Spotting the Bench Press: Don't Make These Mistakes!
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(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 08/12/22)
Spotting the bench press shouldn’t be complicated, but people mess it up frequently, so let’s briefly discuss how NOT to spot the bench press.
Don’t Yank Your Lifter Out of Position
Take an over-under grip on the barbell (i.e., one hand facing up and one hand facing down - also known as an alternating grip or mixed grip) and simply provide enough assistance to help guide the bar into place. Don’t pull your lifter out of position because you’re so eager to help.
Stay Out of Your Lifter’s Line of Sight
You should give your lifter an unobstructed line of sight to the ceiling; with this in mind, stay relatively close to the bench so you can provide assistance if necessary, but beyond that, stay out of the way. Don’t straddle the bench, don’t straddle your lifter (yes, I’ve seen this), and don’t even lean over your lifter.
Keep your hands, your face, and your body out of the way and out of your lifter’s line of sight - none of those things are in the way of your lifting buddy on his other lifts, and they shouldn’t be in the way on the bench press, either.
Don’t Space Out
Pay attention to your lifter. Get your hands out of your pockets, put down your coffee, and simply pay attention to your lifter so that - in the event that he needs assistance - you’re actually prepared to provide it.
Don’t Touch the Bar
This is the big one, folks - they’ve even got shirts about this one. Lifting is not a team sport. Benching is not a team sport. If you touch the bar, the rep doesn’t count, so stay out of the way. Don’t. Touch. The. Bar.
“I’m all pinkies, bro!” Don’t be like these fools.
Of course, you need to be able to provide assistance in the event that the barbell goes anywhere other than up, but beyond that, stay out of your lifter’s way. The spotter shouldn’t exist (figuratively speaking) unless the lifter needs help.
As always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better.
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Starting Strength Coach Reveals the WORST Thing To Do with Your Squat
/What's the worst mistake that you're making with your squat? Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers explains what it probably is and how to fix it.
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Testify Journal - August 26, 2024
/THIS WEEK'S SUBMISSION
From our video Starting Strength Squat Looks HORRIFYING, Here's Why (click the title to watch):
EatMeatandLiftWeights
What I find horrifying, even more than death, is to end up weak, frail and dependent on others for basic needs when I am older. I am a 61 yo woman and love lifting heavy, I will never give it up, it's a game changer.
Phil
That's fantastic that you love lifting heavy, and absolutely - it's a game changer.
TESTIFY ONLINE COACHING
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ARTICLES & VIDEOS
Shoes, Wraps, Belts, and more...STOP Making These MISTAKES With Your Lifting Gear - Part 2
You're making some mistakes with your lifting gear, and you don't even know it. In Part 2 of this series, we cover 7 more errors (and how to fix them) that lifters make with their equipment. Click here to watch.
What is a Hang Power Snatch? | Olympic Weightlifting Technique
What is a hang power snatch? How is it different from a snatch, power snatch, or hang snatch? Phil covers it all here in this brief article. Click here to read.
Blast from the Past: FIX Your Press in less than TWO MINUTES! | Get Your Focal Point Right
Is your focal point - or lack thereof - destroying your press? In this video - our sixth in the series of Saturday Shorts on fixing the press - we quickly discuss and demonstrate how to solve this problem. Click here to watch.
Blast from the Past: The Deadlift: You're Doing This Wrong - Part 6
Stop yanking or jerking the bar off the floor. It's not efficient, and it won't help you when it gets heavy. In the 6th article in our series on fixing the deadlift, Phil helps you identify and fix this problem. Click here to read.
“GET STRONGER - LIVE BETTER” SHIRTS ARE AVAILABLE!
Why do you train? Because getting stronger makes everything else easier. Get stronger. Live better. “Testify” to this message and represent your favorite gym with this shirt in several color options.
Click here to head to the Testify Store.
