After a weekend and a week's worth of aerobics, I was just too beat to do any running today. So I did the bench portion of my workout at lunch, instead.
Legs-Up Pause Bench: 95x5, 115x4, 135x3, 155x3, 175x3, 205x0, 205x1 (10 lbs PR). On the first 205 attempt, I asked someone to spot me. I was as explicit as can be: "Give me a handoff, I will pause for a second at the bottom, then drive it up, however slow. Don't touch it until I say TAKE IT!" What does he do when I stick for a moment? HE FUCKING TOUCHES THE BAR AND GIVES IT A LITTLE PUSH!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!
I waited until this guy left 5 minutes later, and this time I did not want a spotter. I figured I was strong enough to arch it off my chest if I couldn't get it. I squeezed the bar super tight, got everything tight, lowered it under control, and squeezed my back super hard to see if I could get a little more pop. I got it, and the weight still moved slow but I locked it out.
Here's the kicker. I got up, flicked my wrist at the bar (like Andy Bolton) and yelled "Fuck Yeah" (like John Yeo). After realizing that, I just cracked up laughing!
I miss my old gym, and may start doing more workouts there again. People at this gym have no clue!
6 comments:
Nothing like getting pissed off to get one psyched up for a PR
It's interesting looking at the various ways people get psyched up for a big lift. I usually use aggressive music, but straight anger is definitely up there. Congrats on the PR.
Sometimes, it's anger at myself. I'm sure you've all had a time when you felt a lift should have been yours, and you missed it. That eats away at me.
Congratulations on the PR. I know what you had to deal with. I too have had clueless spotters before which actually resulted in one guy panicing and I ended up with a shoulder injury. Nice recovery though.
God only knows what's going on in these people's minds... "Don't touch the bar unless I'm stapled" is about as explicit as you can get... yet they still fuck it up?!?
Nice job on the legs-up PR...
Gord:
Do you train with a spotter now at all? I hope your shoulder injury was just temporary. You wonder if spotters spot like that out of sheer stupidity or from doing too many "two-person benches."
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