Bench height for weight work

[nancy324]

For weight work, I have been using my step with a single set of risers and I like it this way. It feels safer. Also, I arrange my dumbbells on the floor next to the step, and I don't have to get up between weight changes. I can't figure out why Cathe doesn't do it this way. Why is she always so high in the air? Maybe it looks better for filming purposes. Just curious as to whether others do it this way too.

-Nancy

 

[mogambo]

Hi Nancy. I am not sure why Cathe does it, but I like to keep the bench as high as I can (8") because it is more comfortable to sit down on it or get up off of it if it's higher, and because when I do pullovers, I don't hit the floor right away so I get better range of motion. When I do dips, I have more range of motion also. I do not feel "safer" near the ground, as the bench never really seems unstable with anything I'm doing. My 2 cents.

Liane

 

[nancy324]

Of course you need for it to be higher for tricep dips! Is that what you mean by dips? Forgot about that. I use my Novel Notion box to sit on for all the sitting exercises, but if the step is used, obviously low to the ground would not work. Good point. I'm not thinking straight today. It is so lonely here in NY city in the summer. Everyone is away at the shore. The weather is so beautiful, but the city is deserted! It's just me and the homeless bums. But I just don't think the Sunday night traffic jams coming back in are worth leaving town for. Maybe I'm wrong. Uh-oh, now I'm rambling....

 

[kathryn]

I think part of it probably is for filming, and the fact that an 8" step looks better from the camera's perspective (unless the camera operator wants to film at a lower angle, but then the standing work would be at the wrong angle).

I say go with whatever works for you and doesn't cause awkward moves while you are holding weights.

Why not ask Cathe about this in the "Ask Cathe" forum?