What Are Your Gym/Fitness/Routine Moans?
Discussion
ORD said:
V8mate said:
Is my take too. I only ever use it for lighter weight AMRAP/shoulder exhaustion at the end of shoulder day. It's a proper 'core dodger' of a machine.
With regard to bench press, I can see how it might mimic a competition press, which is simply a 'shortest path from A to B' movement.
But for those of us who weight train for 'pleasure' - and I gladly caveat this with #IMO and #BroScience, as I'm no expert - in order to stop elbows flaring and potential damage to the rotator cuff during the press, I want a slight arc in the bar path on a bench press. A Smith machine would prevent the natural movement of the ball socket.
Given it's a machine I'd never queue for, I couldn't give a stuff what other people do on it though
A SM press is nothing like a competition bench press. The best benchers push the bar towards their face as early as they can in the movement, having touched fairly low on the chest, giving the bar anything but a straight path. With regard to bench press, I can see how it might mimic a competition press, which is simply a 'shortest path from A to B' movement.
But for those of us who weight train for 'pleasure' - and I gladly caveat this with #IMO and #BroScience, as I'm no expert - in order to stop elbows flaring and potential damage to the rotator cuff during the press, I want a slight arc in the bar path on a bench press. A Smith machine would prevent the natural movement of the ball socket.
Given it's a machine I'd never queue for, I couldn't give a stuff what other people do on it though
Oddly enough, I flare my elbows, and touch high up the chest- way more pec involvement, so more growth- which is the reason most bench in the gym. Got me 200kg doing it that way- tucked elbows/low chest felt 'off' to me.
The smith is great for focusing on the pecs. Also the quads it you take a stance in front of the bar- makes it like a hack.
The smith is great for focusing on the pecs. Also the quads it you take a stance in front of the bar- makes it like a hack.
Zod said:
Surely you get the point of doing free weights?
yesin a press, the bar moves up, and if stuff is in the way, you move it, not the bar.
in the bench, there's nothing in the way, so no need to move anything. The smith makes this easier, if you don't have the balance muscles to do the job, it's good for overload.
some people do like the 'drift'
https://www.elitefts.com/education/watch-table-tal...
V8mate said:
You're picking me up on something which wasn't the point of my post; focusing on a throwaway comment.
You do it all the time: you ignore what people are actually trying to say in your desperation to find fault with them.
No desperation here. You said something incorrect. I corrected it. You have bizarrely taken that personally. You do it all the time: you ignore what people are actually trying to say in your desperation to find fault with them.
V8mate said:
Is my take too. I only ever use it for lighter weight AMRAP/shoulder exhaustion at the end of shoulder day. It's a proper 'core dodger' of a machine.
With regard to bench press, I can see how it might mimic a competition press, which is simply a 'shortest path from A to B' movement.
But for those of us who weight train for 'pleasure' - and I gladly caveat this with #IMO and #BroScience, as I'm no expert - in order to stop elbows flaring and potential damage to the rotator cuff during the press, I want a slight arc in the bar path on a bench press. A Smith machine would prevent the natural movement of the ball socket.
Given it's a machine I'd never queue for, I couldn't give a stuff what other people do on it though
If you’re worried about natural movement during the bench press, dumbbells are better as a barbell and smith restrict your hands from getting closer together at the top of the movement. I was reading some comments by Layne Norton who was saying he never benches with a barbell anymore because of injuries he’s had and only ever does dumbbells now I believe.With regard to bench press, I can see how it might mimic a competition press, which is simply a 'shortest path from A to B' movement.
But for those of us who weight train for 'pleasure' - and I gladly caveat this with #IMO and #BroScience, as I'm no expert - in order to stop elbows flaring and potential damage to the rotator cuff during the press, I want a slight arc in the bar path on a bench press. A Smith machine would prevent the natural movement of the ball socket.
Given it's a machine I'd never queue for, I couldn't give a stuff what other people do on it though
Regiment said:
If you’re worried about natural movement during the bench press, dumbbells are better as a barbell and smith restrict your hands from getting closer together at the top of the movement. I was reading some comments by Layne Norton who was saying he never benches with a barbell anymore because of injuries he’s had and only ever does dumbbells now I believe.
