6 ms·

Former competitive powerlifter here. Find a team. If you search around, you are guaranteed to find some dungeon gym that has a group that trains together. It

Former competitive powerlifter here. Find a team. If you search around, you are guaranteed to find some dungeon gym that has a group that trains together. It won't be a big-box gym. It will have rusty iron. This is where you want to be, this is essential. You need 2 or 3 people to properly spot a powerlifting squat, don't bother doing it alone.

graeme 7y ago
I’ve wondered about this. Is there no way to do it well with the safety bars? I know with a bench press you can get benches with safety bars that seem quite effective. But squats are more complicated. Are the safeties really useless? It’s a bit hard in my area to find such a group, though I could look around. Have taken time off of lifts to fix some muscular issues.
- failrate 7y ago
  The safeties are a fail safe when every other safety system fails. It is not your primary safety component. A team or partner serves many needs: - safety in terms of spotting - safety in terms of feedback to guide you to proper form - safety in terms of damage control if you suffer an injury and need medical attention (especially if you have a stroke or aneurysm during a lift) - encouragement to maibtain your routine
  - graeme 7y ago
    Thanks! I’m going to see if I can find one when I return to lifting. So minimum team number is 3. How long do sessions usually last? I’m guessing you lift during others’ breaks, so it doesn’t add as much extra time as if it were all in sequence.
    - failrate 7y ago
      Yes, you rotate who is lifting. I don't lift enough to need two spotters. Sessions last an hour to an hour and a half.
- joncrocks 7y ago
  It depends on what you mean by safety bars. If you mean a smith machine, yes, don't use those. But if you mean "I have failed my lift, prevent me from crushing myself" safety bars, there shouldn't be a problem with those as long as they are set at an appropriate height.
- balfirevic 7y ago
  Here, judge for yourself: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SiPxKyntDs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SiPxKyntDs
  - graeme 7y ago
    But he succeeded on that squat....the question was about what happens if you can't finish a rep.
    - balfirevic 7y ago
      He has almost certainly failed countless reps in his training and he's still alive and training like this :) On the other hand - he appears to have injured his wrist few months ago, although not by failing to finish the lift but by missing the rack when putting the bar back.
      - graeme 7y ago
        Oh, does he never train with spotters? In that case, that's more significant
- tjpaudio 7y ago
  Safety bars keep you from dying if you have to bail, but bailing is still bad. Basically you want to say "take" and have the weight immediately removed. There is no use in straining yourself or risking injury on a bail; you have the lift or you don't.
- n4r9 7y ago
  High-bar back squats are relatively straightforward and safe to bail out of using safety bars: https://youtu.be/fRIaJv_5CkM https://youtu.be/fRIaJv_5CkM Front squats are also not so bad if you have safety bars to drop the barbell forwards onto. Starting Strength style low-bar squats are trickier. I've previously found myself having to sort of roll forwards until the safety bars catch the barbell, then crawl out on hands and knees. Slightly scary the first couple of times but still pretty safe.
  - graeme 7y ago
    Thanks! With front squats can you just drop it, or do you need to jump as well? A friend had recommended those as being safer on the back. My worry is I won't really need the safeties until I have 200+ pounds on my back and if I exit wrong I could hurt myself. I tried practicing at the gym but it was very loud and the staff warned me not to.
    - n4r9 7y ago
      You shouldn't need to jump, just be moving backwards yourself as you push the bar off forwards. I don't think front squats are inherently more or less safe than back squats; both are safe if performed with good form. I understand the worry about heavy weights. If possible, you should try to find a gym that will let you drop weights (one mark of a good gym). Then you can practice to your heart's content.

graeme 7y ago

I’ve wondered about this. Is there no way to do it well with the safety bars? I know with a bench press you can get benches with safety bars that seem quite effective. But squats are more complicated. Are the safeties really useless? It’s a bit hard in my area to find such a group, though I could look around. Have taken time off of lifts to fix some muscular issues.

failrate 7y ago
The safeties are a fail safe when every other safety system fails. It is not your primary safety component. A team or partner serves many needs: - safety in terms of spotting - safety in terms of feedback to guide you to proper form - safety in terms of damage control if you suffer an injury and need medical attention (especially if you have a stroke or aneurysm during a lift) - encouragement to maibtain your routine
- graeme 7y ago
  Thanks! I’m going to see if I can find one when I return to lifting. So minimum team number is 3. How long do sessions usually last? I’m guessing you lift during others’ breaks, so it doesn’t add as much extra time as if it were all in sequence.
  - failrate 7y ago
    Yes, you rotate who is lifting. I don't lift enough to need two spotters. Sessions last an hour to an hour and a half.
joncrocks 7y ago
It depends on what you mean by safety bars. If you mean a smith machine, yes, don't use those. But if you mean "I have failed my lift, prevent me from crushing myself" safety bars, there shouldn't be a problem with those as long as they are set at an appropriate height.
balfirevic 7y ago
Here, judge for yourself: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SiPxKyntDs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SiPxKyntDs
- graeme 7y ago
  But he succeeded on that squat....the question was about what happens if you can't finish a rep.
  - balfirevic 7y ago
    He has almost certainly failed countless reps in his training and he's still alive and training like this :) On the other hand - he appears to have injured his wrist few months ago, although not by failing to finish the lift but by missing the rack when putting the bar back.
    - graeme 7y ago
      Oh, does he never train with spotters? In that case, that's more significant
tjpaudio 7y ago
Safety bars keep you from dying if you have to bail, but bailing is still bad. Basically you want to say "take" and have the weight immediately removed. There is no use in straining yourself or risking injury on a bail; you have the lift or you don't.
n4r9 7y ago
High-bar back squats are relatively straightforward and safe to bail out of using safety bars: https://youtu.be/fRIaJv_5CkM https://youtu.be/fRIaJv_5CkM Front squats are also not so bad if you have safety bars to drop the barbell forwards onto. Starting Strength style low-bar squats are trickier. I've previously found myself having to sort of roll forwards until the safety bars catch the barbell, then crawl out on hands and knees. Slightly scary the first couple of times but still pretty safe.
- graeme 7y ago
  Thanks! With front squats can you just drop it, or do you need to jump as well? A friend had recommended those as being safer on the back. My worry is I won't really need the safeties until I have 200+ pounds on my back and if I exit wrong I could hurt myself. I tried practicing at the gym but it was very loud and the staff warned me not to.
  - n4r9 7y ago
    You shouldn't need to jump, just be moving backwards yourself as you push the bar off forwards. I don't think front squats are inherently more or less safe than back squats; both are safe if performed with good form. I understand the worry about heavy weights. If possible, you should try to find a gym that will let you drop weights (one mark of a good gym). Then you can practice to your heart's content.