Barbelling-solo?

Pinkturnip
Pinkturnip Posts: 21 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have a weird question.

So I'm kinda new to strength training. I've been fit and athletic my whole life but I'm more into dancing and cardio than lifting weight. Anyway, I just recently discovered the wonders of strength training and shaping. For the most part I'm okay with dumbbells, kettles and machines but the barbell is a little weird for me.

Because I train very early in the morning usually there are no trainers around so I can't ask for help. When I'm lying on my back on the bench and pushing the barbell away from me I always worry it would fall on me. I go maximum 30kg and it's more than enough for me at this point.

Anyway what I do is I fold my knees and keep them folded while I press the barbell. I feel safer that way cuz when I'm tired I put the barbell on my knees or shins to take a break. This caused a few stares from people cuz I am aware I look really awkward doing it. Frankly I don't care as long as I'm feeling safe but I'm wondering if this position ruins the whole exercise point? Cuz I remember seeing a video where the trainer said my feet must be on the floor so I push properly. To be honest my feet doesn't even reach the floor properly (I'm kinda petite). Only my toes reach the floor so it's not that important, is it?

Replies

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Put plates on either side of the bench and put your feet on them. Resting the bar on your legs like that is not safe.
  • shor0814
    shor0814 Posts: 559 Member
    Feet on the floor (flat or tip toes), butt on the bench, head on the bench, and shoulders retracted is correct for a "strength training" bench press that includes leg drive. There are variants that you see where the legs are bent and placed on the bench bit this position takes away any leg drive.

    In your case you can either use the squat rack and safety pins (adjusting bench height with weights under the bench legs) or ask for a spotter. Place some large plates under your feet so you can get more foot on the ground.

    When I set safety pins I make sure the pins are just below my chest when I slightly arch my back but high enough that the par doesn't pin me when I flatten my back. I lift with a slight arch and if I have to fail a rep I drop flat on the bench and let the bar rest on the pins.

    I prefer safeties to spotters, most people are horrible spotters who can't resist giving you a hand and saying "it's all you" so I avoid them.

    Hope that helps.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    I agree, put the safeties high enough that you won't get pinned. Also, don't lift so heavy that you fear being pinned. Lift heavy enough that you are challenged, but don't lift to failure. Reset the bar when you need to rest, even if you don't complete the set.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    Have the safetis in place when you bench.

    A good program will have you using a useful intensity, not one that you will fail at.

    If you are tired, your programming should be adjusted so you are able to lift without needing to a break mid set.

    Some people bench off the balls of their feet and do well. I prefer to have my feet flat for many reasons, one being more surface area for leg drive.

    Is there a reason you don't ask one of the people who give you a stare for a spot?
  • Pinkturnip
    Pinkturnip Posts: 21 Member
    Oh ok... I'll try putting something under my feet I guess.

    But uh... what are safeties? hehe. Sorry might be a stupid question. I'm getting the impression there's some kind of item that works as a safety for bars you mean? I only saw an adjustable bench and a huge rack with two types of bars (straight bar and bars with bended parts or something).

    Chieflrg, I don't know. I just don't feel like I want to ask regular people there cuz I feel it will break my momentum anyway. It takes A LOT of energy to get up at 5 and go there at 6. I have a system and I feel if I stop and talk and think and adjust it will break my momentum and I hate that. I give myself the pep talk, I go in, do the rounds then leave and rinse and repeat. Don't want to waste time.

    I'm just worried cuz several times when I push the bar I feel my arms are shaky and it's kinda scary seeing the bar in front of my face like that.

    I'm following the Strong Curves program/book. I'm doing the final set of workouts for week 12 and it includes bigger weights and more exercises so I felt I needed to get this all cleared out before I try anything.
  • Pinkturnip
    Pinkturnip Posts: 21 Member
    Ok I just googled barbell safety and I found this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ru0scbx8DuI

    In the gym I go to there's an area with similar equipment like this... I think I saw just a bar and you can add the weight to it. I'm assuming this area has these safety things and there's another area with bars already glued to the weights.

    I'm assuming people use the glued weights cuz it's faster? But the adjustable ones are safer maybe?
  • shor0814
    shor0814 Posts: 559 Member
    Pinkturnip wrote: »
    Ok I just googled barbell safety and I found this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ru0scbx8DuI

    In the gym I go to there's an area with similar equipment like this... I think I saw just a bar and you can add the weight to it. I'm assuming this area has these safety things and there's another area with bars already glued to the weights.

    I'm assuming people use the glued weights cuz it's faster? But the adjustable ones are safer maybe?

    There are generally 3 types of safety systems for bench pressing. Two are shown in Omar's video above, the bench with adjustable safety arms (first one he shows) and the power rack (known by various names) with adjustable arms and adjustable hooks for the bar (2nd one he shows with the numbers on the uprights) and generally used for squatting. The power rack usually requires that you go find a bench and move it into place. The third is a fixed rack that you can sometimes make work with various bench heights since the safety arms are not adjustable.

    There is a 4th that I, personally, do not recommend; the smith machine. The smith looks like a squat rack but the bar is on a set of guides and can only move straight up and down and no back and forth or side to side movement allowed. Some believe that it is safer while most believe that the fixed bar path is awkward at best and dangerous at worst because you don't use the correct stabilizing muscles. If this is your one option, find a spotter.

    The bars you see with the fixed weights are generally narrower and won't fit in a rack or bench press station. They have various weights from around 10 lbs (5kg) to over 100 (45kg) in 5-10 lb (2.25-5 kg) increments. They can be used in a pinch if you have someone help you use them. The other bar is the olympic bar which is 45 lbs (20kg) and can be loaded with various plate weights in 5-90 lb (2.25-40 kg) increments depending on the available plates. You can't do much benching with an olympic bar if you can't comfortably bench 45 lbs (20kg). In you case you should be ok with the empty bar and maybe some small plates.

    As far as breaking momentum, how much does your momentum break when you worry about safely benching. If you have a safe bench with safeties you no longer have the concern of failure interrupting your concentration and you can focus on the lift. Same with a spotter (to varying degrees) at lower weights. Don't underestimate the power that full concentration can give you.
  • Pinkturnip
    Pinkturnip Posts: 21 Member
    Shor, thank you so much for the full explanation. That was seriously helpful.

    I haven't explored the gym fully yet. I was mainly focusing on the things I was using and I never paid attention to the strength training area. I'll check it out soon and see what options are there.

    I guess maybe I was feeling embarrassed asking someone to see me struggle with the weights maybe I don't know. I felt better doing it on my own. I don't really plan to go into body building but after doing strength training (kettles and weights) for a couple of weeks I really felt it shaped my upper body in a nice way. I hate bulking. I'm also petite. The only objective is to strengthen my body. I'm the type family members joke and mock being 'frail' that I can't pick up heavy suitcases or bags or carry chubby babies. I'm very good with cardio. I run really well and I'm very good with dancing and yoga but I'm the WORST in strength training. I don't think I'll be using the bar a lot aside from a couple of exercises per workout program. It's still good to know the safety bits though.

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