One Armed Bench Press?

[joewattie]

One Armed Bench Press?

Well not quite but one arm is permanently disabled as compared to the other. For example there is a seated chest press machine at the gym. You load each handle with Olympic plates and push. For me I load a couple plates on my good side and just a half plate and change on the other side.

This does not translate well for a normal bench press with a bar. It means working to the lowest common denominator which means my good side is limited to the same stupid light weights that my bad side can handle.

So I’m mulling a few bad ideas in my head.

* Grab the bar off center such that the good side carries more of the weight? (How much off center I do not know.)

* Load the good side with more weight than the bad side and see if it balances out (like it does with the seated chest press machine)?

* Angle the lift. Lead the lift with my bad side and let the good side lag behind such that the bar slants down towards my good side thus transferring more of the load to my good side? Which leads me to wondering how to calculate the optimum angle?

Any thoughts/suggestions?

[paulinkansas]

That sounds like an accident waiting to happen. Maybe try the machine that has a stack of plates in it where you insert the pin at your desired weight. Lay on your back and do the bench press movement. The weight won't be imbalanced and your strong side and still exert force along with your weak side without any worry of rotation on the Y axis or movement on the X axis.

[joewattie]

That sounds like an accident waiting to happen. Maybe try the machine that has a stack of plates in it where you insert the pin at your desired weight. Lay on your back and do the bench press movement. The weight won't be imbalanced and your strong side and still exert force along with your weak side without any worry of rotation on the Y axis or movement on the X axis.

I wanted to take a minute to thank you for your gracious reply and, yup, you’re probably right, I’m an accident waiting to happen.

I started going to the gym a couple of years ago. Stationary bike. Then I noticed the machines you speak of, in this case a seated shoulder press, two handles attached to a single set of plates that you put a pin in. I lifted with my left only since I could not raise my right arm high enough to grab the handle.

After a couple of weeks I got the idea of using my left hand to raise my right to the handle and let it go for a “free ride”. It was uncomfortable but not overly painful.

After a couple of weeks the pain was gone and it felt like my right arm was actually participating a little, not much but a little. (And … I could finally brush my teeth with one hand again!)

So I switched to the machines that had a separate set of weights for each handle. I put a plate on one side and nothing on the other. (I think “nothing” was about five or ten pounds.) After a couple of weeks I was adding weights to both sides (ten on one side and five on the other) and, nearly as exciting, I could finally drink a cup of coffee with my right arm!

Anyway, back to the bench press. There’s a lady power lifter there and she wants me to start competing with her. OK, at my age (76) I may be a bit delusional but the fantasy is kind of motivating. With training I suppose I could fake a dead lift or a squat but, given my circumstances, there’s no way I can fake a bench press without some creative thinking.

So … that’s kinda where I am.

[air2fakie]

Why exactly do you want to do a barbell bench press with one arm close to permanently disabled?

[joewattie]

Why exactly do you want to do a barbell bench press with one arm close to permanently disabled?

<lol> When you put it that way it does sound more than a little crazy. My friend, she's turning 60 and is entering the Masters 3 (60+) class in a Power Lifting competition and she wants me to try Masters 4 (70+), At my age it's an intriguing delusion so I thought I'd ask (rather than blunder and error) if there was any way to do a barbell bench press with one permanently messed up arm?

[weiss1967]

bar is long, with heavy weights at both ends. This creates monstrous momentums which palm of your good hand will not be able to counter on its own. Your not-so-good hand will have to at least be able to push/pull as necessary to keep barbel horizontal. I am going to try it myself tomorrow.

At any rate, doing this, be prepared to drop bar to either side, make sure no by-standers, 405 pounds can pinch someone’s toe pretty bad.

[air2fakie]

<lol> When you put it that way it does sound more than a little crazy. My friend, she's turning 60 and is entering the Masters 3 (60+) class in a Power Lifting competition and she wants me to try Masters 4 (70+), At my age it's an intriguing delusion so I thought I'd ask (rather than blunder and error) if there was any way to do a barbell bench press with one permanently messed up arm?

Are you keeping your permanently disabled arm a secret from your powerlifting friend?

And what does the disabled arm have to do with a one-armed bench press? Hold the bar exactly in the center with your good arm, put total weight (including the bar) equal to a little less than what you can comfortably db bench press with your good arm, balance carefully and press with one arm.

[joewattie]

bar is long, with heavy weights at both ends. This creates monstrous momentums which palm of your good hand will not be able to counter on its own. Your not-so-good hand will have to at least be able to push/pull as necessary to keep barbell horizontal. I am going to try it myself tomorrow.

At any rate, doing this, be prepared to drop bar to either side, make sure no by-standers, 405 pounds can pinch someone’s toe pretty bad.

If (IF) I were to experiment I would set the bar on the rails so it would rest just an inch or two above my chest and push from there. I "think" the most promising possibility is to use different weights on each side in an attempt to keep the bar parallel?

[joewattie]

Are you keeping your permanently disabled arm a secret from your powerlifting friend?

No, no secret. Most everyone at the gym has teased me about my asymmetric lifts.

And what does the disabled arm have to do with a one-armed bench press? Hold the bar exactly in the center with your good arm, put total weight (including the bar) equal to a little less than what you can comfortably db bench press with your good arm, balance carefully and press with one arm.

Yes, my title was misleading but my opening sentence attempted to explain that I wanted my bad arm to help out some.

But your comment got me to thinking about the one-armed snatches I used to do nearly a half century ago. But laying on a bench I wouldn't be able to move my body to help balance the bar the way I used to.

