Terrified of the bench press.

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Polybius1981
Polybius1981 Posts: 16 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
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.
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Replies

  • jessef593
    jessef593 Posts: 2,272 Member
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    Okiludy wrote: »
    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 there
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
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    Okiludy wrote: »
    Bench with a spotter or in the power rack with safety rails.

    Just ask another in gym for a spot. Most will happily.

    Exactly this. Bench is a fun, beautifully technical lift. Just make sure you have safeties or a spotter.
  • jessef593
    jessef593 Posts: 2,272 Member
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    Willbenchforcupcakes wrote: »
    Okiludy wrote: »
    Bench with a spotter or in the power rack with safety rails.

    Just ask another in gym for a spot. Most will happily.

    Exactly this. Bench is a fun, beautifully technical lift. Just make sure you have safeties or a spotter.

    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.
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
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    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.
  • squatsnotsquat
    squatsnotsquat Posts: 29 Member
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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.
  • Rose18l
    Rose18l Posts: 147 Member
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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.
  • karsei01
    karsei01 Posts: 442 Member
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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
  • Mr_Healthy_Habits
    Mr_Healthy_Habits Posts: 12,588 Member
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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
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
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    jessef593 wrote: »
    Rose18l wrote: »
    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.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    Nama_Slay wrote: »
    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.

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