Exercise and Fitness (the 48kg remix)

[Eurytus]

I have no idea what I can military press with a straight bar, as it's a lot rougher on the back than just using dumbbells. I do know, however, that one can usually do a lot more weight with a single bar than dumbbells.

Now as for doing the same on military as flat bench -- that's either insane or phenomenal, depending on what sort of numbers we're talking about. Maybe your shoulder muscles are simply very strong? I know a guy who can military press over 300lbs, but he injects more chemicals than Monsanto.

If your bench is below a standard like say... 225lbs, then you probably have weakness in your chest or triceps as compared to your shoulders.

I have no idea what my 1RM would be on a bench press because I never have a spotter, and therefore avoid going to that maximum limit. My military press (for 12 reps) is in the region of 110 lbs depending on the day. And I would expect my bench to be double that. But its nowhere near double that. I'd say its more like 150, again for 12 reps.

I guess the weakness is in my chest because my triceps are pretty big and I can do relatively heavy weights on exercises that focus on them. But with the bench press I just can't seem to go heavier than a certain point, not because my chest muscles can't cope (I never really get that sort of soreness in the chest that I get in my shoulders, back or legs on heavy workout days) but because I get quite a severe pain the shoulder joint from the movement. Which is frustrating. From that description you'd think that my shoulders are weak but as I say, I go comparatively heavy on those and can increase the weight on a fairly frequent basis.

btw, should point out that I weight about 147 lbs myself.

[cjfshaw]

Eurytus, I have no idea if this will help you or not but here goes. I used to have this really annoying pain in both of my shoulders, basically whenever I lifted my arms straight out in front of me and above chest level. I never go any pain when lifting my arms to the side though, just out in front. Well it turns out that the pain was actually caused by a funky way that I was sleeping. When I changed my sleeping position the pain went away within 2-3 days and never came back. Now I know this sounds nothing like your problem at all except for the shoulder pain part, but I don't know if this will help at all but wouldn't it be nice if it did?

[ztemhead]

I applied for a job at the McGym today selling memberships. While I consider the majority of people involved in this profession to be a group of rather slithery lowlives, I am good at sales, and I would have the ability to approach the job with the wide eyed enthusiasm of a true believer. Heck, I've been a member there for four years now, and even if I had paid a sign up fee of $150 (which I didn't) it's not that much in the greater scheme of things. Pre-interview was okay, the real interview is in a couple days.

[TheLoneliestMonk]

Eurytus,

You may want to play with your elbow flair while benching. I used to get shoulder pain from benching, but I think I just had my elbows tucked too much. When I started bringing the bar down to nipple region, rather than diaphram region, I was able to bench press comfortably.

[ztemhead]

I have no idea what my 1RM would be on a bench press because I never have a spotter, and therefore avoid going to that maximum limit. My military press (for 12 reps) is in the region of 110 lbs depending on the day. And I would expect my bench to be double that. But its nowhere near double that. I'd say its more like 150, again for 12 reps.

you're expecting wrong. those numbers are fine, both in amount of weight for someone your size, and in relationship to each other. don't worry, be happy.

[Eurytus]

It would be nice. What was the funky way you were sleeping though?

[Stego]

(I never really get that sort of soreness in the chest that I get in my shoulders, back or legs on heavy workout days) but because I get quite a severe pain the shoulder joint from the movement. Which is frustrating. From that description you'd think that my shoulders are weak but as I say, I go comparatively heavy on those and can increase the weight on a fairly frequent basis.

You have a problem with your technique. Checkthisout.

[Eurytus]

you're expecting wrong. those numbers are fine, both in amount of weight for someone your size, and in relationship to each other. don't worry, be happy.

Ah ok, fair enough. I'd just heard that bench is usually more in the region of double shoulder press. Adding clean and press to my routine really seems to have boosted my shoulders overall. I think I tend to prefer compound exercises and so subconsciously perhaps I put more effort into them and therefore gain strength quicker. Whereas because the bench is more stationary I am not so motivated. Dunno.

[Stego]

you're expecting wrong. those numbers are fine, both in amount of weight for someone your size, and in relationship to each other. don't worry, be happy.

There is still an issue if he does not feel it in his chest.

ETA: Shoulder pain, doesn't feel it in chest, sounds like hands are too close to me, for instance.

[lessthanluke]

That's not a weird ratio. About the pain I can't really help there.

[Eurytus]

You have a problem with your technique. Checkthisout.

Hmmm, I'll have to check exactly what I'm doing but I could be dropping my elbows too low perhaps.

[Eurytus]

There is still an issue if he does not feel it in his chest.

ETA: Shoulder pain, doesn't feel it in chest, sounds like hands are too close to me, for instance.

No, my hands are ok, nowhere near a close grip bench press, which I do use and can actually go quite heavy on. But thanks for the vid, its helpful. And now I wonder if my gym has a rack that allows you to remove the bar without lifting as the video shows. I seem to recall its got quite a lip on it.

[cjfshaw]

It would be nice. What was the funky way you were sleeping though?

Well it was 2 separate things. One was if I was laying on my left side for example, I would have my left arm stretched out under the pillow, and my head would be on the pillow. So basically what was happening there was that when I went to sleep all the weight of my head would be pressing down on my shoulder joint for several hours every night. Another thing I was doing was if I was laying on my back I would put an arm up so that my forearm covered my eyes and I would leave it there for hours. This also caused joint pain. Once I stopped going to sleep in those positions the pain cleared up immediately.

[Stego]

No, my hands are ok, nowhere near a close grip bench press, which I do use and can actually go quite heavy on.

I have to use chalk so that my hands don't slide as wide as the hooks, so... I really like a wide grip. Might just be me.

[lessthanluke]

I have to use chalk so that my hands don't slide as wide as the hooks, so... I really like a wide grip. Might just be me.

That wide=pain for me. I use pinky on the rings.

[Stego]

That wide=pain for me. I use pinky on the rings.

Wow, that would totally feel like close grip to me.

[GoN]

Good day at the gym. I did interval sprints. I didn't even know my body was capable of sprinting. I also apparently weight about 10 pounds less than I thought. So yay!

[cjfshaw]

I thought you were supposed to put your middle finger on the rings.

[QuietColours]

So my husband just got us a set of adjustable dumbbells. If you're using both together, you can set them at 4, 10, 14, or 20 lbs--if you're using just one you can also do 16, 24, and 36 lbs. This seems like it will probably last me a decent while, although we'll probably have to get some more plates for him in the near future.

I know a decent bit about body weight training, but my experience with weights is the two week session from gym sophomore year of high school. I've a particular interest in increasing shoulder, tricep, and lat strength (I want to be able to do this and this!), so these should be really helpful. Any advice or words of warning for a beginner?

[Stego]

I thought you were supposed to put your middle finger on the rings.

Absolutely not. Everyone has a different shoulder breadth, so a rule like that would not make sense. To me, the bench press was always a bit wider than my shoulder width and close grip was always a bit narrower.

Also, every bar has the knurls, and therefore the gaps, in different places.