[1MOREMOD]

May help with arch or foot drive so stay planted on bench.

[zx10guy]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

May help with arch or foot drive so stay planted on bench.

Just that I've never seen anyone do benches this way. As I said, the amount of weight he was using on the bar does not match his body. His range of motion wasn't all that big either. When he did the 275 bench, he did arch his back to decrease the distance. The bar was set on the middle hooks and his grip was really wide where he was gripping a bit past the reference marks on the bar. I grip there and I'm 6'5". As I said, this guy is maybe 5'6" probably more 5'5" or 5'4".

[1MOREMOD]

Ask him for tips

[Oldgixxer]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

Ask him for tips

[JP10]

Lmao, he had an ab mat on the bench!? What a maniac. Yeah no idea what his intentions are. Agree with the above, maybe get some tips because he is way ahead of us hahaha

[1MOREMOD]

It could be a thing there is little guy at our gym that lifts some good numbers that does the same sometimes but also has a roll out thin rubber thing he uses and believe its for traction like I said at least for him.

[mdf]

Originally Posted by Angelo1

upper body working out next to you lifting more weight acting like the big guy and then you look at their legs.

There are a few guys like that at our gym, it seems like it's more popular with the college crowd. If I remember correctly Schwarzenegger called out these guys in his bodybuilding book. Someone I can't remember called the no leg day routine the "lightbulb" workout.

[mdf]

Theft. I was trying to rehab a shoulder injury and couldn't find a dumbbell lighter than 8. I asked the desk and they said it had all been stolen. Management eventually replaced them, one day there were all these shiny new 3# and 5# dbs, and within a week they were all gone again. It also happened with the 2.5# plates.

People who ask you how many sets you have left, while you are in the middle of doing a set. Especially if they get agitated when you don't immediately answer.

The guy who said “a million” when I asked him how many sets he had left on the one working leg extension machine in the gym.

The blasting-my-music people. The gym already has its music and advertising going, and the volume competition when multiple people bring in their iphone stereo boxes is beyond irritating. Also not fond of the girl who SINGS ALONG TO THE MUSIC IN HER HEADPHONES REALLY LOUDLY AND CAN'T SING.

[floridaorange]

Too many ppl and poor odor management, which is why I left LA Fitness to re-join the Ymca. Every Y is different, this one is nice and people there are chill. Much more balanced atmosphere then some of the other gyms I've been in with guys who think they are weight lifting Gods for no reason.

[F32Fleet]

Originally Posted by mdf

Theft. I was trying to rehab a shoulder injury and couldn't find a dumbbell lighter than 8. I asked the desk and they said it had all been stolen. Management eventually replaced them, one day there were all these shiny new 3# and 5# dbs, and within a week they were all gone again. It also happened with the 2.5# plates.

People who ask you how many sets you have left, while you are in the middle of doing a set. Especially if they get agitated when you don't immediately answer.

The guy who said “a million” when I asked him how many sets he had left on the one working leg extension machine in the gym.

The blasting-my-music people. The gym already has its music and advertising going, and the volume competition when multiple people bring in their iphone stereo boxes is beyond irritating. Also not fond of the girl who SINGS ALONG TO THE MUSIC IN HER HEADPHONES REALLY LOUDLY AND CAN'T SING.

I occasionally experience the between sets dancing singer around the platform-squat rack.

The dancing is annoying but the audacity of them thinking we want to hear their voice is too much.

[AustinZ4]

Snapchatting to poses in the gym mirror when it is the second in your life in the gym and your arms are as big as my wrist. WTF Mate.

[Lady Jane]

I'm here to work-out.

[e90335e36m3]

I don't get people who arch their back on bench to lift "more" weight. I know that's what power lifters do and all, but it's cheating IMO, reduces the total distance the weight has to travel. Let's see you lift the same weight with your back flat, then tell me your bench 1RM is 1000lbs. Nobody counts half a rep with a flat back, why should arched back get that benefit? It's like crossfitters who can do 75 kip ups but only 10 pull ups. Can someone explain?

[PittsDriver]

A 123 pages of reasons why I stopped going to the gym a long time ago and now use a personal training studio. A 30 minute session where it's all about time under tension until failure or 2 minutes. If I get to 2 minutes, we add more weight next time. 3x / week and cardio on my own time.

Just say no to that circus at the gym.