Might consider it, being able to post "something" would be better than scratching.

Edit: You just gave me another thought. I could put both hands near center. My bad side could help out with the balancing and add a few more pounds to the lift?

Edit 2: No, probably not. Grabbing it center would take the chest out of the lift and drop my poundage?

[air2fakie]

No, no secret. Most everyone at the gym has teased me about my asymmetric lifts.



Yes, my title was misleading but my opening sentence attempted to explain that I wanted my bad arm to help out some.

But your comment got me to thinking about the one-armed snatches I used to do nearly a half century ago. But laying on a bench I wouldn't be able to move my body to help balance the bar the way I used to.

Might consider it, being able to post "something" would be better than scratching.

Edit: You just gave me another thought. I could put both hands near center. My bad side could help out with the balancing and add a few more pounds to the lift?

Edit 2: No, probably not. Grabbing it center would take the chest out of the lift and drop my poundage?

I think you’ll likely have trouble meeting all the requirements throughout the movement if you’re lifting any slightly challenging weight no matter what technique you use, from a competition perspective.

[joewattie]

I think you’ll likely have trouble meeting all the requirements throughout the movement if you’re lifting any slightly challenging weight no matter what technique you use, from a competition perspective.

I guess I’m getting a little delusional in my old age but the uh “fantasy” has been fun and a bit motivating (all my lifts have gone up since I started entertaining the idea in my mind’s eye). I think I’ll enjoy it for a couple more weeks and then drop the idea.

When I started a couple of years ago my mantra was “don’t get hurt”! Towards that I’ve stuck with the “old man” stationary weight machines as I believe they can help reduce the risk of injury. I think I need to refocus on that.

I’ve stuck with “don’t get hurt” with the exception of my “genuine make believe” dead lifts (I use a hex bar rather than an Olympic bar). It’s been fun but I think I may need to reconsider those before my luck runs out?

This getting old stuff is getting old...

[radrd]

Why wouldn't you just train with dumbbells? I'd press each arm separately.

Or is the point that it has to be barbell for competition?

[air2fakie]

I guess I’m getting a little delusional in my old age but the uh “fantasy” has been fun and a bit motivating (all my lifts have gone up since I started entertaining the idea in my mind’s eye). I think I’ll enjoy it for a couple more weeks and then drop the idea.

When I started a couple of years ago my mantra was “don’t get hurt”! Towards that I’ve stuck with the “old man” stationary weight machines as I believe they can help reduce the risk of injury. I think I need to refocus on that.

I’ve stuck with “don’t get hurt” with the exception of my “genuine make believe” dead lifts (I use a hex bar rather than an Olympic bar). It’s been fun but I think I may need to reconsider those before my luck runs out?

This getting old stuff is getting old...

Expanding on the poster's comment above, there are modified powerlifting competitions for people with disabilities (I think they're often veterans) which can have lifts like one-armed db BP. You may not qualify for them & they may not have senior age categories, but you might want to look into it if this is a serious interest.

[joewattie]

Why wouldn't you just train with dumbbells? I'd press each arm separately.
Or is the point that it has to be barbell for competition?

Yes, Competitions specify Benchpress with an Olympic style barbell. Or, at least that's what I thought until air2fakie's post (below).

Expanding on the poster's comment above, there are modified powerlifting competitions for people with disabilities (I think they're often veterans) which can have lifts like one-armed db BP. You may not qualify for them & they may not have senior age categories, but you might want to look into it if this is a serious interest.

You do bring up a great point, although, I doubt our local area competitions are big enough to support that.

But you did give me an idea. There's nothing that says I have to enter all three events. It's quite common in this area for competitors to enter just one event. A "no legs" (figuratively, not literally) acquaintance of mine has entered Bench Press only (and won) a couple of times.

Maybe I will consider training for just the Deadlift event? (It might be enough to keep the fantasy alive for a little while longer : -)

[Camarija]

I doubt our local area competitions are big enough to support that.

You would be surprised how happy they are to accommodate more lifters if you ask

I hope it works out for you, but definitely wouldn't recommend the one handed barbell bench press.

One armed dumbbell bench press is the way forward with this endeavour

Best of luck brother!

[SuicideGripMe]

Without knowing the extent of your disability, it would be really hard to give any real advice. I would argue that single kettlebell movements would be probably a better option.

Look up Dan John on youtube, age isn't just a number but it's not a death sentence to only do mind numbing cardio.

[joewattie]

You would be surprised how happy they are to accommodate more lifters if you ask

I hope it works out for you, but definitely wouldn't recommend the one handed barbell bench press.

One armed dumbbell bench press is the way forward with this endeavour

Best of luck brother!

My sincere thanks. It was a fun fantasy but it's time for me to drop it. Due to age, arthritis and an inventory of injuries I am re-realizing that free weights are probably the wrong mistake ... for me. With the exception of deadlifts with a hex bar. They make me feel almost young again. I'm closing in on 405 (I weigh 145). IF I hit it I *might* try converting to an Olympic bar and consider entering just that ONE event.

[joewattie]

Without knowing the extent of your disability, it would be really hard to give any real advice. I would argue that single kettlebell movements would be probably a better option.

Look up Dan John on youtube, age isn't just a number but it's not a death sentence to only do mind numbing cardio.

I loved your closing sentence, "... a death sentence to do only mind numbing cardio".

Everyone has different passions and some of my friends are very happy with spinning and trotting on their cardio machines for an hour at a time. But I tried it and good golly Miss Molly ... just shoot me! <lol>