So im home now for christmas and I finally have access to a power rack. I dont have a spotter and im getting sick of dumbbells. I thought I might try some bottom position bench presses in the power rack. Im fully aware I will get some strange looks, but I wanted to make sure I know what im doing before I try this.
How far do I set the pins off my chest? What type of weight (%1rm) and reps should I use? Normally ive been doing 5x5 with the first two sets being warm-ups. Would this work well alternating with a Westside type speed bench day?
How far do I set the pins off my chest?What do you want to work? Generally, closer to the chest emphasizes the chest (initial push off), while farther from the chest works more triceps (lockout).Would this work well alternating with a Westside type speed bench day? Sure. But then I would set the pins at one point and work to a PR. After the PR, either move the pins up or down for the next week....and drop the exercise entirely after a month to max on something else.
ttt
i am not making fun of you, but bottom position bench presses are mentioned in bodybuilding magazines and also in questionable mags such as Muscle Media etc...So don't be surprised if there are others that know about it, but don't practice it. But if you wanna start from bottom position, use just the bar and lower it to where you wanna start from- bottom position. Since it's light look left and right to where you can put the pins. place pins. you are ready.
now here is a tip for safety in solo-training: pick a weight you can do for example 10 reps. Don't do it for 10 reps because you will need the strength/energy to re-rack the bar. Do it for 5 reps or for 7 reps. Get the picture? So if you wanna do 10 reps, drop weight to something you can do for 12 reps or 15 reps. Been solo-training for over 10 yrs and had to learn the hard way. So I presented you a tip I learned along the way.
lock out are what im having trouble with. Normally if I miss a lift I miss it by only a few inches. Just looking to try something different for a few weeks. Thanks for the feedback
Working bottom position bench off pins will work with as an ME movement if you are using WSB methods. It is one of the many bench variation used. If you are using WSB, you will only bench off pins for a few weeks then change to another variation. To work start of bench set the pins so the bar is just off your chest, maybe an inch. At the botom of the movement you should let the pins take the weight off your hands, pause, then push. Although your are not supporting the weight, maintain your body ostion: elbows in, shoulder blades squeezed together, back arch. This works starting strength because you are breaking the stretch/reflex you gain while lowering a weight. If you are having trouble with lockouts set the pins with the bar at the middle of the movement. Again, 'unload' your hands at the bottom of movement, pause and push. Train as you fight. D-Rex
"i am not making fun of you, but bottom position bench presses are mentioned in bodybuilding magazines and also in questionable mags such as Muscle Media etc..."
Are you suggesting that doing bench presses off the pins from a dead stop in the low position is an ineffective method to increase your starting strength or are you suggesting that doing pause reps without pins and without a spotter in solo training is potentially dangerous? Please elaborate.
Muscle Media also mentions squats, deadlifts, bent over rows, etc... Does that mean these exercises are ineffective too? I am confused.