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Posted: 8/11/2014 6:27:43 AM EDT
I have been doing Stronglifts 5x5. I am getting to the point where get 5 reps on the last set is difficult. I don't have a work out partner.

Is it against gym etiquette to bench in the squat rack so I can use the safety bars? Should I just man up and interrupt someone's work out and ask them to spot me?

I OHP in the squat rack too so I don't have to pick the barbell off the floor. Is this wrong too?
Link Posted: 8/11/2014 6:30:54 AM EDT
[#1]
Quoted:
I have been doing Stronglifts 5x5. I am getting to the point where get 5 reps on the last set is difficult. I don't have a work out partner.

Is it against gym etiquette to bench in the squat rack so I can use the safety bars? Should I just man up and interrupt someone's work out and ask them to spot me?

I OHP in the squat rack too so I don't have to pick the barbell off the floor. Is this wrong too?
View Quote



Yes. It is. Especially if your gym is limited in the number of squat racks it has. If yours has shit tons of racks, then it's not "bad" but I still wouldn't do it. Most people in the gym will be more than happy to spot you if you ask.

OHP depends on the weight. If you're pushing 135, then getting it off the ground and cleaning it into position should be no problem. If you're doing 225+ I wouldn't be annoyed at someone using the squat rack.

Also, if you're in the squat rack for your entire workout you're just asking to piss people off.
Link Posted: 8/11/2014 6:41:19 AM EDT
[#2]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:



Yes. It is. Especially if your gym is limited in the number of squat racks it has. If yours has shit tons of racks, then it's not "bad" but I still wouldn't do it. Most people in the gym will be more than happy to spot you if you ask.

OHP depends on the weight. If you're pushing 135, then getting it off the ground and cleaning it into position should be no problem. If you're doing 225+ I wouldn't be annoyed at someone using the squat rack.

Also, if you're in the squat rack for your entire workout you're just asking to piss people off.
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Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
I have been doing Stronglifts 5x5. I am getting to the point where get 5 reps on the last set is difficult. I don't have a work out partner.

Is it against gym etiquette to bench in the squat rack so I can use the safety bars? Should I just man up and interrupt someone's work out and ask them to spot me?

I OHP in the squat rack too so I don't have to pick the barbell off the floor. Is this wrong too?



Yes. It is. Especially if your gym is limited in the number of squat racks it has. If yours has shit tons of racks, then it's not "bad" but I still wouldn't do it. Most people in the gym will be more than happy to spot you if you ask.

OHP depends on the weight. If you're pushing 135, then getting it off the ground and cleaning it into position should be no problem. If you're doing 225+ I wouldn't be annoyed at someone using the squat rack.

Also, if you're in the squat rack for your entire workout you're just asking to piss people off.


I squat every work out so the other day I squatted and did OHP in the rack. Pretty much my whole workout besides deadlift. The whole time I was wondering if I was pissing people off. Thanks

Link Posted: 8/11/2014 6:44:40 AM EDT
[#3]
IMO-

I don't think it's bad form to use the rack for the safety bars...that being said, most people really don't mind giving a spot, so that is the better option to free up the squat rack.

I also don't think it's bad form to press, I don't think it's reasonable to expect someone to clean it in order to press...unless it's light weight. I almost always do press in a rack...of course my gym has a lot of racks too.



Bottom line is if you're in the squat rack the whole time, that's just the way it is. Programs that are actually useful are going to have you in the squat rack for 75%+ of every workout. Oh well...offer to let people jump in with you, and don't sit there on your phone and IMO you're GTG. You paid for the gym just like everyone else.
Link Posted: 8/11/2014 6:50:13 AM EDT
[#4]
Ask for a spot. Dont ask the stupidest fuckin person in  there either or youll get all kinds of cool shit happening in the middle of your lift.

Link Posted: 8/11/2014 6:52:26 AM EDT
[#5]
If there is nobody else around.  (24 hour gym, middle of the dark hours), then yes, you should use the safety pins for the bench on the squat rack.

But if there is someone around, ask for a spot.  I have never been denied a spot, I imagine that's true for others too.  Of course, it should really only be one set that you need the spot for.  And I know I always watch the guy benching when there aren't many people in the gym, just to make sure they don't get pinned even when they don't ask for a spot.   BTW, you should always do bench without collars, just in case you need to dump the weights.  It happens to everyone sooner or later.

