Gah! My stupid gym replaced the barbell lifting stations with ones without

[4_Legs_Good]

Failure catches.

You know those things that when you try to do something you can't possibly do, will allow 150lbs to drop on the cradle rather than smash your ribcage and vital organs.

That thing let me work to failure with some confidence I wouldn't die. Now it's gone, gone, the damage done. So it's either switch full time to dumbells or use the Smith Machines. I liked being able to do some traditional bench presses ocassionally to at least see what my traditional max was.

Hmmmmm and Feh!x 100,000!

They also got rid of 2 (TWO) of the dip/leglift/pull-up stations leaving us with only 1 (ONE) that allows for non-huge guy leglifts and any dips.

Feh! x 99,999

david

[seemunkee]

1. Odd that they would go with something with more liability potential

and sucks for you.

[4_Legs_Good]

4. They got rid of the old mediocre looking, but functional equipment and

replaced it with fancy schmantzy looking, brushed stainless steel benches. So the place looks all space agey now, but doesn't function as well as the old white eqiupment.

Feh!

david

[MemphisTiger]

2. That's wierd of them

I've never used these safety catches, but dumbells are a great way to go to failure. Try the barbell for a warm up and not always failure or get a training partner. I can't believe they got rid of the dip station, one of may favorite exercises.

[4_Legs_Good]

5. Yeah, they had had 3 dip stations

2 were with assists (which you didn't have to use). Now they only have one, and the grips are much more narrow than the old ones. Plus a lot of people like to do leg lifts (which I find annoying, but still), now there's gonna be a line for this one dip station for leg lifters.

Feh!

david

[flvegan]

3. That's dumb. 2 solutions, though...

1. Try finding a lower preacher curl bench. Should have enough open area between the catches to slide the bench in, and the catch should be a little higher than your chest height. You'll have to work out the press logistics, though;
2. If your gym provides aerobic/step classes, they should have a ton of those adjustable/stackable steps. Build one on each side of the bench, a little lower than your chest (taking into consideration that the plates will bottom out lower than the bar). Each step stack should be able to hold a couple hundred pounds.

Then, when management asks why you're doing such goofy construction work in their gym, go off on 'em.