turbozed
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- Mar 21, 2006
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So I'm doing my squats in the power rack and I look around to put another 45 lbs plate on the bar and notice that they're all gone. I look over to the squat rack and notice the 45s are all gone there too. They're all gone. This is a commercial gym btw so there's usually a bunch of 45s everywhere on weight racks.
Usually when the 45s disappear the reason is that some guy decided to do 3" ROM leg presses. That was not the case today however.
I look over to the Smith Machine and see 4 people in it. The bar is loaded with 14 of the 45 lb plates. There is a bench in the Smith Machine. On the bench is a man attempting to bench the bar with the 14 plates. There were three other guys in the machine, two on the ends of the bar and one hovering above the bencher holding on to the bar. I'm thinking "cool, we got a powerlifter in our midst. those other guys must be spotters. wonder why they're using the Smith Machine though."
To my utter shock and dismay, i realize that the spotters are teenagers (fairly large ones though) and that they are not spotters at all but participants in this strange cooperative benchpress. While the dude on the bench was pushing and grunting with all his might, the two on the ends were lifting the ends of the bar, their hands cupped and apparent agony on their faces. The guy hovering above the bencher was also bent over pulling up with all of his might too and looked like he was doing his 1RM high pull. All four dudes were lifting with all of their might. It was a serious WTF moment.
Is there any reason why anybody would want to do something like this?
Usually when the 45s disappear the reason is that some guy decided to do 3" ROM leg presses. That was not the case today however.
I look over to the Smith Machine and see 4 people in it. The bar is loaded with 14 of the 45 lb plates. There is a bench in the Smith Machine. On the bench is a man attempting to bench the bar with the 14 plates. There were three other guys in the machine, two on the ends of the bar and one hovering above the bencher holding on to the bar. I'm thinking "cool, we got a powerlifter in our midst. those other guys must be spotters. wonder why they're using the Smith Machine though."
To my utter shock and dismay, i realize that the spotters are teenagers (fairly large ones though) and that they are not spotters at all but participants in this strange cooperative benchpress. While the dude on the bench was pushing and grunting with all his might, the two on the ends were lifting the ends of the bar, their hands cupped and apparent agony on their faces. The guy hovering above the bencher was also bent over pulling up with all of his might too and looked like he was doing his 1RM high pull. All four dudes were lifting with all of their might. It was a serious WTF moment.
Is there any reason why anybody would want to do something like this?
