Stabilizers Killed My Ego

[Machher]

Recently at my gym i had found out in an upstairs room there were bench press racks, squat racks, smith machines, etc etc. So i figure screw this god forsaken machines ill go use those. So on the chest press machines / incline press machines i was pushing about 200 lbs. I knew i wouldnt be able to do nearly as much on the manual bench / smith. So i started low and only reached about 140 on the mnual bench and 160 on the smith. On top of that i struggled to keep the damn bar straight. I felt like i had just started from scratch again .

So my question is to what should i be doing to perfect my balance and strengthen the stabilizer muscles, since i may not be able to produce as much of an overload to the muscles when i cant rep a higher weight due to my balance of the bar.

 

[chunky34]

Don't worry about it. You will do fine in about 3-4 workouts with free weights. It is normal, it happen to everyone who try free weight for the 1st time. So what you should do ? Give yourself some time. Perfection comes with practise.

As for overall development, don't think free weight will limit it, it is the opposite. Machine work a specific region, while free weight work every tiny muscle (stabilizers) around the main muscle worked. Free weight are better for overload.

 

[Mudge]

Machine bench pressing is easier on some of them. When I started training someone new, she did machines for about a month or so, then moved on to light freeweights. With the benching coordination was off so she just started with the bar. She hit 135x3 on the decline last night after a few months of training with me, when the bar was difficult to control and press for even a few reps previously.

 

[goal_500_bench]

Don't worry about it. You will do fine in about 3-4 workouts with free weights. It is normal, it happen to everyone who try free weight for the 1st time. So what you should do ? Give yourself some time. Perfection comes with practise.

As for overall development, don't think free weight will limit it, it is the opposite. Machine work a specific region, while free weight work every tiny muscle (stabilizers) around the main muscle worked. Free weight are better for overload.

True. That's why I don't like machine weights because it is inaccurate and reults in losses not gains.

 

[Tha Don]

don't worry about it bro

if its your first time benching your strength will skyrocket over the first few weeks

if your benching 140 now you'll be benching over 200 in no time

peace

 

[Seanp156]

I did the same thing, using all machines and smith machine for benching, except for some preacher curls and dumbbell curls.

Don't use the smith machine, I did forever and never made progress, but then again I was overtraining and not eating right.

I found using Dumbbells for benching and other exerces for 6 or so weeks helped a lot and I still use them along with manual benches today.

 

[Machher]

True. That's why I don't like machine weights because it is inaccurate and reults in losses not gains.

innacurate?..results in losses...

as long as your diet, routine split etc is fine , no machine will cause you losses.

Thanks all of ya. So basically just continue as i am and stabilizers will come fast?

btw young d.. is that u in the pic

 

[Arnold]

So my question is to what should i be doing to perfect my balance and strengthen the stabilizer muscles, since i may not be able to produce as much of an overload to the muscles when i cant rep a higher weight due to my balance of the bar.

simple, train with free weight barbells and dumbbells, use machines sparingly.