For those of you who do dumbbell bench press and similar lifts

do you find that its very hard to get the dumbbells into a starting position? i work out on my own and it would be very useful to have a training partner so he could put the dumbbells in my hands.

i dont do dumbbell bench press for this reason. i just about got the 20kg dumbbells into their starting positions. i could bench press them easily (too easily really) but the hard part is getting them into a position to be able to lift. who else finds this?

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Reply 1

IGregg

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 2

Planto

Sit upright at the end of the bench, stand up with them and heave them onto your lap as you sit back down. Then just lie back, kick them up a little and bend your arms at the elbow. They'll naturally fall onto your chest. Lifting off your chest in the first place is harder than the first few reps, but if you can't do that then they're probably going to be too heavy for you to get more than 3 or 4 reps out of anyway.

That's how I do it anyway.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 3

Gowrav

Original post by robotwars

Not really. The only thing I find hard is the first rep (due to the starting position), I can manage 32.5kg by myself at the moment. Why don't you just ask someone there to spot you? I started doing that very recently and believe me it is good. Wish I had a training partner though, then I could get spotted for everything

Reply 4

Gowrav

Original post by Planto

Sit upright at the end of the bench and heave them onto your lap one at a time. Then just lie back and bend your arms at the elbow. They'll naturally fall onto your chest. Lifting off your chest in the first place is harder than the first few reps, but if you can't do that then they're probably going to be too heavy for you to get more than 3 or 4 reps out of anyway.

That's how I do it anyway.

Snap, I do this as well. I hate the first rep :biggrin:

Reply 5

DdotT

i know what you mean, i usually do decline DB press and i heave the weights onto my lap then lie backwards holding the dumbbells up like weighted crunches then move them into starting position. Never had problems with this method, but i don't go over 20 max in each hand.

Reply 6

Powerlifter

Original post by IGregg

Biggest load of **** ever, lets see him do it with a pair of 80kg dumbbells!

Reply 7

mirin?

Nah its cool, ain't nothin but a peanut!

Reply 8

Resu Eman

Original post by Powerlifter

Biggest load of **** ever, lets see him do it with a pair of 80kg dumbbells!

Reply 9

rupertbright

200lb is just ridiculous, Ronnies balls must be the size of peas the amount of roids his on. I have recently moved from dumbbells to the lock in bar benchpress, it has allowed me to bench a larger weight, although gives you less control has helped me to make good gains.

Reply 10

LALA LAND

use your thighs to throw them up one at a time! its wat i do.

Reply 11

Powerlifter

Original post by Resu Eman

Because Ronnie coleman is Riptoe? or do you feel Mr Coleman represents the same group that riptoe is targeting? Of similar build and strength?

Besides which, Ronnie does not lift them as Riptoe states - kinda flaws your vid posting a tad pmsl

Reply 12

RawJoh1

Doubt Rip's or anyone Rip's ever trained has ever needed the 80kg DBs, to be fair.

Reply 13

The Troll Toll

to be fair some of these 70sbig kids are probably closing in on being strong enough to do that aren't they? rip did a 180 in competition when he competed too.. not that i imagine he trained for it by pressing the 80 kg DBs

Reply 14

RawJoh1

Original post by The Troll Toll

Haven't read 70s Big in ages but I thought that the strongest of them were benching mid 300s for a single. Wouldn't have thought that'd translate to 80kg DBs.

Reply 15

Resu Eman

Original post by Powerlifter

He represents the group of people who bench 80kg dumbbells. Whether someone who can't bench them can get them into position seems rather irrelevant.

While the technique isn't identical, the general principle is the same. Rippetoe's method works for the audience he is targeting and (if you're strong enough) also works with 80kg dumbbells after some simple adjustments.

Reply 16

Powerlifter

Original post by Resu Eman

Ha ha yeah, sure kid like you would know how it works with 80kg dumbbells. It actually places massive strain on the shoulders and rotor cuffs doing that and I have personally seen someone injured trying to rack them in a similar style - simply put its effing dangerous and stupid.

Reply 17

cuzza

How would you go about doing it?

Reply 18

Gowrav

Original post by Powerlifter

Hey Power,
You know for bulding chest up. Is it better to use dumbells or use the lock benchpress (no training partner). Thanks!

Reply 19

Resu Eman

Original post by Powerlifter

Your post said "lets see him do it with a pair of 80kg dumbbells". Clearly if you're staying on topic it's not important that it's him in particular, nor that the technique is identical. Of course you could be going off topic by making the point that you don't think much of Mark Rippetoe. The point that he's not all that strong is valid, but you might as well just say it if that's what you mean. On the (even at the time obviously flawed) assumption that you were staying on topic, I posted a video of someone doing something similar with heavy dumbbells. Now your point is that it's not a good idea due to safety considerations. This could also be a valid point but unless "lets see him do it with a pair of 80kg dumbbells" is your way of saying "I want to see him get injured", you didn't mention it at all in your first two posts.