Including the Bar Weight?

[Brian Jones]

Thank you, but I go to a rather busy gym and I find it rather embarrassing to be doing 2 sets of squats/bench/press/deadlifts with an empty bar.

Embarrassing? I understand what you are saying - -but imagine this. I am 6'1" and weighed over 300lbs when I started lifting weights. While I have trained for years to achieve the glorious beer gut that I have, trust that I am a thick corn-fed, farm raised feller that in most instances look as if I could juggle hay bales. I started every lift with an empty bar. When I first started lifting I was running a different program that had your work-sets start with an empty bar. The empty bar wasn't the worst . . you could pretend that people may mistake your empty bar worksets as a warmup. What couldn't be overlooked was me with the bar and 2 1/2 lb weights on either side. I will never forget my second day of squatting. As luck would have it, the only thing open was a power rack. So now I am in a power rack, getting ready to do sets of 55lbs. The absurdity of seeing my big hulking behind with those two little weights on either side . .they literally looked like Frankenstein bolts coming out either side of my neck. I knew what the circus bear felt like that that rides that teeny tiny bicycle.. .. .THEN . .to top it off..who takes up residence in the power rack beside me? A 5'0 120lb female doing squats, worksets across with 165lb. So she already had big plates on...and to add insult to injury, she was using a bumper set so all of the plates were the same size -- in my mind she looked as if she was squatting 315, big full plates on the bar . .and her the size of a clothes hamper. Me on the other hand was sweating like a pig, proud of my ATG 55lb squats. But you know what? I gave a #$#$ less. Nobody gives a #$##.. do the program and progress accordingly. You know what? Flash forward - -this morning I just hit another PR in the squat at 265lbs....I just pulled another PR in the Deadlift at 375lbs. I made it to those weights with them itty bitty 2 1/2 lb plates. It all started with an empty bar . . .and EVERY LIFT, EVERY SET, EVERY REP . . always starts with that empty bar 45x2x5 warm up. Get the balls OP to not give a crap about anything other than improving yourself. If you are worried about what someone else is thinking about your lift . .you are going to struggle to have the mental strength and focus that is necessary when you start getting weights that want to crush your spine and pull you arms out of your sockets . . .you can do it.

[51M0n]

I always bench with an empty bar. But for some reason I find squatting with the bar more difficult than warming up with a pair of 45s on the bar.

[Brodie Butland]

You want to talk embarrassment? Because of my back I have to use a belt for every press set, including warm-ups that (yes) start with the empty bar. For safety, I also belt every squat set over 225 lbs. Do I care? No, because I'm progressing, and that's all that matters. We all have to start somewhere.

Also, listen to Brian--he's one of the biggest badasses on this board. Even leg hardware didn't stop him.

[Brian Jones]

Also, listen to Brian--he's one of the biggest badasses on this board. Even leg hardware didn't stop him.

That means alot to me and thanks for the kind words . .but keep in mind. Regardless of how you train, or how much weight you lift, you are only as big a badass as your 5 year old princess allows you to be - see examples - yes, at time she insists on sitting on my shoulders while I work and I am often called in to duty at a moment's notice to be her date for any number of formal affairs that take place here in the living room






Yeah thats me . . a REAL badass . . lol. Thanks mamba - -you help keep me rockin!

[Supertec]

This thread went spectacularly and gloriously off-topic, but it answered my original question and more that I hadn't even thought of. Thanks.

[Nick Klemetson]

Embarrassing? I understand what you are saying - -but imagine this. I am 6'1" and weighed over 300lbs when I started lifting weights. While I have trained for years to achieve the glorious beer gut that I have, trust that I am a thick corn-fed, farm raised feller that in most instances look as if I could juggle hay bales. I started every lift with an empty bar. When I first started lifting I was running a different program that had your work-sets start with an empty bar. The empty bar wasn't the worst . . you could pretend that people may mistake your empty bar worksets as a warmup. What couldn't be overlooked was me with the bar and 2 1/2 lb weights on either side. I will never forget my second day of squatting. As luck would have it, the only thing open was a power rack. So now I am in a power rack, getting ready to do sets of 55lbs. The absurdity of seeing my big hulking behind with those two little weights on either side . .they literally looked like Frankenstein bolts coming out either side of my neck. I knew what the circus bear felt like that that rides that teeny tiny bicycle.. .. .THEN . .to top it off..who takes up residence in the power rack beside me? A 5'0 120lb female doing squats, worksets across with 165lb. So she already had big plates on...and to add insult to injury, she was using a bumper set so all of the plates were the same size -- in my mind she looked as if she was squatting 315, big full plates on the bar . .and her the size of a clothes hamper. Me on the other hand was sweating like a pig, proud of my ATG 55lb squats. But you know what? I gave a #$#$ less. Nobody gives a #$##.. do the program and progress accordingly. You know what? Flash forward - -this morning I just hit another PR in the squat at 265lbs....I just pulled another PR in the Deadlift at 375lbs. I made it to those weights with them itty bitty 2 1/2 lb plates. It all started with an empty bar . . .and EVERY LIFT, EVERY SET, EVERY REP . . always starts with that empty bar 45x2x5 warm up. Get the balls OP to not give a crap about anything other than improving yourself. If you are worried about what someone else is thinking about your lift . .you are going to struggle to have the mental strength and focus that is necessary when you start getting weights that want to crush your spine and pull you arms out of your sockets . . .you can do it.

If I had to choose a top ten favorite posts I've gathered from reading this forum, I'd bet at least 5 of them would be Brian's, and this one just might be #1. Amazing stuff.

EDIT: And I didn't even realize it was written almost a year ago!