Video: LTE: The Fourth Powerlift

[jfsully]

Most of the programs I have seen that include LTE’s (e.g. from Andy Baker) has used them with fairly high reps (10s or more). In that case the weight is low enough that it should be easy enough to handle by starting it on your lap. That’s what I do, anyway, then press it up overhead and start the movement from there. Haven’t had a problem or needed a spotter yet...

[Mark Rippetoe]

I've done them that way for years. Make sure you collar the plates.

[Treg]

Is there a practical way of doing these solo without a handoff?

I tried last night and couldn't reach the bar sitting on the ground even with bumpers and if I used the rack like you did in the video I seemed to collide with it on the way back. I resorted to using dumbbells and it worked but didn't quite feel right.

Place the bar on the floor in front of the bench to load the weights. Deadlift the bar off the floor, turn around, and sit down on the bench, with the bar resting in your lap. In one continuous motion, lie back on the bench and bench press the weight up into the starting position for LTEs. Do the set. After the final rep, lower the weight back down toward your chest like you're bench pressing it, and at the same time, sit up so that the bar is once again in your lap. Don't try to stand up holding the bar that way - instead, lower one end of the bar onto the floor, then the other.

I don't know if this will work once the bar gets really heavy - maybe at some point you'll need to find a spotter. Then again, how heavy is really heavy for LTEs? Anyway, works for me.

[Chris Goodrich]

Possibly you could arrange a pair of spotting stands (such as these Pillars of Power spotter racks for bench, squat - IronMind-www.ironmind-store.com or Titan Bench Press Spotter Stands) to protect your face and throat from a dropped bar, while still allowing the bar to descend to the bottom of the LTE. To start your set you would need to set up the bar on the stands, bench press it up to lockout, and then initiate the LTE from the top. Not ideal, but seems like a reasonably safe way of doing LTEs solo.

[Mark Rippetoe]

1. How do you scoot down the bench with the bar overhead far enough to clear the racks to drop the bar down behind your head?

2. I have always been amazed the the enormous balls on Dr. Randall J. Strossen PhD and the wonderful folks at IronMind(TM). Look at this piece of junk, and reflect on the $600 pricetag. The thing would be extravagantly overpriced at $200. This is truly ballsy.

[Corrie]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I'm familiar with the movement Treg described from when I worked out more with dumb bells so I think I can pull that one off.

[Chad Mynhier]

At the risk of being called a fool, I'll post a video of my solution to this problem (assuming that's okay). There are definitely safety implications here, but the real issue here is doing these without a spotter, not in how I'm getting the bar into position.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Works perfectly. Maybe this was what Chris had in mind. Just make plans to drop it behind your head if you get in trouble.

[Chris Goodrich]

Yes, same concept. If you use spotter arms instead of J-hooks off of the power rack, you can still have protection for your face and chest in case you drop the bar or fail forwards instead of back behind your head. You can also use freestanding spotter stands, but as Rip pointed out, with certain designs you might have to either compromise range of motion (specifically bringing the bar back underneath the head at the bottom) to avoid hitting the uprights, or position the stands were you don't have complete coverage for your face.

[heavyiron8]

At the risk of being called a fool, I'll post a video of my solution to this problem (assuming that's okay). There are definitely safety implications here, but the real issue here is doing these without a spotter, not in how I'm getting the bar into position.

This is how I do LTEs in my garage as well. I have a Rogue rack /w monolift attachment, makes the initial lift off a bit easier