That's really interesting. It took me several years to really refine my bench pressing (both barbell and dumbbell) - not helped by rotator cuff buggeration during that time - and I must say that, now I've 'got it sussed' I certainly feel like I gain a lot more from the dumbbells - both during the lifts and in the repair/growth period thereafter. As you say, the 'pinch' at the top of the press is so much more pronounced with dumbbells.And there's not a huge difference in weight performance either. For full sets of 8 reps, my max is probably about 90kg with the bar and 42 (poss 44) with the dumbbells.
V8mate said:
That's really interesting. It took me several years to really refine my bench pressing (both barbell and dumbbell) - not helped by rotator cuff buggeration during that time - and I must say that, now I've 'got it sussed' I certainly feel like I gain a lot more from the dumbbells - both during the lifts and in the repair/growth period thereafter. As you say, the 'pinch' at the top of the press is so much more pronounced with dumbbells.
And there's not a huge difference in weight performance either. For full sets of 8 reps, my max is probably about 90kg with the bar and 42 (poss 44) with the dumbbells.
The problem with DBs is getting them into position without doing yourself an injury!And there's not a huge difference in weight performance either. For full sets of 8 reps, my max is probably about 90kg with the bar and 42 (poss 44) with the dumbbells.
popeyewhite said:
Dumbbells activate more muscle fibres than a bar on all three chest presses AFAICR. I only do flat now but it's my staple chest lift every time.
yeah, DBs are most probably the best kit for aesthetics and (relative) strength, if you're not chasing numbers, they have it over BB for me, safer too.I can recall the older BBers loving DBs over BBs.
ORD said:
The problem with DBs is getting them into position without doing yourself an injury!
Definitely. I can't lay back with the big ones at my shoulders and press out.I sit with them on my knees, then 'fall' backwards without changing my position, i.e. the weights stay sitting on my knees until the DBs are at full lock above me. Then drop my legs back down.
Looks a bit funny but does the job.
popeyewhite said:
Dumbbells activate more muscle fibres than a bar on all three chest presses AFAICR. I only do flat now but it's my staple chest lift every time.
This may well be the case weight for weight- but most can load the bar up much heavier than DB's they can handle, so not sure if it applies so much? (I'm just working by assumptions however)ORD said:
The problem with DBs is getting them into position without doing yourself an injury!
As long as someone is nearby to place one on your knee it's OK. You need to make sure when you drop back to the bench the majority of the weight is resting on your chest, not on your front delt though or it's goodnight Vienna to your rotator cuff.popeyewhite said:
As long as someone is nearby to place one on your knee it's OK. You need to make sure when you drop back to the bench the majority of the weight is resting on your chest, not on your front delt though or it's goodnight Vienna to your rotator cuff.
Exactly this. Given that I workout alone, DB bench press is just too damn risky. A shame because I do quite like it. I slightly prefer football bar bench press, however, which has a lot of the benefits of DBs without the risk of shoulder death during the set up.didelydoo said:
This may well be the case weight for weight- but most can load the bar up much heavier than DB's they can handle, so not sure if it applies so much? (I'm just working by assumptions however)
Yep, most can outright lift heavier with the barbell, but I think this is because it's an easier lift (less balance) and the leverage is slightly different (hands pushing out). I wonder what the difference in weight would be if you could find a barbell weight that would activate the same number of fibres...or is it even possible? How would you hit centre chest with a standard barbell grip? Having said that I've noticed barbell grip trend is getting narrower but you can't squeeeeze in, that's the problem.ORD said:
popeyewhite said:
As long as someone is nearby to place one on your knee it's OK. You need to make sure when you drop back to the bench the majority of the weight is resting on your chest, not on your front delt though or it's goodnight Vienna to your rotator cuff.
Exactly this. Given that I workout alone, DB bench press is just too damn risky. A shame because I do quite like it. I slightly prefer football bar bench press, however, which has a lot of the benefits of DBs without the risk of shoulder death during the set up.Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff