The Jimbo Slice memorial thread, feat Nate Dogg - The new Off Topic thread

TRS30

Left side letting me down on bench. Any good exercises to build up strength on one side?

D'Agger

TRS30 wrote: »

Left side letting me down on bench. Any good exercises to build up strength on one side?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rdlfu4nMIZc

I'm not that strong on bench and find these are very tough, whilst not hard on your back like the bench can be just from losing form.

Dtp1979

TRS30 wrote: »

Left side letting me down on bench. Any good exercises to build up strength on one side?

I found rows, and doing more on the weaker side worked for me

Alf Veedersane

TRS30 wrote: »

Left side letting me down on bench. Any good exercises to build up strength on one side?

Just out of interest, how are you sure it's your left hand side?

Sometimes, when you're benching, if one side is weaker than the other, it's the stronger side that dips because the weaker side pushes quicker to reduce the load and then the stronger side is left carrying the can.

Similar to how you might end up good morninging a squat because your weaker quads took themselves out of the equation sooner and left your lower back to take the load.

Either way, unilateral work will help. DB press, for example.

TRS30

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

TRS30 wrote: »

Left side letting me down on bench. Any good exercises to build up strength on one side?

Just out of interest, how are you sure it's your left hand side?

Sometimes, when you're benching, if one side is weaker than the other, it's the stronger side that dips because the weaker side pushes quicker to reduce the load and then the stronger side is left carrying the can.

Similar to how you might end up good morninging a squat because your weaker quads took themselves out of the equation sooner and left your lower back to take the load.

Either way, unilateral work will help. DB press, for example.

When benching near max 1RM, I can lift the bar on the right much easier than on the left, the left will get there, eventually! Also I am right handed.
Will add in some single arm DB presses.

Alf Veedersane

TRS30 wrote: »

When benching near max 1RM, I can lift the bar on the right much easier than on the left, the left will get there, eventually! Also I am right handed.
Will add in some single arm DB presses.

I'm right footed but my left side is more stable/possibly stronger in some respects.

Either way, I'd do more single arm work like DB pressing.

TRS30

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

TRS30 wrote: »

When benching near max 1RM, I can lift the bar on the right much easier than on the left, the left will get there, eventually! Also I am right handed.
Will add in some single arm DB presses.

I'm right footed but my left side is more stable/possibly stronger in some respects.

Either way, I'd do more single arm work like DB pressing.

I agree re the leg situation, I'm also right footed however my left leg is definitely more stable if doing say single leg squats.
Definitely think it is my left arm/shoulder that is weaker as also see if doing isolated exercises like curls.
Will try left side DB press, some of those landmines and some DB rows for a couple of weeks and see if that helps.

Brian?

TRS30 wrote: »

When benching near max 1RM, I can lift the bar on the right much easier than on the left, the left will get there, eventually! Also I am right handed.
Will add in some single arm DB presses.

I'd suggest replacing for a bit rather than adding. Test where you are with your DB bench and replace your flat bench for a while until things even out. DB benching is better for your shoulder health anyway and works the stabilisers more.

What upper back/rear delt work are you doing?

D'Agger

I'm left legged and reckon the right leg is more stable but always put this down to years of balancing on the right when kicking. That said, I'd kick with the right and I feel quite stable balancing on my left leg - reckon it might be core related particularly with a swinging motion like that.

I'd find at times that certain exercises such as a banded paloff press are easier on one side than the other.

IvoryTower

Im right footed as well and doing a recent study up in dcu, they told me that my left leg was stronger across the board. If I was to run I would push off my left so I figure that's where it's from.

TRS30

Brian? wrote: »

TRS30 wrote: »

When benching near max 1RM, I can lift the bar on the right much easier than on the left, the left will get there, eventually! Also I am right handed.
Will add in some single arm DB presses.

I'd suggest replacing for a bit rather than adding. Test where you are with your DB bench and replace your flat bench for a while until things even out. DB benching is better for your shoulder health anyway and works the stabilisers more.

What upper back/rear delt work are you doing?

As I work out at home, my heaviest DB is 17.5kg so limits the amount of effective flat benching I can do.

Rows, chin ups and pull ups.

Alf Veedersane

IvoryTower wrote: »

Im right footed as well and doing a recent study up in dcu, they told me that my left leg was stronger across the board. If I was to run I would push off my left so I figure that's where it's from.

It can depend on what muscles are being used and how you define 'stronger'.

I can kick a ball further with my right but doing an exercise like step ups to a high box, my left leg is/was clearly more stable so there some strengthening work to be done on the hip, for example.

But it's certainly interesting to find out these things aren't always as straightforward as you thought.

D'Agger

TRS30 wrote: »

As I work out at home, my heaviest DB is 17.5kg so limits the amount of effective flat benching I can do.