OHP I use the power rack or the squat rack.  (and I certainly don't OHP 225lbs yet).   If there is an adjustable rack that lets you start from up high, then I"ll use that, but there usually isn't and thus I use the squat rack.   It's a real lift and no one is going to bitch about it.  Now, if you were doing curls........................................
Link Posted: 8/11/2014 7:28:37 AM EDT
[#6]
Thanks everybody. Just didn't want to be "that" guy.
Link Posted: 8/11/2014 7:57:44 AM EDT
[#7]
Quoted:
I have been doing Stronglifts 5x5. I am getting to the point where get 5 reps on the last set is difficult. I don't have a work out partner.

Is it against gym etiquette to bench in the squat rack so I can use the safety bars? Should I just man up and interrupt someone's work out and ask them to spot me?

I OHP in the squat rack too so I don't have to pick the barbell off the floor. Is this wrong too?
View Quote


I would avoid benching in the squat rack.  If I need someone to spot I'll ask someone who is resting between sets.  If you are particular about how you want someone to spot be polite about it and let them know.

If no one is waiting for the squat rack I don't see a problem with OHP.  Frankly I am working on power cleans so I don't tie up the rack.
Link Posted: 8/11/2014 8:05:14 AM EDT
[#8]
Choose your spotter carefully...  

Link Posted: 8/11/2014 8:34:40 AM EDT
[#9]
I'd discourage anyone from benching in the squat rack, unless there's absolutely nobody around that is capable of spotting. Most people don't mind giving you a spot if you ask, it's just part of gym life. Besides, if you are doing Stronglifts correctly, it's rare to get "in trouble" on a lift, because it's consistent enough that you typically should have an idea of whether you can squeeze out the last rep or not. At least, that was my experience.

I don't see any issues with doing overhead presses in the squat rack. The lift is designed to start from standing clavicle height, and most gyms don't have any other type of rack that would accommodate the lift.
Link Posted: 8/11/2014 8:48:22 AM EDT
[#10]
I always OHP / Klokov in the squat rack. Of course my numbers are pretty good and more than once I've had a guy squatting next to me pressing and wow they sure finished fast.
Link Posted: 8/11/2014 9:10:50 AM EDT
[#11]
Ask for a spot. It happened regularly to me when I first stared and I'm glad it did because it made my completely comfortable asking people myself.
Link Posted: 8/11/2014 3:05:48 PM EDT
[#12]
Ask for a spot if you need it; OHP perfectly acceptable. One of two racks at my gym has stationary safety bars that are too high to actually squat in. That's where I do OHP and deadlift.
Link Posted: 8/12/2014 11:00:51 AM EDT
[#13]
IMHO, it depends on the gym. When I went to Golds, it was a no-no. At 24 Hr Fitness, it was acceptable if no one was there. At the gym I go to now, it doesn't matter and people work around it. Now, with that said, unless there is no one to spot you and it was for safety only, I would avoid it. You get way less shoulder mobility from doing it in the squat rack than using a regular barbell. When I have no one to spot me, I just use dumbbells and skip bench press with barbells that day. Just my .02.
Link Posted: 8/12/2014 11:09:46 AM EDT
[#14]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
IMO-

I don't think it's bad form to use the rack for the safety bars...that being said, most people really don't mind giving a spot, so that is the better option to free up the squat rack.

I also don't think it's bad form to press, I don't think it's reasonable to expect someone to clean it in order to press...unless it's light weight. I almost always do press in a rack...of course my gym has a lot of racks too.



Bottom line is if you're in the squat rack the whole time, that's just the way it is. Programs that are actually useful are going to have you in the squat rack for 75%+ of every workout. Oh well...offer to let people jump in with you, and don't sit there on your phone and IMO you're GTG. You paid for the gym just like everyone else.
View Quote


This.

I do it, never had a prob and never saw a prob with it.

I workout during non peak hours and don't have a lifting partner to spot. Safety bars and mobile benches are around for you to use.
Link Posted: 8/16/2014 3:29:32 AM EDT
[#15]
My gym has 3 squat racks and a smith rack that usually has a bench set up in it. I workout in the early AM so the gym is empty and I can what the hell I want
Link Posted: 8/22/2014 7:19:09 PM EDT
[#16]
It could be considered that.  I suggest you just ask someone for a spot.  Some people do not mind especially if they are waiting on the bench.
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