weights during a bench press. Check them out if you're not sure how to do it.
    I prefer the rolling over method, I have seen too many people dump their weights on someone else by accident.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    Simply just ask someone. I usually ask a person also benching so I can return the favor if needed.

    Being close to failure can be a tricky assumption especially if you're a novice. Better being safe then sorry. Also using a weight that is challenging but holds good form is going to give the appropriate stress for progressive strength training.
  • T1DCarnivoreRunner
    T1DCarnivoreRunner Posts: 11,502 Member
    Erik8484 wrote: »
    pdxhak wrote: »
    Bench in a squat rack with the safety bars set at the height to rest the bar if you cannot complete the lift

    Recommending this approach.

    I do this as well.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    Z_I_L_L_A wrote: »
    Look if they can ask me all the time then I can ask them. My problem is most people can't spot worth a damn. Then you have to tell them what you want or else they'll f**k your s**t up! Plus if I have to educate someone on how to spot it's throws me off if I'm maxing out. Basically I tell them to keep an eye on me, only grab it if I tell you to.

    So you have never gone to failure and there's no need to, some of you say. Hmm...so how do you know to stop one rep short(meaning you're shorting yourself), how do you know you can't do what you did last time or can, you don't ever do negatives? So in reality you're not a bencher just a workout guy going for a certain number of reps quitting just shy of failure, but how do you know that rep was the failure rep?

    And to have a program for the bench that never takes you near failure isn't a bench program. Plus even if you're doing one of those programs what if something happens with a lesser weight? Accident's happen. Find a partner and a new program.

    So you people have never failed during a workout? How do you know something for sure unless you've tried it? Failure is what you build upon. If you don't know failure, how do you know success? If you've never failed, how do you know what's possible?

    Yeah I know, I'm a smart @zz today. JMHO

    I used calculations from AMRAPS and volume PRS to adjust my 1rm. I test my 1 rm few times per year, most likely on the platform. Testing it constantly in the gym may stifle my effort if it is fatiguing. I bench 4x per week.
  • CowboySar
    CowboySar Posts: 404 Member
    I have never done the roll of shame but have come very close. I have been close to it many times but have been able to muster enough to hit the bottom pins. I have given up on the barbell bench press as a staple and stick to exclusively dumbbell for my chest work. I will on occasion do the odd BB bench to see if it has increased any from last time.
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
    edited February 2018
    Had to do the roll of shame once. (I don't currently bench enough weight that there would have been any danger of suffocating though-so have never bothered to request a spotter..wouldn't be a feasible option at higher weights).

    On the dumbbells- you have a lot less control of the weight when you get close to failure..so you do run the risk of F'ing up your shoulder if not careful dropping the weight or of a weight coming down on yourself with a bit more speed than with a barbell.

    ETA: I use the dumbells more often than the barbell despite the above.
  • Z_I_L_L_A
    Z_I_L_L_A Posts: 2,399 Member
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    Z_I_L_L_A wrote: »
    Look if they can ask me all the time then I can ask them. My problem is most people can't spot worth a damn. Then you have to tell them what you want or else they'll f**k your s**t up! Plus if I have to educate someone on how to spot it's throws me off if I'm maxing out. Basically I tell them to keep an eye on me, only grab it if I tell you to.

    So you have never gone to failure and there's no need to, some of you say. Hmm...so how do you know to stop one rep short(meaning you're shorting yourself), how do you know you can't do what you did last time or can, you don't ever do negatives? So in reality you're not a bencher just a workout guy going for a certain number of reps quitting just shy of failure, but how do you know that rep was the failure rep?

    And to have a program for the bench that never takes you near failure isn't a bench program. Plus even if you're doing one of those programs what if something happens with a lesser weight? Accident's happen. Find a partner and a new program.

    So you people have never failed during a workout? How do you know something for sure unless you've tried it? Failure is what you build upon. If you don't know failure, how do you know success? If you've never failed, how do you know what's possible?

    Yeah I know, I'm a smart @zz today. JMHO

    I used calculations from AMRAPS and volume PRS to adjust my 1rm. I test my 1 rm few times per year, most likely on the platform. Testing it constantly in the gym may stifle my effort if it is fatiguing. I bench 4x per week.

    Do your calculations put you pretty close at a meet? I've been training my nephew for the past 5 years, but he is gaining muscle so fast it's hard to gauge him. I power lifted for 12 years, stopped at age 34, I'm 51 now. Would love to do one more meet.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    Z_I_L_L_A wrote: »
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    Z_I_L_L_A wrote: »
    Look if they can ask me all the time then I can ask them. My problem is most people can't spot worth a damn. Then you have to tell them what you want or else they'll f**k your s**t up! Plus if I have to educate someone on how to spot it's throws me off if I'm maxing out. Basically I tell them to keep an eye on me, only grab it if I tell you to.

    So you have never gone to failure and there's no need to, some of you say. Hmm...so how do you know to stop one rep short(meaning you're shorting yourself), how do you know you can't do what you did last time or can, you don't ever do negatives? So in reality you're not a bencher just a workout guy going for a certain number of reps quitting just shy of failure, but how do you know that rep was the failure rep?

    And to have a program for the bench that never takes you near failure isn't a bench program. Plus even if you're doing one of those programs what if something happens with a lesser weight? Accident's happen. Find a partner and a new program.

    So you people have never failed during a workout? How do you know something for sure unless you've tried it? Failure is what you build upon. If you don't know failure, how do you know success? If you've never failed, how do you know what's possible?

    Yeah I know, I'm a smart @zz today. JMHO

    I used calculations from AMRAPS and volume PRS to adjust my 1rm. I test my 1 rm few times per year, most likely on the platform. Testing it constantly in the gym may stifle my effort if it is fatiguing. I bench 4x per week.

    Do your calculations put you pretty close at a meet? I've been training my nephew for the past 5 years, but he is gaining muscle so fast it's hard to gauge him. I power lifted for 12 years, stopped at age 34, I'm 51 now. Would love to do one more meet.

    Yep. At this point I've had programs written for me, so I can put my estimated max based on AMRAPS or a max I have hit in the gym/meet into my excel programming, and then run a percentage based program for 9 weeks based on that max, and come out with a PR on meet day...if I'm not having a rough meet.

    You should do one!
  • Davidsdottir
    Davidsdottir Posts: 1,285 Member
    susanp57 wrote: »
    Am I the only person who just yells out, "Help!"

    I've done that too LOL
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