Rows, chin ups and pull ups.

Isometric holds - saw recently that they're a good way to finish off working your chest and I really did struggle with them. Just do a regular bench movement and hold in the 'down' position for one minute before pressing back up....if you're able....I certainly wasn't

You could also try banded bench press as per the start of this video. I've been banging on to everybody who'll listen about the looped bands I've gotten recently, think they're the business. If you do workouts at home they're a game changer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUHalSBGJwg

Alf Veedersane

TRS30 wrote: »

As I work out at home, my heaviest DB is 17.5kg so limits the amount of effective flat benching I can do.

Then do them with a tempo that slows the movement down, e.g. take 3-4 seconds to lower the dumbbell from the top.

Alternatively, have a longer pause at the bottom. Hold for 2-3 seconds (as opposed to a quick 2-count that most people do).

Or combine both of those.

LincolnHawk

Check your setup too. Make sure you're benching from a stable base.
I.e. it might be technique, not strength...could be both.
Slight arch, shoulder blades together and down...but Google a better source than me

TRS30

LincolnHawk wrote: »

Check your setup too. Make sure you're  benching from a stable base.
I.e. it might be technique,  not strength...could be both.
Slight arch,  shoulder blades together and down...but Google a better source than me

Think I am ok on that front, however will check again when next benching.

Thanks all for the informed replies.

Brian?

TRS30 wrote: »

As I work out at home, my heaviest DB is 17.5kg so limits the amount of effective flat benching I can do.

Rows, chin ups and pull ups.

Sounds like you need to do some DB shopping.

Everything you’re doing is bilateral, you’ll embed any imbalances that way. I don’t really have any advice beyond buying heavier DBs on how to address it, sorry.

TRS30

Brian? wrote: »

TRS30 wrote: »

As I work out at home, my heaviest DB is 17.5kg so limits the amount of effective flat benching I can do.

Rows, chin ups and pull ups.

Sounds like you need to do some DB shopping.

Everything you’re doing is bilateral, you’ll embed any imbalances that way. I don’t really have any advice beyond buying heavier DBs on how to address it, sorry.

Came to the same conclusion so will look on adverts and see if any single heavy DB going for a decent price.

deadlybuzzman

I had an interesting chat with a guy yesterday. With a big happy head on him he tells me in the last day or two he was after getting a 180kg bench and that he's NOW about to start a cycle of Polish vitamins.
When someone is being that honest about their drug use its pretty hard to deny what can be done by some people without/drugs

BadBannana

deadlybuzzman wrote: »

I had an interesting chat with a guy yesterday. With a big happy head on him he tells me in the last day or two he was after getting a 180kg bench and that he's NOW about to start a cycle of Polish vitamins.
When someone is being that honest about their drug use its pretty hard to deny what can be done by some people without/drugs

Some people are just freaks. Barry Pigott says he benched 100kg first day in the gym. Clarence Kennedy had a 170kg dead and squat at like 16

COH

I wish I was a freak.... took me 20 years of lifting weights to bench 180kg. My first day in the gym I failed 30kg

BadBannana

COH wrote: »

I wish I was a freak.... took me 20 years of lifting weights to bench 180kg. My first day in the gym I failed 30kg

I'm a year at it and still can't hit 100

Brian?

BadBannana wrote: »

I'm a year at it and still can't hit 100

Benching is overrated.


Because I can’t bench worth a crap.

Blacktie.

Brian? wrote: »

Benching is overrated.


Because I can’t bench worth a crap.

Exactly! It's all about the deadlift. That's what wins competitions.... Or that's what I keep telling myself when I fail a sh!t attempt of an increase in my bench

I had to start on 10kg bench

whippet

I still can’t bench .. but the first time I maxed my deadlift it was 210kg !!

VW 1

Also a sufferer of a weak and puny chest no matter my efforts.

At it's peak my bench was 100kg, my squat was 160kg and DL 190kg.

Currently bench is sitting at 75kg and squat and dl arent too far fromwhat they were.

deadlybuzzman

COH wrote: »

I wish I was a freak.... took me 20 years of lifting weights to bench 180kg. My first day in the gym I failed 30kg

After 8 years solid training I still can't take for granted getting anything over 95kg on bench. At an ed coan seminar where he gave everyone all these little tweaks and cues to improve their lifts, Ed Coan watched as I failed on something tragically light and he walked away speechless

LincolnHawk

Bench is king in my eyes! ...maybe cause my back is perma broken so I'm captain upperbody.
Though I trap bar DLed 110 today and my front squat is up to 72.5...maybe the tide is turning

Mellor

I've always had a (relatively) strong bench, and while it's not pretty, I'm able to grind out a decent deadlift. Squats however, just never come together for me.