IronFist
12-21-2004, 08:50 AM
I had to be quick cuz the gym was about to close, but I was determined to get my squatting and benching in even if I didn't have time for everything else after.
So, I finished squatting and warmed up with 135 x 1 and then 185 x 1 and then put on 225 and then I asked for a spot from this guy. He looked pretty big, or at least bigger than me (I'm 5'9" and like 163lbs @ 9%bf). He had the typical "frat boy" look, where he was overall big and definately looked like he worked out, but didn't have much definition as his bodyfat levels were a little higher. He wasn't fat at all; just not "cut." The forearms arms coming out of his t-shirt were definately bigger and more muscular than mine, and his half-covered upper-arm also looked pretty big, too.
So he's like "how many are you going for?" I said 5. I asked for a lift and pumped out my 5. It should go without saying, but, like when I squat, I also do full range bench pressing. Some people like to stop the bar 3" above their chest and/or help throw it up with pelvic thrusts (aka. humping the ceiling), but not me.
So I finish my set and he's like "do you mind if I try this?" I'm say "sure," cuz when the weight gets heavy and the reps get low I don't mind waiting a few minutes between sets. So he gets in place and I unrack it for him and it goes down. "Nope." He says, and I deadlift the weight off of him.
He says he hasn't worked out in a while, which I believe, cuz I've gone from benching 225 for reps to taking a few weeks off and then being VERY sore the day after doing a few sets with 135 when I come back. He also said he injured his shoulder in wrestling or something and I'm like ok, that could hurt your bench, too.
However, the ectomorph in me was extatic that I got 5 reps with a weight that an obviously bigger guy couldn't even get for one.
Now, that will probably never happen again (unless you're talking full range squats or weighted pullups), so I had to enjoy it. I try not to be a **** at the gym, and I don't make fun of small or weak people because I know what it's like to be them, and working out should be about personal gains and not about comparing yourself with others. However, this one time I had to let it slide cuz it's never happened before I mean, I've been a lot stronger than people my size before, but never obviously stronger than people bigger than me. Then again, it's kinda not fair cuz I was in a very trained state and he was in an untrained state, so he would probably waste me in bench if he had been training intensely at the time. Oh well.
Ok, that was my story.
PS. This guy felt it necessary to help me with the top 10% of each bench press rep. Who ever fails in the top 10%? I hate it when spotters help you on each rep even when you're obviously not struggling.
So, I finished squatting and warmed up with 135 x 1 and then 185 x 1 and then put on 225 and then I asked for a spot from this guy. He looked pretty big, or at least bigger than me (I'm 5'9" and like 163lbs @ 9%bf). He had the typical "frat boy" look, where he was overall big and definately looked like he worked out, but didn't have much definition as his bodyfat levels were a little higher. He wasn't fat at all; just not "cut." The forearms arms coming out of his t-shirt were definately bigger and more muscular than mine, and his half-covered upper-arm also looked pretty big, too.
So he's like "how many are you going for?" I said 5. I asked for a lift and pumped out my 5. It should go without saying, but, like when I squat, I also do full range bench pressing. Some people like to stop the bar 3" above their chest and/or help throw it up with pelvic thrusts (aka. humping the ceiling), but not me.
So I finish my set and he's like "do you mind if I try this?" I'm say "sure," cuz when the weight gets heavy and the reps get low I don't mind waiting a few minutes between sets. So he gets in place and I unrack it for him and it goes down. "Nope." He says, and I deadlift the weight off of him.
He says he hasn't worked out in a while, which I believe, cuz I've gone from benching 225 for reps to taking a few weeks off and then being VERY sore the day after doing a few sets with 135 when I come back. He also said he injured his shoulder in wrestling or something and I'm like ok, that could hurt your bench, too.
However, the ectomorph in me was extatic that I got 5 reps with a weight that an obviously bigger guy couldn't even get for one.
Now, that will probably never happen again (unless you're talking full range squats or weighted pullups), so I had to enjoy it. I try not to be a **** at the gym, and I don't make fun of small or weak people because I know what it's like to be them, and working out should be about personal gains and not about comparing yourself with others. However, this one time I had to let it slide cuz it's never happened before I mean, I've been a lot stronger than people my size before, but never obviously stronger than people bigger than me. Then again, it's kinda not fair cuz I was in a very trained state and he was in an untrained state, so he would probably waste me in bench if he had been training intensely at the time. Oh well.
Ok, that was my story.
PS. This guy felt it necessary to help me with the top 10% of each bench press rep. Who ever fails in the top 10%? I hate it when spotters help you on each rep even when you're obviously not struggling.