Re: how to increase bench press without a spotter?
If I don't have a spotter, ask someone else who's working out to spot you (when it looks like they're free/resting, not while they're in the middle of doing something). Most people will be willing. No one's ever said 'no' to me.
Last edited by Endorphin Junky; 04-19-2004 at 09:11 AM.
Re: how to increase bench press without a spotter?
Same here. But if you simply don't have anyone around, dumbells are safer since all you have to do is guide them away from your body/head and let them drop (though still good to have a spotter if someone's around, just in case failure excludes the possibility of moving the dumbells to a safe distance).
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Keep your body lean, your blood clean and your mind sharp. -Rollins
Re: how to increase bench press without a spotter?
I never use a spotter and chest is really the only thing I'd need one on so I do them with dumbells and can easily go to failure without a spotter. Try holding that last rep up a portion of the way and pushing as hard as you can to get it up for as long as you can and tell me that isn't working the muscle as hard or harder than it is using a spotter. As far as I'm concerned unless you're in danger of having weight fall on you and not being able to get it up then a spotter is just an unnecessary crutch.
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Keep Pumping...see what happens
Re: how to increase bench press without a spotter?
I work out at home and never have a spotter. You dont really need to go failure. Just do reps until you know you can only do one more then just do that last one and put it up on the rack. Just do an extra set to compensate for not going to failure.
Re: how to increase bench press without a spotter?
see the problem is i do do dumbbell presses but as the weight is steadily progressing i am worried i will get to the point where i can no longer lift the dumbbells off the ground to get into press form. i mean eventually you will have no choice but to use the barbell when you get into really really heavy weights right?
Re: how to increase bench press without a spotter?
not necessarily. Unless you're lifting heavier than they have dumbells for. Part of the point of using dumbells is to strengthen all the stabilizers at the same pace as larger muscle groups, which I think is very beneficial. There's a guy at my gym that will put up the 120 lb dumbells all day. It's sick... and awesome. But I know some places (home gyms) just don't have dumbells that heavy, so you just have to be keenly aware of your limits with the barbell or borrow someone to hang out for a while.
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Keep your body lean, your blood clean and your mind sharp. -Rollins
Re: how to increase bench press without a spotter?
I am in the same position as jaalfer working out at home. So I do the same thing when working with the barbell. Never to failure. Did that one time and nearly had a serious accident. Never again. However with dumbbells, I can do these to failure. With shoulder dbl presses, it is singlehanded with the other arm "spotting" if need be.
Re: how to increase bench press without a spotter?
I never really went to failure when I went for strength believe it or not. I did 5 sets of 10 with 275, the next month it was 5 sets of 10 with 315. try a different rep scheme to stiulate a little bit.
talk to ya later
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Each Rep Is Right, Each Set Right, Each Workout Right, Each Meal Right And Each Night's Sleep Right
Re: how to increase bench press without a spotter?
I never really went to failure when I went for strength believe it or not. I did 5 sets of 10 with 275, the next month it was 5 sets of 10 with 315. try a different rep scheme to stimulate a little bit. Well, I guess the 5th set would be to failure, but you know what I mean.
talk to ya later
__________________
Each Rep Is Right, Each Set Right, Each Workout Right, Each Meal Right And Each Night's Sleep Right
Re: how to increase bench press without a spotter?
My BF told me to use the Smith machine for doing presses, b/c I was doing DB presses and it was getting to the point where I couldn't safely do the weights by myself anymore. Maybe the Smith machine is something to consider?
But I know some places (home gyms) just don't have dumbells that heavy, so you just have to be keenly aware of your limits with the barbell or borrow someone to hang out for a while.
