Fitness 2013

[crazy canuck]

I guess you weight 175-180? You aren't lifting a lot of your weight when you do a push up, and they are very different movements. You have trained to do pushups, but not a bench press.

Being able to do ~40 pushups, there is a decent chance you can get up 100. I think you have no chance to get up 150 (which is a real accomplishment, imo).

Generally I am in agreement.  But another unknown is how Ide is doing his push ups.   There are lots of ways to cheat yourself when doing a pushup so you are making it easier and not getting the full benefit of the exercise.  People who think they can do a number of pushups can actually do very few proper pushups.

But that aside, I agree that the number of pushups isnt really a good indication of ability to bench press.  For that, Ide, use a bench press machine before moving to free weights so you have a good idea of your max weight.  When you move to free weights use a lot less than that.  Free weights will engage stabilizing muscles which make the lift more difficult.  As you gain strength in your stabilizing muscles move the weight up.  Dont lift to exhaustion unless you have a spotter.

[Drakken]

Smith Bench Pressing is a waste of time, IMHO. It railroads movement to merely pushing forward while the bar and the pulley system takes all the pression off from the stabilizers, it is awkward to turn and lift to starting motion, and if you don't have a proper failsafe system it can easily fall onto you like a guillotine if the weight is too heavy.

Dumbell Bench Press is the best bench press. You can't kill yourself with the weights if your arms give away, and it allows to work the stabilizers as much as the chest and the triceps, so you get more benefit when transitioning to barbell.

[crazy canuck]

Dumbell Bench Press is the best bench press. You can't kill yourself with the weights if your arms give away, and it allows to work the stabilizers as much as the chest and the triceps, so you get more benefit when transitioning to barbell.

I agree.  To add to the stablizer exercise I have my boys use lower weights while having their shoulders balanced on one of those large yoga balls.  Good for the core too.

[Legbiter]

Smith Bench Pressing is a waste of time, IMHO. It railroads movement to merely pushing forward while the bar and the pulley system takes all the pression off from the stabilizers, it is awkward to turn and lift to starting motion, and if you don't have a proper failsafe system it can easily fall onto you like a guillotine if the weight is too heavy.

This.

Smith machines are the devil and give one false confidence, all natural stabilization movement is curtailed, hilarity ensues once one tries out free weights.

[Darth Wagtaros]

What is a smith machine?

[Legbiter]

What is a smith machine?

[Ideologue]

That looks like about 40 parts too many.

[Eddie Teach]

That looks like about 40 parts too many.

That's why you get a gym membership and let them worry about it. Though most chest press machines aren't going to have the weight hanging over you like that.

[PDH]

I don't think I could life that whole machine.

[Legbiter]

That's why you get a gym membership and let them worry about it. Though most chest press machines aren't going to have the weight hanging over you like that.

My local Planet Fatass gym has failure as their business model. They sell you a year's subscription cheap, which buys you access to treadmills, light dumbbells, a few Smith machines hidden away, etc. No free weights whatsoever, nothing serious, just light cardio while you watch banks of tv screens. And Wednesdays are Pizza Days.  So you buy a year's worth of gym membership, show up 3-4 times in the course of the year then renew your subscription in a fit of guilt on the new year.

If their customers started showing up en masse 3-4 times a week, the wear and tear on the equipment and facilities would put them out of business real quick.

It's pure genius.

[Eddie Teach]

just light cardio while you watch banks of tv screens.

Hey, as long as you keep moving...

My apartment complex has a workout room that I've been using a lot. I turn the tv to an old movie channel and that keeps me going a lot longer.

[Ideologue]

OK Sav.

[Eddie Teach]

OK Sav.

Says the guy watching a 50 year old movie about race car drivers.

[Ideologue]

It's only 47.

And if Sav reads this, I hope he knows I'm kidding.

[mongers]

Got more exercise out of bike mechanicing today, than I did riding the thing.