Setting Safety Bars

[Oscar_Actuary]

open topic but just wanted to mention that today I lowered the bars for the back squat, 1 slot. I started with them a bit high for security and less flexibilty too. Now, after tapping the safeties on most descents, I figured man up and lower them. Now, I need to develop the stretch reflex, yeah.

Same with Bench Press. Next time it's going down. I thought My chest would catch up but alas, I need more range of motion. Anyway, it will be a tight fit and if it falls on my head, it way sting.

input/thoughts/hijacks welcome

cheers.

[robertscott]

maybe I'm just not understanding what you mean, but I don't see how you can really use safety bars for benching. The bar should be touching your chest at the bottom, so either your safety bars'll be lower than your chest, in which case there'd be no point because the bar'll stop at your chest anyway, or they're higher than your chest and you're shortchanging your ROM.

[wilburburns]

maybe I'm just not understanding what you mean, but I don't see how you can really use safety bars for benching. The bar should be touching your chest at the bottom, so either your safety bars'll be lower than your chest, in which case there'd be no point because the bar'll stop at your chest anyway, or they're higher than your chest and you're shortchanging your ROM.

It is possible to use the safety bars for the Bench, Or maybe I should say that I have found a way to use the safety bars for Bench.

I do the following.

Set the safeties just below the chest when in full arch pressing position.
IE: Chest up, slight arch, Deep breath

So, this happens when/if I fail.
1: Drop/lower the bar to the safeties
2: Release the arch and fall flat on the bench
3: let the air out of my chest and slide out

If I would have to drop the bar, it would likely leave a mark on my chest, but I would not be "Pinned" with crushed ribs to the Bench.

Cliff

[Oscar_Actuary]

what he ^ said.

[robertscott]

yeah that does make good sense

[KenDowns]

yeah that does make good sense

I don't usually do "me too" replies, but I also kind of assumed this is how the pins work.

I place myself on the bench so that my chin is behind the verticals, so if the bar drops and rolls toward my head it won't slam my chin and result in the tip of my tongue flying across the room. This allow seems perfect for unracking and then moving the bar forward to where the upper arms are 45 degrees to body.

Since your chest is sloping downward toward your neck when lying on your back, you can just lower a failed rep towards your upper chest or neck, where your body is below the pins. I have yet to have so much weight on the bar or a failure so spectacular that i could not maintain at least this much control as it failed. Hope I never do.

[Oscar_Actuary]

if my chin was behind the verticals, I'm not sure how I'd clear the j-hooks, and maintain form on the ascent

[Jungledoc]

if my chin was behind the verticals, I'm not sure how I'd clear the j-hooks, and maintain form on the ascent

Absolutely. If your eyes are 1-2 inches below the bar, your chin has to be considerably below the uprights! The pins are just a back-up if something unusual happens, losing grip, etc. You shouldn't max without a hand-off and spot, whether you have pins or not.

[KenDowns]

if my chin was behind the verticals, I'm not sure how I'd clear the j-hooks, and maintain form on the ascent

If my chin is about 1/2" behind the leading edge of the vertical, it's about 9" to the bottom of my chest, which is where the bar goes if I keep my upper arms at 45 degrees to my torso. So I basically unrack the bar and move it forward a few inches. Although the bar goes "up" toward my chin somewhat on the ascent, it still ends up well clear of the verticals.

[Jungledoc]

Yeah, but at lockout, the bar should be directly above your shoulders!

[Oscar_Actuary]

I will look at the clearance have. I may be able to lower the j hooks to give me more time to get the bar past them.
And, yeah, I realized early on that maxing without a handoff would be tough. I'm all about 5 reps now an not botherd by maxes

[Jungledoc]

A 5-rep max can be as hard to re-rack as a 1-rep max.

[wilburburns]

A 5-rep max can be as hard to re-rack as a 1-rep max.

Yes, it can.. I was pinned at least once while doing the SS routine at the gym. That was when I learned to NOT use the clips to hold the weight on the bar and slide the weight off in a bad situation.

Now, at home in the cage, I can just let the weight drop and slide myself out, but I don't intend to push myself that far now. Try to always stop with at least 1 good rep left.

Cliff

[KenDowns]

Yeah, but at lockout, the bar should be directly above your shoulders!

My endless quest to get my form correct Back to the drawing board.

[Oscar_Actuary]

A 5-rep max can be as hard to re-rack as a 1-rep max.

I can always put it down on the safeties.
It's the unracking that would be impossible for me with a true 1 Max.
And, speaking of, I probably don't even do true 5 Rep Max, I'm incapable of mustering up my true potential at this stage. I'm just increasing 2.5 kg each time, and if I cant hit all reps, I stay there