LP training on own

[James7]

Hi,

I'm UK based and will be training for LP in a small gym and on my own. At some point during progression I will presumably fail sets so i'd appreciate advice on how this will be possible for squat (power rack not cage) and bench?

Cheers.

[Brodie Butland]

Does your power rack have safeties?

[James7]

Sadly not, maybe time to look for a new gym.

[Toadthewetsprocket]

Where abouts are you in the UK? I can suggest a few places in London. From your post it looks like you might have to find a proper gym, either with bumper plates so you can dump it back or a proper rack.

[James7]

Thanks, I’m based Stockport near Manchester. There’s a few others I’ve found, just trying to tie it in with school run and journey to work as I usually go at 6.45am MWF.

[Erik Y]

If you have no spotters, you definitely need safeties.

There is a lot of nervousness about failing a squat rep, but if you have good form and do it right, it is not a problem - you will fail near the bottom, and you will still be pushing, so the weight will just slowly settle on the safeties as your strength gives out. If you do get off balance and fall, which I did the first time I squatted with shoes, it is a bit scary, but you will still miss near the bottom and therefore will still be caught by the safeties. The one time I did miss a squat rep without safeties, though, I almost destroyed my friend’s garage. So be somewhere with safeties.

Of course, you’re not likely to fail a squat rep even if you think you’re going to, so you’ve probably got a few weeks to get this worked out. By the time I first missed a rep on my first time through, my squat had more than doubled. Just be smart with your jumps in weight.

[Brodie Butland]

Sadly not, maybe time to look for a new gym.

If it were me, I’d change gyms. I simply wouldn’t feel safe training alone with no safety mechanisms whatsoever. Even if your form is perfect and you always gauge your ability so well that you never fail a rep, sometimes shit happens. But even more importantly, you can’t really know your fail point until you, well, fail a rep, because it’s very easy to quit early. So you’re not only putting yourself at unnecessary risk, but you’re also short-changing your progression because of an equipment limitation. Even if it’s an extra 20 quid a month for good equipment, it’s worth it.

[Big-Green-Mud-Machine]

A google search shows Manchester Strength and Conditioning has a few power racks..... I haven't trained there myself ....

[James7]

If it were me, I’d change gyms. I simply wouldn’t feel safe training alone with no safety mechanisms whatsoever. Even if your form is perfect and you always gauge your ability so well that you never fail a rep, sometimes shit happens. But even more importantly, you can’t really know your fail point until you, well, fail a rep, because it’s very easy to quit early. So you’re not only putting yourself at unnecessary risk, but you’re also short-changing your progression because of an equipment limitation. Even if it’s an extra 20 quid a month for good equipment, it’s worth it.

Thanks Brodie, presumably only spotters can provide bench press safety if not using a smith machine?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Thanks Brodie, presumably only spotters can provide bench press safety if not using a smith machine?

Starting Strength Power Rack – Texas Strength Systems