chesty press...

[domanmom]

Hey, who can bench their weight?
How long did it take you?
How can you get to doing it without a spotter?
Can you do it on the smith machine [... er, bench, that is ]

I can push 80 lbs. x 12 x 3 on the machine... youpee!!

 

[domanmom]

anybody out there?

can anybody tell me about placing the bench under the smith machine, where to put the safety latches and such??

 

[Lord_Suston]

I try not to use a smith machine since the motion isn't really natural since when people lift the weight for bench it moves slightly toward your head in a light arch to follow the path of your arm movement. I would recommend getting a spotter or you coulc switch to dumbells for a little but i think personally you will benefit more if you get a spotter, it doesn't have to be a partner but just ask someone to spot. hope this helps, and keep up the good work....

 

[Bobarell]

I agree!!! Just find a spotter or do DB's. I couldn't press shit so I went ahead and started doing DB's instead because it was easier to drop when failure arises. The smith machine is really not a good machine for various reasons. The good lord brought up one reason, but doing DB's or BB's you are using your stablizer muscles as well. If you think you are doing great on the Smith one day and you decide to go ahead and try the same wieght on the BB it will not be pretty.

Also, make sure you have a spotter before starting the set. I saw a guy the other night benching 95lbs and I thought cool, he has to start somewhere. He didn't have a spotter. Anyway, he failed and sat there with the bar on his chest struglling for a few seconds before people started rushing over to help him out. Well, a girl got there 1st and pretty much curled it off of him. Pretty embarassing when everyone in the gym see it happen. With a spotter noone really sees it.

 

[Grantsdu]

I would say a Smith Machine would help you get there but you have to take into consideration that the weight on the bar will be less that what you would be doing free. If thats all you have a would recomend it alond with DB's. Don't just do bench though. Work tris. They will help bring your bench up too.