No powercage, no spotter OK to BP heavy?

[solomani]

Hi all,
My current gym has no squat rack or power cage. I am planing on moving to a gym which has at least a squat rack. However this will mean I have no one to spot me while BP and no cage to BP solo safely. I will be in a gym so I figure worse comes to worse I can either dump the weight or call for help.

Anyone else BP heavy without a spotter or cage? At my current gym I get the PT to spot me for both squats and BP. Other novice excercises dont need spotting IMO.

Thanks in advance.

[MikeC1]

Is the floor rubber? Are the plates covered with rubber? How heavy are you benching?

[tertius]

Also, can you leave the collars off the bar?

[MikeC1]

Well if the collars were stuck to the bar, he wouldn't be able to get the plates on. Or if you mean that the gym workers would yell at him to put the collars on, then those same people would be there to spot for him.

[Carlos Daniel]

Please get yourself a spotter for work sets. It should be fine.

[solomani]

Hi guys,
They have rubber covered floor and rubber plates. Not benching heavy at all just heavy for me. Can BP without locks.

Carlos,
This is my problem:

Gym A: Cheap, convenient, no squat rack, no power-cage, no deadlift platform, I pay a PT to spot me.
Gym B: Expensive, convenient, squat rack, no power-cage, deadlift platform.

If I drop the PT costs Gym B becomes cheaper than Gym A even though the monthly is more. And Gym B also has a squat rack - a rarity in HK. So I dont want to join gym B and then end up paying for PT to spot me again. I dont know what it is about Asian gyms but asking people to spot you seems problematic. Was common practic in AU.

Ultimately hoping there is someone else who reguarly works out at the same time and we can off-set each otehr. But no gurantee of that so wanted to know what experience people had while BP solo without a cage.

[li4alex]

Seems to me you should opt for gym B simply for the squat rack. It's difficult, though possible, to squat and press without a rack. Also, if the squat rack has adjustable safeties, perhaps you could use those like you would in a power rack to bench.
Is the problematic part that people spot incorrectly or that they are unwilling? The former is a perennial problem for all of us without workout partners, though easily addressed by simply stating exactly how you want to be spotted, but the latter would indeed be quite problematic.

[solomani]

Seems to me you should opt for gym B simply for the squat rack. It's difficult, though possible, to squat and press without a rack. Also, if the squat rack has adjustable safeties, perhaps you could use those like you would in a power rack to bench.

Yeah, I have discovered that exact issue. Without a squat rack I find I don't squat to depth. I think its a psychological thing since when I have tested it in a squat rack I squat to depth with good form without hesitation. And that psychological black hole is affecting my progress. So hence my reason to search for a power-rack equipped gym (0 for 6) or a squat rack (3 for 6),

I figured worse case scenario with the BP I will embarrass myself by dumping the weights. I can deal with that much more easily than the idea of falling with 100kg on my back.

I haven't had a close look at the rack I just rang them up and they told me they had that and other stuff. And chalk was A-OK so long as I wasn't a pig about it. But will check if it is adjustable at all.

Is the problematic part that people spot incorrectly or that they are unwilling? The former is a perennial problem for all of us without work-out partners, though easily addressed by simply stating exactly how you want to be spotted, but the latter would indeed be quite problematic.

For the spotting its a few things. One would be language barrier in places like JP and to a lesser extent HK. The other is a cultural thing. People are not very helpful here generally and that just flows over into the gym. And the only regulars are people running around with PTs. In 18m I haven't seen any one come consistently. People are constantly changing so makes it more difficult to strike up any kind of "gym relationship" for spotting. Its just the nature of the city.

Looking forward to going home and having a house for many reasons but my own gym is a big one.

[jgh]

I figured worse case scenario with the BP I will embarrass myself by dumping the weights.

That isn't the worst case scenario.

[solomani]

That isn't the worst case scenario.

Sure, dropping it on my throat is worse case scenario.