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Thread: Struggling to get clear of the J hooks during bench

  1. #1
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    Default Struggling to get clear of the J hooks during bench

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    I have started to struggle on bench in my Rogue rack during unracking. Clearing the tips of the J hooks is almost as hard as a rep. I’ve tried moving it down a hole but then it’s like a partial rep from a stop. It was ok until I got to 78Kg (172lbs in old money) and I actually hurt my arms during the unrack and had to take a minute before trying again. I wondered if this was partially because as the weight gets heavier, there is enough compression on the bench foam to just put it out of perfect reach ? Otherwise, all I can think of is to buy a mono lift. Thoughts ?

    No probs submitting a vid if it helps.

  2. #2
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    Yes, our rack is better. Shim the feet of the bench.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe View Post
    Yes, our rack is better. Shim the feet of the bench.
    Cheers Rip, that’s a much cheaper option. It’s only an 1/8” or so, but I can experiment to find the best shim.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nockian View Post
    I have started to struggle on bench in my Rogue rack during unracking. Clearing the tips of the J hooks is almost as hard as a rep. I’ve tried moving it down a hole but then it’s like a partial rep from a stop.
    When I saw the heading of your post, I figured that you had a Rogue set-up (like I do) because I had the same problem. My work-around has been to roll the bar forward on the J-hooks (towards your feet) prior to setting your back for the lift and hold the bar there. This will significantly reduce the clearance you have to overcome to get the bar past the J-hooks when you actually do the lift.

    I think you'll find that although it seems kind of goofy to do, it's actually easy and safe to do so. Now, it's pretty much second nature to me.

    I hope this helps.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by JFord View Post
    When I saw the heading of your post, I figured that you had a Rogue set-up (like I do) because I had the same problem. My work-around has been to roll the bar forward on the J-hooks (towards your feet) prior to setting your back for the lift and hold the bar there. This will significantly reduce the clearance you have to overcome to get the bar past the J-hooks when you actually do the lift.

    I think you'll find that although it seems kind of goofy to do, it's actually easy and safe to do so. Now, it's pretty much second nature to me.

    I hope this helps.
    Yes, I tried that. The problem I found was that having rolled it towards the hooks, I couldn’t get everything tight and positioned before the bar rolled itself back down the hooks. I tried wedging it forward with some bits of wood but not in a really permanent way and ended up clouting myself with the bits of wood which fell out as I cleared the hooks. I’m preferring to bench in the gym at present -although the disadvantage is having no safeties.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nockian View Post
    Yes, I tried that. The problem I found was that having rolled it towards the hooks, I couldn’t get everything tight and positioned before the bar rolled itself back down the hooks. I tried wedging it forward with some bits of wood but not in a really permanent way and ended up clouting myself with the bits of wood which fell out as I cleared the hooks. I’m preferring to bench in the gym at present -although the disadvantage is having no safeties.
    I'm surprised it's difficult although I do understand that by design, the J-hooks are canted backwards so the bar wants to roll back towards your head.

    I roll the bar forward with both hands, position one hand correctly while keeping the bar forward with my other hand. When I have my hand properly positioned, I keep holding the bar forward with the fixed hand and then fix the other one. Then, I set my position on the bench (back arch, positioning feet, etc.)

    When my body is set, the bar is still rolled all the way forward on the hooks (towards my feet). Then I push the bar up, and forward off the hooks and do the set.

    I'm sorry if that doesn't work for you. It's a bummer having to go the the gym just to bench (and be captive to whichever goofy people are around to spot you). I might not be explaining my process well. Or it may be that the cant on your J-hooks is steeper than that of mine requiring more excessive force to keep it pushed forward. I'm able to keep the bar forward fairly easily with just one hand while I position the other. You're probably much stronger than me by the way. My PR for five is only 162.5 lbs.

    I never want to work out at a globo gym again although I do miss working out at my previous black iron gym. I miss the community of serious lifters there, some of whom were very helpful to a 63-year-old lamer like myself! A lot of them compete as a team in powerlifting meets.

  7. #7
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    I wonder if you aren't too far back on the bench relative to the bar. I was taught to align my eyes with the forward edge of the bar when looking straight up at the ceiling. This is with the bar rolled forward on the hooks which is easily done and held with the hooks on my Monster rack. This start position works well and I've never had a problem clearing the hooks.

    If you aren't at least this far forward relative to the hooks then try this position with an empty bar. Your arms can be pretty far back and still handle the bar if you lock them out before they come forward to the balance point above your chest.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by JFord View Post
    I'm surprised it's difficult although I do understand that by design, the J-hooks are canted backwards so the bar wants to roll back towards your head.

    I roll the bar forward with both hands, position one hand correctly while keeping the bar forward with my other hand. When I have my hand properly positioned, I keep holding the bar forward with the fixed hand and then fix the other one. Then, I set my position on the bench (back arch, positioning feet, etc.)

    When my body is set, the bar is still rolled all the way forward on the hooks (towards my feet). Then I push the bar up, and forward off the hooks and do the set.

    I'm sorry if that doesn't work for you. It's a bummer having to go the the gym just to bench (and be captive to whichever goofy people are around to spot you). I might not be explaining my process well. Or it may be that the cant on your J-hooks is steeper than that of mine requiring more excessive force to keep it pushed forward. I'm able to keep the bar forward fairly easily with just one hand while I position the other. You're probably much stronger than me by the way. My PR for five is only 162.5 lbs.

    I never want to work out at a globo gym again although I do miss working out at my previous black iron gym. I miss the community of serious lifters there, some of whom were very helpful to a 63-year-old lamer like myself! A lot of them compete as a team in powerlifting meets.
    We aren’t that far apart number wise. My rack is slightly on a downhill can’t at the moment. It’s only a tiny bit out, but that’s likely sufficient. I’m going to try levelling it up and then try your technique. I’m at 187 for a set of five.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nockian View Post
    We aren’t that far apart number wise. My rack is slightly on a downhill can’t at the moment. It’s only a tiny bit out, but that’s likely sufficient. I’m going to try levelling it up and then try your technique. I’m at 187 for a set of five.
    You have way more than enough strength to use my technique then. Do you roll the bar all the way forward (towards your feet) so you can stablilize it by jamming it all the way against the forward part of the J-hook? If you do, then you should be able to set your grip with with the other hand and then set your body. That's what I do.

  10. #10
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    starting strength coach development program
    This might seem like a shameless plug for the Starting Strength bench and maybe it is since I bought one. But I also have a Rogue cushioned bench.
    The SS bench is wood, stable as hell. Not sure if this would help you, but with the SS bench I don’t sink down once I start to lift the bar the J-hooks.
    It seems to help me getting the bar off and clear of the hooks. Not sure if my two cents helps....

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