14 lb per month of lockdown (benchpress)

[Fluidic Kimbo]

Well, hopefully he is doing it in a squat rack with support braces but i wouldnt put it past him

The flat benchpress in my gym has a supporting beam on each side that I can set to an inch above my chest. So even if the bar comes crashing down it will bounch off the support beams.

[Honkey_Kong]

The flat benchpress in my gym has a supporting beam on each side that I can set to an inch above my chest. So even if the bar comes crashing down it will bounch off the support beams.

Why don't you just ask somebody to spot you? Or I'm sure there are other people wanting to use the bench too. Why not offer to let them "work in" with you? Then you can spot each other.

[Fluidic Kimbo]

Why don't you just ask somebody to spot you? Or I'm sure there are other people wanting to use the bench too. Why not offer to let them "work in" with you? Then you can spot each other.

I used to occasionally ask for a spot when I lived in Asia but now I just work out by myself. I don't need a spot anymore for two reasons:
(1) The flat bench in my gym has supporting beams either side; the weight I can lift up out of the stirrup is greater than the weight I can actually lower to my chest and push back up. So I never need to ask anyone to help me lift the bar out.
(2) If I'm sitting and want to do shoulder dumbells like this:



Then I rest the dumbell on my knee and then I shove my leg upwards to bring the dumbell to the start position. Again, the weight that I can 'knee' up into position is greater than the weight I can push up with my shoulders, so I never need a spot.

These were the only two exercises I ever needed help with. Now I don't need a spot.

Anyway I did chest again 2 days ago, and I did the same thing: I loaded 100kg on the bar, lifted it out of the stirrup, and tried to slowly lower it down to my chest. I was able to do it twice before I was too weak to lift it out of the stirrup. Then I lowered the weight and again did negatives. When I got to 60kg, I did normal bench press for a few sets.

So that's 2 weeks in a row I've done heavy negatives for flat bench. Next week I'm going to do a light warm-up and then put 90kg on the bar and try to do 1 rep with it. (Before lockdown I was able to do 92.5kg).
af

[Honkey_Kong]

I used to occasionally ask for a spot when I lived in Asia but now I just work out by myself. I don't need a spot anymore for two reasons:
(1) The flat bench in my gym has supporting beams either side; the weight I can lift up out of the stirrup is greater than the weight I can actually lower to my chest and push back up. So I never need to ask anyone to help me lift the bar out.
(2) If I'm sitting and want to do shoulder dumbells like this:



Then I rest the dumbell on my knee and then I shove my leg upwards to bring the dumbell to the start position. Again, the weight that I can 'knee' up into position is greater than the weight I can push up with my shoulders, so I never need a spot.

These were the only two exercises I ever needed help with. Now I don't need a spot.

Anyway I did chest again 2 days ago, and I did the same thing: I loaded 100kg on the bar, lifted it out of the stirrup, and tried to slowly lower it down to my chest. I was able to do it twice before I was too weak to lift it out of the stirrup. Then I lowered the weight and again did negatives. When I got to 60kg, I did normal bench press for a few sets.

So that's 2 weeks in a row I've done heavy negatives for flat bench. Next week I'm going to do a light warm-up and then put 90kg on the bar and try to do 1 rep with it. (Before lockdown I was able to do 92.5kg).
af

Ok whatever. But when you don't use the full range of motion, you're only cheating yourself.

[Fluidic Kimbo]

Ok whatever. But when you don't use the full range of motion, you're only cheating yourself.

Dunno what you're talking about here. Are you saying I need a spotter in order to do a full range of motion?

[wango]

Ok whatever. But when you don't use the full range of motion, you're only cheating yourself.

Guessing one or both of your shoulders are still completely intact. When that changes your mind-set on chest and shoulder workouts will change regarding ROM.