This is the key.
3 Likes
I’m glad I’m not the only one!
1 Like
Tempting, isn’t it? Also, yeah nah, no way I would unrack four plates solo right now. Three plates probably, but anything more would be pushing it.
Let’s talk handing off, since this bothered the hell out of me because it seems to be a skill basically no gym bro is taught and most powerlifters don’t seem to learn. How do you hand someone off?
I have gotten hand offs at meets where the spotter basically throws the weight into my hands over my chest and lets go (I am still blaming that one time I barely missed out benching the weight class above me at push and pull nats on a crappy hand off lol), and spotters who don’t understand fucking letting go of the bar until the bar is half way down, and spotters who feel like they need to upright row the bar and get my shoulders protracted so I wing a shoulder blade (I think I actually tweaked my right shoulder blade, which just happened to hurt like a bitch during my whole session today, from that a couple years ago).
I hand off fairly deliberately (not fast, but not slow) find out where the person touches to, go with the person unracking instead of like throwing it to them, and start to gradually let go when it is in place. A good hand off if the lifter set up properly should leave a lifter nice a tight and ready for a good lift.
I swear there has to be a guide to spotting/handing off on the bench somewhere. If not, I’d honestly be willing to write a free one for t-nation just so people know how to spot/hand off.
6 Likes
Had to google it.
Am not sure about politics here. But Elitefts dot com under education, novice, bench hand of there is a guide and a video…
Quote from article:
Your responsibilities as the person handing off:
-
Communicate beforehand when the hand-off will occur. 1-2-breath-lift? 1-2-3-lift? Know for sure before the lifter sets up.
-
Make sure the bar is correctly loaded.
-
Move the bar to front and center of J-Hooks.
-
Hold bar in place, step back and allow lifter to setup.
-
Double check lifter’s setup, step close to the bar, and use a double-overhand grip for hand-off.
-
Gently glide the bar to the lifter’s bench position and slowly release tension.
-
After lift is completed, let the lifter hold the weight at top, then guide the bar back into the rack.
Another important aspect of a bench press hand-off is how to gauge bar tension. Are you helping too much? Too little?
JL’s rule for assessing the strength of your hand-off is that if the lifter’s shoulders come up, you’re giving too much. Spotting is like a crane: lift off just enough for the lifter to get it in position easily, then slowly release the weight into his or her hands.
4 Likes
That’s a great point @Destrength, and @mortdk thanks for the guide.
For me, ALL I want is someone to get the bar up out of the j-hooks so I can drag it into position. I’m so used to doing it myself anything else really fucks with me. If they keep their hands on the bar after they lift it I end up fighting against how they move the bar forward.
And touching the bar? Fuck you, and all who sail in you. I always tell people there are three, and ONLY three, distinct occasions you may touch my bar (or me, when squatting): when I say ‘take it’; when the bar stops and then starts moving downwards; and when you hear a rip or snap (in which case, the bar will move downwards anyway).
5 Likes
Today’s training
45 degree back raises, GHR sit-ups and box jumps
DL, stiff bar
5xplate
3x2 plates
2x3 plates
1x4 plates, belt on and hook grip
3x1x445 lbs, first hook then mixed
2x445 lbs, mixed
Four sets took about seven minutes. Bar felt really light. Feels like I’m improving my ability to apply controlled ferocity to the bar. Greg’s cues are fucking gold.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BhvhDUNBOAT/
DL without touching the ground
2x5x357 lbs - these sucked less than I expected
DB split squats
2x10x55 lbs - again, less unpleasant than expected
DB rows
4x10x120 lbs
All up an hour and five minutes, including a 10 minute chat about step parenting
Now off to drink craft beer and eat mac and cheese balls, fish tacos and other awesome stuff with Mrs KO
10 Likes
FU*K mate you make DL look so easy. Impressive.
Have a nice dinner with the Missus
2 Likes
@mortdk credit goes to Greg Panora. His cues (for all the lifts) changed everything.
1 Like
I have had to explain how to hand off to me/ spot me for bench that I basically have a speech that is always the same. Spotting for squats is very difficult. Usually I have my girlfriend spot me which isn’t ideal because of the height and size difference between us. When I went for my last one rep max I was in squat stands, so no spotter arms. I asked to guys to be my side spots and girlfriend my back squat. The rep was hard as fuck and when I watched the video I saw that one of the guys wasn’t even near enough or ready at all to intervene if I failed the lift… Good thing that I didn’t see that while doing the squat…
2 Likes
Hoo, boy! Those were quick. 
1 Like
I haven’t handed a bench off or had a bench handed to me in 5+ years, so I’d be a super noob spotter. When I compete in June I plan on not using a handoff for bench.
Well, I learned a few things! I definitely remember handing off with a mixed grip and basically lifting most of the weight off for the lifter…fail.
Looking realll easy here. Nice man!
1 Like
Those DLs look fast mate.
have fun with the missus
2 Likes
Elitefts delivering with quality guides.
Exactly.
@Koestrizer At this point I just feel more comfortable squatting with bumpers and bailing (especially front squats), or have at minimum a back spotter and two side spotters. Just a back spotter is so fucking sketchy, I lightly strain a trap or something literally every time I miss a squat and a single spotter helps me up.
@Irishman92 I always feel like I am going to injure a ligament in my wrist when I unrack a heavy weight solo.
2 Likes
Woke at 220.9 lbs. Fucking finally! Looking pretty similar to previously if a little bit watery with very slight bloating.
6 Likes
This cracks me up.
2 Likes
Ok, so three pints of beer with dinner don’t sit well with training the next morning. Didn’t just feel tired, felt sick throughout.
Today’s training
Push-ups and hand release push-ups (8/8 - eight pull-ups to be sure I can at 220 lbs)
Wide grip bench press (pointer finger on rings)
10ishxbar
8ishx104 lbs
2x15x148 lbs
DB flys
3x12x45 lbs
DB tricep extensions
3x10x25 lbs
BB row
4x8x220 lbs
DB row
2x15x100 lbs
Seated DB press
6x40 lbs
6x45 lbs
2x6x50 lbs
It’s getting the DBs into position that’s the tricky part
Sit-ups
4x10 at bodyweight
Done in an hour and 20 minutes. Nap time
3 Likes
A strong mate of mine used to stand with the dumbbells and do a massive cheat curl up to his shoulders. He would than squat back on the seated bench and do his pressing.
2 Likes
That actually sounds like a good idea. Something like that occurred to me today, but I’m not using DBs heaby enough to warrant that.
I usually rest them in my thighs down by the knee and use a quick jerk if the leg to throw them up one at a time, but closely timed together like a quick 2 step. Haven’t done these for a while though. With 50lb you could probably just curl them up.
1 Like