Presses w/out a spotter

Hirgy03

Need some suggestions regarding a plan to get some good chest work in, but there is nobody there to spot me in the morning when I do my gym work. I know that there is nothing better for building a chest than bench, incline and decline press. However, at the time of the morning I go, there is nobody there to spot me, and I don't want to end up stuck under the bar if I screw up and put too much weight on. The gym has a lot of equipment, but nothing as far as machines for those presses in particular (small, small town high school gym).

What suggestions would you guys have.......or am I just being a big chicken for not sucking it up and just doing them?

Bobby__Clerici

I use a Smith machine or the squat rack - not as good as a bench, but sometimes you do what you need to do.
Outside the gym or without access to a Smith or rack?
NEVER!
When I am alone, I kill each muscle group with either body weight exercises or lighter wights/high reps.
We must work well with our given situation no matter the challenging circumstances.
All Is Possible!

Bakkasan

I reduce the weight to a place where I know I will be safe. Also employing dumbbell presses. If all else fails, push ups till ya puke!?

Hirgy03

Thanks guys. I just started pushups today, so a ways until I start to "push" it, so to speak. In a couple weeks, or maybe just one, I think I'm gonna start doing some with lighter weights until I'm at a place where I know where I'm safe. I do like the idea of the squat rack as a "safety spotter" once I get to the point where I want to try to start pushing things a bit.

Bobby__Clerici

Thanks guys. I just started pushups today, so a ways until I start to "push" it, so to speak. In a couple weeks, or maybe just one, I think I'm gonna start doing some with lighter weights until I'm at a place where I know where I'm safe. I do like the idea of the squat rack as a "safety spotter" once I get to the point where I want to try to start pushing things a bit.

I am all about slinging heavy weights, but gone are the days where I am risking injury.
Good Luck!

auddii

I'm going to start strong lifts soon, and since there's only one power rack at the gym (and my gym has a ton of people who just randomly sit on stuff talking), I'm planning on going at 5am. Here's the suggestions from the strong lifts' site:
http://stronglifts.com/how-to-bench-press-safely-when-youre-alone/

I think I'm favoring the roll of shame myself. I don't really understand how you can set pins on the power rack to catch the weight if you're supposed to bench all the way to your chest. We'll see what I actually do.

palmerig88

I thought you could just tip the weight and let them fall off the bar...if things got really bad.

Bobby__Clerici

I thought you could just tip the weight and let them fall off the bar...if things got really bad.

Probably so, but guys have been killed not being quite fast enough.
It's risky.
And things bad happen fast.
It's a fool's game to play.

palmerig88

I thought you could just tip the weight and let them fall off the bar...if things got really bad.

Probably so, but guys have been killed not being quite fast enough.
It's risky.
And things bad happen fast.
It's a fool's game to play.

that's terrifying! Dudes better not bench press alone with free weights then!

LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo

Push-ups, chest dips & dumbbell bench presses.

SideSteel

I can think of two options:

1) DB pressing.
2) Know your limitations and leave 1 to 2 reps in the tank at all times.


I will ALWAYS get a spotter if I'm pushing anything around a 3 rep max or heavier, but if my training calls for something like a 5/5/5 day, I don't feel uncomfortable doing it w/o a spotter and just erring on the side of caution.

You really don't need to push to absolute failure in order to make gains.

sm1zzle

I saw two great alternatives already:

Smith machine or dumbbell press.

I do the dumbbell press and love it. You really isolate each pec muscle.

joejccva71

I do Power training with Dumbbells and Hypertrophy training (lighter obviously) with the Bar. The only time I get a spotter is for Power Squats.

AlsDonkBoxSquat

I can think of two options:

1) DB pressing.
2) Know your limitations and leave 1 to 2 reps in the tank at all times.


I will ALWAYS get a spotter if I'm pushing anything around a 3 rep max or heavier, but if my training calls for something like a 5/5/5 day, I don't feel uncomfortable doing it w/o a spotter and just erring on the side of caution.

You really don't need to push to absolute failure in order to make gains.

This, but if you still want to get that failure, on the last set do you presses then hop off the bench and hit the dirt until you're cashed. Safe is always better then sorry.

gp79

Having a spotter isn't necessary. If I were you I'd invest 1 day to learn your limits. Starting with the bar, do 12 reps. Add a little weight and do 12 more. Repeat a few times until you are coming close to failure around 8 reps, and like sidesteal said above, have 1 or 2 reps left in the tank. Using this weight, and reps, plug the data into a 1 rep max calculator online. Using your estimated 1RM you can start a program designed for linear progression such as Wendler 5/3/1.

lilpoindexter

I use dumb bells...The elbow has to make an awkward, un natural sweep when doing the bench press...it hurt my left elbow, so I've just done dumb bells. When you are done, you just let them drop on the floor.

Sarauk2sf

I can think of two options:

1) DB pressing.
2) Know your limitations and leave 1 to 2 reps in the tank at all times.


I will ALWAYS get a spotter if I'm pushing anything around a 3 rep max or heavier, but if my training calls for something like a 5/5/5 day, I don't feel uncomfortable doing it w/o a spotter and just erring on the side of caution.

You really don't need to push to absolute failure in order to make gains.

^^this.

If your gym has a power cage you can use that.

I get a spotter on my last BB set if I am doing very low reps but use DBs for incline as I do hyper range for these and I do not not want to keep bothering people to spot me.

Just in case, do not clamp the plates on BB bench so you can dump the weights if necesary.

DavPul

^^^What she said about the power rack. If your gym has one, use it.

Mighty_Rabite

Bench pressing can be done without a spotter (I have done so the last two times I've gone), but you definitely need to know your limits, and as previously stated, probably leave a rep or two out.

Dumbbells are a great alternative - that's what I've done in my sessions on incline bench press, since usually on incline with the barbell, I tend to run into failure a lot more suddenly than on bench press.