The 4 rules of bench pressing without a spotter.
Bench press that doesn t need a spotter.
If you can t finish a rep you can either sit up with the dumbbells or lower them slowly one at a time to the floor.
Focus is also important while lifting to keep your safe.
This is especially true is you re bench pressing heavier weights because you ll probably die and i m guessing you don t want to die.
If the bar slips from your hands during the lift the loaded barbell can fall on your face throat or chest ending your life relatively quickly.
Seriously though if you can t barbell bench press because you either don t have a spotter or don t have the right equipment just switch to the dumbbell press.
Of all the main barbell lifts the bench press is the most dangerous.
You can avoid the situation entirely by pressing dumbbells instead like we discussed last week or by using a machine that mimics the bench press movement like a smith machine or a chest press.
As a random who doesn t know you i really don t mind.
If you don t have a spotter you might head straight to the smith machine to bench press.
This would involve protocols of using 15 20 more weight than your raw bench press for the same number of reps.
If you re bench pressing without a spotter it s pretty much game over when you get stuck under the bar.
Or let s say you don t drop the bar but can t lift it up after it touches your chest.
I m not going to help you lift more because the rep doesn t count if i touch it but i ll make sure you don t die.
There are some case when there is a need of spotter like if any one doing exercise till the failure at end to complete quality range of motion you need spotter.
Bench in the power rack.
You don t required spotter if you are lifting 70 75 of your 1 rep max.
You might feel a sense of over confidence because you re handling loads you aren t normally able to use when benching raw.
Ask for a spot.
But ever wonder why it s so much easier to bench heavy weight on it than it is with a standard barbell.