WHAT'S COMING UP
Congratulations to everyone who competed at this past Friday's Deadapalooza and thank you so much to everyone who helped out! Judges, loaders, table officials, those who helped set up and tear down - you all were great, and we couldn't have wonderful events like this without you!
Reminder: We will be closed for training on Monday, 09/02/24, in observance of Labor Day.
Below are a few of our upcoming events, and you can find out what else is on the calendar by heading to our events page at www.testifysc.com/events.
Minneapolis, MN: Starting Strength Squat & Deadlift Camp
August 31, 2024
Spend the day learning the theory and practice of the low bar back squat and the deadlift.
Participants will spend lots of time on the platform receiving coaching and instruction on the squat and deadlift in a small group setting. We will also have a lecture and discussion on programming and cover how to identify and correct common technical problems.
Click here to register or for more information.
Starting Strength Self-Sufficient Lifter Camp
September 28, 2024
Spend the day learning the Squat, Press, and Deadlift and how to self-evaluate your lifts while training in your garage or commercial gym without a coach.
Click here to register or for more information.
Benching Bonanza! The Annual Testify Bench Press Jubilee
November 22, 2024
Benching Bonanza is a strength meet wherein the only contested lift is - you guessed it - the bench press. There will be one bar, and the meet will be conducted in a "rising bar" format, so the weight on the bar only goes up! It'll be a ton of fun, so come on out!
Click here to register or for more information.
THIS WEEK’S CONDITIONING
Option 1
“Prowler Base+1”
1. Load up a manageable weight.
2. Sprint 40m at 85% intensity.
3. Rest 30 sec.
4. Repeat 5-15 times.
Courtesy of “Death by Prowler” (on Starting Strength).
Compare to 2024.06.24.
Option 2
Bike/row:
4 x 3 minutes
Rest 3 minutes between each round. Score = lowest distance.
Compare to 2024.06.03.
Option 3
Outdoors:
5-10 rounds:
10 sledgehammer strikes (5R, 5L)
50 yd farmer carry (25 yd down-back)
Rest 1 minute
Indoors:
5-10 rounds:
10 sledgehammer strikes (5R, 5L)
100 ft farmer carry (50 ft down-back)
Rest 1 minute
Compare to 2024.05.06.
Option 4
1. 5 yoke carries @ 30 yd (15 yd downback) – work up to heaviest carry
2. 5 rounds of 5 reps on the axle “clean and press away” – work up to heavy set of 5
Compare to 2024.05.06.
As always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better!
What is a Hang Power Snatch? | Olympic Weightlifting Technique
/What is a hang power snatch? How is it different from a snatch, power snatch, or hang snatch?
FIGURE 1: THE LIFT STARTS WITH THE BAR HANGING IN THE HANDS (SINCE “HANG” IS PRESENT).
As in our previous snatch articles (click the links above), let’s break this down simply and quickly, and for a demonstration with explanation, watch the included (and short) video.
“Hang” is Present
We begin by examining the words present or not present in the name of the lift. The word “hang” is present, so the hang snatch starts with the barbell hanging in the hands (Figure 1). Usually, the lift will start somewhere around the middle or lower part of the thigh, but you can also start a hang power snatch from a lower or higher position.
Again - and this is the important part - a hang power snatch simply starts with the bar hanging in the hands, and thus the lift does not start with the bar resting on the floor.
figure 2: the lift is received in a partial depth overhead squat (since “power” is present).
“Power” is Present
The word “power” is present, and “power” refers to a landing position (AKA receiving position) - specifically, a partial squat landing position. As a result, this means that the lift will be caught or received in a partial depth overhead squat position (Figure 2).
So . . . What IS a Hang Power Snatch?
Thus, a hang power snatch is a lift wherein the bar starts hanging in the hands and is then accelerated upward, imparting enough momentum to the bar that the bar continues upward, whereupon it is then locked out overhead (AKA “received,” “racked,” or “caught”) in a partial depth overhead squat position before it is then stood up.
As always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better.
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