Horror Workout Series | The Deadly Bench Press

The bench press looks simple enough, so too many people attempt to lift heavier weight before their bodies become adjusted to the movement. Even though your in a supine position, your entire kinetic chain needs to be efficient enough to handle the bench press without causing yourself injury. Form is all relative to how well you have adapted to the bench press movement.

Take a look at the classic master of benching, Franco Columbo. He's on his toes and his back is not arched. The bench is too high for him. He still has complete control and that's what I mean by form is all relative to the individual's experience, skill and adaptations to this movement.

So, from time to time, I do see people bench pressing with unique styles, but have the movement under control. However, I've also seen horror happen in the gym when style becomes more of a priority than control.

Here are some of the people I've seen with danger written all over.

1. No Clamps Champ, This guy loves throwing on as many 10 lbs plates as possible and doesn't use any clamps on the barbell. He throws out speed reps and by the end of the 8th rep, a few plates fall off the bar. This upsets his balance and one side of the bar crashes down. All the plates fall off one side, then like a teeder todder effect, the other side of plates fall off. Be careful not to be near this person when the bench press.
2. Go Heavy Go Home T-Shirt Champ, This guy will warm up with a 45 lb plate on each side of the bar, but in reality he's already at his 70% intensity. He's only getting between 8-10 reps out, but feel that he can jump to 2 plates a side and get out at least 6-8 reps. Well, first off the guy needs a spot to get the bar off the rack. That's the first sign something is gong to go bad. The next thing you know, at 2 reps, the spotter is doing barbell shrugs to get the weight off the idiot's chest.
3. Scary Scream Runaway Champ,, This guy will start off benching at a low level harrr, then with each rep, increase the volume until he's screaming at the top of his lungs. Little does he know that he's potentially causes accidents because of people concentration is broken by his stupid screaming. Shut the F*uck up already. People that scream like this have weak core muscles and need to compensate, but most of the time just feel like screaming to get attention. If I see you in the gym screaming for attention, you might just get a 10lb plate flying across your head. So, anyway, this champ, will then get off the bench and run away from it, either he let out some bad gas with his screams and was only screaming to cover the sound of his farts or he thinks the bench is now going to try and fight back.

If you want to add to this list, by all means go ahead.

Stumble It!