[JP10]

Originally Posted by e90335e36m3

I don't get people who arch their back on bench to lift "more" weight. I know that's what power lifters do and all, but it's cheating IMO, reduces the total distance the weight has to travel. Let's see you lift the same weight with your back flat, then tell me your bench 1RM is 1000lbs. Nobody counts half a rep with a flat back, why should arched back get that benefit? It's like crossfitters who can do 75 kip ups but only 10 pull ups. Can someone explain?

Proper form is weight of your body on your shoulders. Meaning your whole spine should not be in contact with the bench. That does not mean overexaggerate the arch to reduce the stroke - I've definitely seen this. Your ass should still be on the bench.

[zx10guy]

Originally Posted by e90335e36m3

I don't get people who arch their back on bench to lift "more" weight. I know that's what power lifters do and all, but it's cheating IMO, reduces the total distance the weight has to travel. Let's see you lift the same weight with your back flat, then tell me your bench 1RM is 1000lbs. Nobody counts half a rep with a flat back, why should arched back get that benefit? It's like crossfitters who can do 75 kip ups but only 10 pull ups. Can someone explain?

Originally Posted by JP10

Proper form is weight of your body on your shoulders. Meaning your whole spine should not be in contact with the bench. That does not mean overexaggerate the arch to reduce the stroke - I've definitely seen this. Your ass should still be on the bench.

The biggest offender I've seen of this is a girl that used to actually work for the gym. She's maybe 5'3 or 4 weighing in at maybe 120 or so. Watched her "bench" 185. Hand grip spread as far out as she can manage to still reach the bar. Back arched so high that the only part of her body contacting the bench is the top part of her shoulders/back of her neck. Range of motion is maybe a few inches. She gets these guys to spot her and not one of them say anything about her piss poor form.

I did get a chuckle when she attempted to do the same crap at the incline bench with 135. Can't arch your back enough to cheat on that one. Next thing I see is the weight down to 95.

I cringe with the thought of her ever providing any personal training to anyone.

[KevinC]

[JP10]

Originally Posted by zx10guy

The biggest offender I've seen of this is a girl that used to actually work for the gym. She's maybe 5'3 or 4 weighing in at maybe 120 or so. Watched her "bench" 185. Hand grip spread as far out as she can manage to still reach the bar. Back arched so high that the only part of her body contacting the bench is the top part of her shoulders/back of her neck. Range of motion is maybe a few inches. She gets these guys to spot her and not one of them say anything about her piss poor form.

I did get a chuckle when she attempted to do the same crap at the incline bench with 135. Can't arch your back enough to cheat on that one. Next thing I see is the weight down to 95.

I cringe with the thought of her ever providing any personal training to anyone.

Yeah there are some real abusers, for me the attached should be what your back position should look like. I think this guys grip can be wider, but depends what areas you want to work. Weight is on the shoulders, arched under the lower back, feet planted, ass on the bench.

[zx10guy]

Originally Posted by JP10

Yeah there are some real abusers, for me the attached should be what your back position should look like. I think this guys grip can be wider, but depends what areas you want to work. Weight is on the shoulders, arched under the lower back, feet planted, ass on the bench.

That's the way I'm on the bench. But at the beginning and end for isolation, I like to have my legs up in the air where my thighs are at a 90 degree angle to the bench and my knees are bent where the rest of my legs are parallel to the bench. Not sure if this is really wrong but I can really feel the isolation at my chest when doing this. I also do pause reps when I have my legs in this position.

[JP10]

Originally Posted by zx10guy

That's the way I'm on the bench. But at the beginning and end for isolation, I like to have my legs up in the air where my thighs are at a 90 degree angle to the bench and my knees are bent where the rest of my legs are parallel to the bench. Not sure if this is really wrong but I can really feel the isolation at my chest when doing this. I also do pause reps when I have my legs in this position.

Oh yeah for isolation what you're doing there is the move. I don't go for heavy weight anymore so I just ensure I am stabilized across the board. On DB presses I often have my legs up as you describe, just because it is easier for me to throw the 80s back and to get up afterwards lol.

[UncleWede]

My lower back never hurt with my knees parallel to bench surface. Any other way and I hurt
Nowadays I can only do decline because of the shoulder spur, so most of my chest work is hands below the chest on some sort of machine

[e90335e36m3]

Originally Posted by JP10

Proper form is weight of your body on your shoulders. Meaning your whole spine should not be in contact with the bench. That does not mean overexaggerate the arch to reduce the stroke - I've definitely seen this. Your ass should still be on the bench.

This is the kind of bench that really grinds my gears. "240lbs". Still super strong for someone that age it has to be said.