Terrified of the bench press.
Polybius1981
Posts: 16 Member
Hey guys,
So I'm about 30 days into the gym, finally starting to get a routine going and I'm really wanting to try the bench press, but if I'm honest, it scares the crap out of me.
Until now I've primarily been doing DB Press and chest press (machine) to sort of make up for it but does anyone have any suggestions on where to start with the bench press?
I don't have anyone I go to the gym with and I'm worried about hurting myself with it.
Thanks in advance.
So I'm about 30 days into the gym, finally starting to get a routine going and I'm really wanting to try the bench press, but if I'm honest, it scares the crap out of me.
Until now I've primarily been doing DB Press and chest press (machine) to sort of make up for it but does anyone have any suggestions on where to start with the bench press?
I don't have anyone I go to the gym with and I'm worried about hurting myself with it.
Thanks in advance.
2
Replies
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Bench with a spotter or in the power rack with safety rails.
Just ask another in gym for a spot. Most will happily.5 -
Bench with a spotter or in the power rack with safety rails.
Just ask another in gym for a spot. Most will happily.
This.
Also it's the need to go to failure and lift heavier weight than necessary that really increases the chance of injury. If you practice form with a light enough load and learn the proper techniques. Alan Thrall on YouTube has very good videos on it.
Another aspect will be developing your confidence. Bench press is a unique lift considering everything involved when doing it properly.
Just make sure you start light and work yourself up from there4 -
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Start with the empty bar, work on your form until you are comfortable and slowly add weight.
No harm doing things safely and taking it slow.8 -
It might also be worth trying it with dumbbells instead of a barbell. You can't get stuck underneath or end up with a bar across your throat because you can drop them to the side if need be.5
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Willbenchforcupcakes wrote: »
It is truly beautiful for how technical it is and damn does it feel good when your cues are on point haha.
Yep just either use a spotter or spotter bars in a power rack.1 -
There are lots of videos about proper form to be found on YouTube. Read, watch, learn. That's what I did in order not to be intimidated by lifting. Also, start small. Trying to lift too much is a great way to injure yourself.
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Start light. If you've gone so light that you can do like 20 reps per set, go up weight. Keep doing this until you've found the weight where you can't do more than 10 reps per set. I usually don't have a spotter in the gym, and I don't usually go to complete failure. I go to the rep just before the rep where I think I'd need help, and then stop. But I do recommend trying it with a spotter the first few times until you know what the rep before failure feels like. Then you can finish out your workout with dumbell flys, pec deck, other exercises that don't require a spotter.3
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Just as others have said, start light - with just the bar if necessary - and work your way up. Stay several reps away from failure if you don't have a spotter or safety bars.
OTOH, there's absolutely nothing wrong with substituting DB press for bench press, unless you have a goal of becoming a powerlifter, where bench press is a necessary lift.5 -
Learn how to do the roll of shame so you can ditch safely when it gets to heavy. Also bench wothout collars so you can slide the weight off. Youtube has a video by candito how to bench safely, it is very informative. For me this helped out with my confidence because I knew I would always be able to get out safely. Also go light get the technique down and work from there. Most gym goers are friendly enough to give you a spot if they are asked. Usually I get a spotter on my last heavy set.4
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I dreaded the bench for years, but started lifting 6 months ago, and really love it.
Just do it light enough that you could probably do one more, power cage can be used and drop the collars on the side of the bar so you just can tilt it to unload the weigth
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Learn how to do the roll of shame so you can ditch safely when it gets to heavy. Also bench wothout collars so you can slide the weight off. Youtube has a video by candito how to bench safely, it is very informative. For me this helped out with my confidence because I knew I would always be able to get out safely. Also go light get the technique down and work from there. Most gym goers are friendly enough to give you a spot if they are asked. Usually I get a spotter on my last heavy set.
I'd be careful with no collars especially if he doesn't have the proper form. I've been hit by a bae and plate because some kid loaded up the sides wrong and it flipped off into me. Same thing almost happened 2 weeks ago when another kid was attempting to do disc herniation squats and the bar flipped over at me because of no clips.6 -
Learn how to do the roll of shame so you can ditch safely when it gets to heavy. Also bench wothout collars so you can slide the weight off. Youtube has a video by candito how to bench safely, it is very informative. For me this helped out with my confidence because I knew I would always be able to get out safely. Also go light get the technique down and work from there. Most gym goers are friendly enough to give you a spot if they are asked. Usually I get a spotter on my last heavy set.
