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Thread: Doing BP before OP on upper body days

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Manhattan Beach, CA
    Posts
    547

    Default Doing BP before OP on upper body days

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    I recently bit the bullet and switched to a black iron gym near my house. It was getting too difficult to reliably get access to a squat rack at my big, beautiful chain gym and I was getting tired of people asking me when I’d be done.

    The problem is that I like to do bench presses solo because I don’t like having to explain how I want to be spotted every time. I therefore like to set up my squat rack with safeties as I’d like to avoid crushing my trachea if possible. Unfortunately, the squat racks at this otherwise excellent gym aren’t fine-tunable to my body type as the slots are spaced too far apart for accurate adjustments. They do have ONE dedicated bench press set-up with very closely positioned slots which is a great piece of equipment but is often in use.

    I work out VERY early (we’re given keys) and on upper body day, I can be the first to use it every time. In the past I’ve done overhead press BEFORE BP as I was taught. How much would I be short-changing myself by reversing that order to guarantee that I get the dedicated BP set-up before the other lifters arrive?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    North Texas
    Posts
    53,562

    Default

    How about you alternate the order, if you're worried about it.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Manhattan Beach, CA
    Posts
    547

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe View Post
    How about you alternate the order, if you're worried about it.
    I wanted to do the BP first, then the OP so I could be sure to get the best bench before anyone else arrives (I’m a VERY early riser). I just remembered hearing at the seminar that one should do OP before BP if your work-outs are divided into upper body days.

    If the order doesn’t really matter then I’ll do that. Otherwise I have to come up with another plan to work around my need to use this particular piece of equipment before someone else grabs it.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Murphysboro, IL
    Posts
    726

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by JFord View Post
    I recently bit the bullet and switched to a black iron gym near my house.

    I work out VERY early (we’re given keys)
    Let me guess given your proximity. The 4 Star Gym in El Segundo, right? Great place.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Manhattan Beach, CA
    Posts
    547

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark E. Hurling View Post
    Let me guess given your proximity. The 4 Star Gym in El Segundo, right? Great place.
    Yep. I love this place!

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