I'd be careful with no collars especially if he doesn't have the proper form. I've been hit by a bae and plate because some kid loaded up the sides wrong and it flipped off into me. Same thing almost happened 2 weeks ago when another kid was attempting to do disc herniation squats and the bar flipped over at me because of no clips.
Sounds more like a case of bad ego lifting than the collars being the problem.
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Start with warm up sets and build up from there...
Also, check out this video, Athlean x is the best... I recommend his channel!
https://youtu.be/vthMCtgVtFw 4 -
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Learn how to do the roll of shame so you can ditch safely when it gets to heavy. Also bench wothout collars so you can slide the weight off. Youtube has a video by candito how to bench safely, it is very informative. For me this helped out with my confidence because I knew I would always be able to get out safely. Also go light get the technique down and work from there. Most gym goers are friendly enough to give you a spot if they are asked. Usually I get a spotter on my last heavy set.
I'd be careful with no collars especially if he doesn't have the proper form. I've been hit by a bae and plate because some kid loaded up the sides wrong and it flipped off into me. Same thing almost happened 2 weeks ago when another kid was attempting to do disc herniation squats and the bar flipped over at me because of no clips.
Sounds more like a case of bad ego lifting than the collars being the problem.
Oh it 100% is and believe me with that kid on squats I tore a strip off him. Saying that his attempts to impress are going to end up hurting himself or another.
I'm just saying for someone unfamiliar with the lift none the less dumping the weights. It might be better to keep the clips on for the time being. But I definitely see what you're saying. Just two different opinions is all6 -
Polybius1981 wrote: »Hey guys,
So I'm about 30 days into the gym, finally starting to get a routine going and I'm really wanting to try the bench press, but if I'm honest, it scares the crap out of me.
Until now I've primarily been doing DB Press and chest press (machine) to sort of make up for it but does anyone have any suggestions on where to start with the bench press?
I don't have anyone I go to the gym with and I'm worried about hurting myself with it.
Thanks in advance.
I bench alone, without a spotter usually, I use the Smith Machine, slide a bench under it, and press away!9 -
Learn how to do the roll of shame so you can ditch safely when it gets to heavy. Also bench wothout collars so you can slide the weight off. Youtube has a video by candito how to bench safely, it is very informative. For me this helped out with my confidence because I knew I would always be able to get out safely. Also go light get the technique down and work from there. Most gym goers are friendly enough to give you a spot if they are asked. Usually I get a spotter on my last heavy set.
I'd be careful with no collars especially if he doesn't have the proper form. I've been hit by a bae and plate because some kid loaded up the sides wrong and it flipped off into me. Same thing almost happened 2 weeks ago when another kid was attempting to do disc herniation squats and the bar flipped over at me because of no clips.
Are you sure they are just trying to kill you?
Honestly, I would be steering clear of the equipment while these morons are lifting. When I see someone who is doing crazy stuff I stand back a good way because you never know when things are going to start flying. 2 -
Polybius1981 wrote: »Hey guys,
So I'm about 30 days into the gym, finally starting to get a routine going and I'm really wanting to try the bench press, but if I'm honest, it scares the crap out of me.
Until now I've primarily been doing DB Press and chest press (machine) to sort of make up for it but does anyone have any suggestions on where to start with the bench press?
I don't have anyone I go to the gym with and I'm worried about hurting myself with it.
Thanks in advance.
I bench alone, without a spotter usually, I use the Smith Machine, slide a bench under it, and press away!
That can work, but not ideal, as the path of the bar on a smith machine is fixed, and not quite the proper plane of movment for the benchpress. You have to be careful not to set up properly so the bar will hit the bottom of your chest, meaning you will be further under the bar than eye level like the video above.3 -
Thanks guys, tons of useful info here. I'll give it a try and ease myself into it on my next workout. Let you know how it all goes.
Thanks again!1 -
Polybius1981 wrote: »Thanks guys, tons of useful info here. I'll give it a try and ease myself into it on my next workout. Let you know how it all goes.
Thanks again!
Good luck and have fun. My only advice really would be don't use suicide grip and keep your head behind the bars so that even if you drop it you won't hit your head or neck. Other than that just don't over do it and use a spotter when in doubt and you'll be fine.0 -
Start with the bar...add weight from there as possible. If you don't clip the weights, you can easily tilt/dump the bar if you need to escape from it.0
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DB presses are waaaaay more scary than the bar.
Just ask someone for a spot; I've never heard anyone refuse. Often, the front desk people will spot if it isn't busy...and it might be less awkward than asking a stranger.0 -
MistressSara wrote: »Don’t put clips on. You can dump the weight if you have to.
This is a common suggestion but it doesn't work in practice.
If you are benching alone, fail and can't lift the bar, what makes you think that you'll have enough strength to tip up the bar so that 1/2 of the weights fall off?
Just think of the mechanics of this.
You have to use one hand as a fulcrum and then push the bar up w/your other hand with ALL of the weight still on the bar until 1/2 of the weight on the lower end falls off (which isn't guaranteed because they could get stuck) and then, assuming the weights on the low side fall off, reverse the movement to push the weightless side up to flip the bar off your body.
If you are totally spent having failed a rep, it's highly unlikely that you'd have enough strength to do this w/o the help of a spotter.
I've actually tried doing the no-collar routine by myself in my rack at home w/the safety bars placed right at my neck and it is much easier said than done.
The ONLY way to safely bench alone is with the assistance of properly positioned safety bars in a rack or attached to a bench or separately placed safety bar towers.
Please don't try to do it alone otherwise.
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No, dumping a bar is easy.
You are tipping it one way and you only have to lift half the weight on the bar.
You can PULL with one hand and push with the other
Do not use collars or spring clips when benching!
You would not and could not dump a bar if you had safety bars in place.
Dumping a bar is only done when you have no safety bars or other safety stands in the way.
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I never bench with collars alone. I have never had to dump the weights but have done the roll of shame a few times. It is just one more safety measure to have in place. If you are not strong enough to press only the bar you should do dumbbell presses until you can press only the bar for at least 10 reps and maybe more. The bar only should not scare you at all.
Oh on safety, never use a suicide grip. That is when you don't fully grasp the bar and use an open hand press. Some bros think this lets them push more. It might but it is also easier to lose control and have a bar smash your neck.1 -
MistressSara wrote: »Don’t put clips on. You can dump the weight if you have to.
This is a common suggestion but it doesn't work in practice.
If you are benching alone, fail and can't lift the bar, what makes you think that you'll have enough strength to tip up the bar so that 1/2 of the weights fall off?
Just think of the mechanics of this.
You have to use one hand as a fulcrum and then push the bar up w/your other hand with ALL of the weight still on the bar until 1/2 of the weight on the lower end falls off (which isn't guaranteed because they could get stuck) and then, assuming the weights on the low side fall off, reverse the movement to push the weightless side up to flip the bar off your body.
If you are totally spent having failed a rep, it's highly unlikely that you'd have enough strength to do this w/o the help of a spotter.
I've actually tried doing the no-collar routine by myself in my rack at home w/the safety bars placed right at my neck and it is much easier said than done.
The ONLY way to safely bench alone is with the assistance of properly positioned safety bars in a rack or attached to a bench or separately placed safety bar towers.
Please don't try to do it alone otherwise.
I will agree with most of this but as someone who is only alive because they didn't use collars I'll disagree with that part. I've had 225 on my throat once and only the fact that I never lift with collars actually saved me. Yeah, I was stupid to get to that point but collars would have killed me so I'll have to say that it works in practice.0 -
I never bench with collars alone. I have never had to dump the weights but have done the roll of shame a few times. It is just one more safety measure to have in place. If you are not strong enough to press only the bar you should do dumbbell presses until you can press only the bar for at least 10 reps and maybe more. The bar only should not scare you at all.
Oh on safety, never use a suicide grip. That is when you don't fully grasp the bar and use an open hand press. Some bros think this lets them push more. It might but it is also easier to lose control and have a bar smash your neck.
Yeah, you can just go on YouTube and watch the fails on the suicide grip, they aren't pretty and some of them are from veteran powerlifters in competitions so anyone can crush themselves no matter who they are.0
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