Mr. Lattimer question for you re.bench.

[donsj]

Question came up in a discussion about balance and benchpressing and my brother and I observed how tightrope walkers use long poles to balance themselves and it occured to us that a bar loaded with 6 45lb plates to get 315lbs would be different if it were loaded with 25lb plates and chips to get 315lbs and would it be balanced different making it easier to lift that way due to it having the weight spread over a longer distance on the bar, is this making sense ? Comments please.

 

[Phreezer_Machine]

Are you asking ... That if the weight were distributed over a longer area... would it make it easier to bench?.. The answer is simple physics bro... and the answer is no... The weight would not be reduced.... it's still the same ...but..However, I do believe that the farther the weight is spread out, the more difficult it would become.. as weaker stabalizing muscles may not be able to support the weight as well..So if anything, it would become more difficult...not less.

 

[donsj]

I know the weight would not be reduced, I was thinking that it would be more stable if spread out and therefore easier to control, perhaps it would be more difficult as you observe, I was wondering if anyone has tried an experiment using two different configurations of plates and if so what they observed regarding perceived ease one way or the other. Thanks for the reply.

 

[Becoming]

why don't you try it and let us know your results? personally I think it is easier the closer in it is (bigger plates) you would really notice with 100lb plates...

 

[Scotsman]

I agree with Becoming here. The farther out the weight the more pronounced any tilt would become. Thus making it easier to tip to a side if you moved the weight to one side or the other.

CHeers,
Scotsman

 

[Becoming]

The farther out the weight the more pronounced any tilt would become. Thus making it easier to tip to a side if you moved the weight to one side or the other.

Yup- if you keep it perfectly balanced (which is impossible) it will all be the same, however if it gets tilted at all, and if you use some physics, the force you will need to overcome will be multiplied by the distance away from where you are imparting force.... (leverage)


(this is wayyyy simplified)

say you have a bar with 100lbs 1 ft out from where your hand is... the force would be 100ftlbs

say you have another bar with 25lb plates at 1ft, 1.25ft, 1.5ft, and 1.75ft... the force in that instance would be 25ftlbs+31.25ftlbs+37.5ftlbs+43.75=137.5ftlbs

the longer the lever arm- the harder it will be to overcome the leverage if it gets off balance....

 

[Scotsman]

Yup- if you keep it perfectly balanced (which is impossible) it will all be the same, however if it gets tilted at all, and if you use some physics, the force you will need to overcome will be multiplied by the distance away from where you are imparting force.... (leverage)


(this is wayyyy simplified)

say you have a bar with 100lbs 1 ft out from where your hand is... the force would be 100ftlbs

say you have another bar with 25lb plates at 1ft, 1.25ft, 1.5ft, and 1.75ft... the force in that instance would be 25ftlbs+31.25ftlbs+37.5ftlbs+43.75=137.5ftlbs

the longer the lever arm- the harder it will be to overcome the leverage if it gets off balance....

OK we are meathead and if you ever put up such complicated math again I will come to AZ and flog you

by the way you forgot to add gradual addition of gravity to the moment of the swinging arm with over balance compensation.

Cheers,
Scotsman

 

[Becoming]

by the way you forgot to add gradual addition of gravity to the moment of the swinging arm with over balance compensation

dude I said I was trying to keep it simple!

 

[Scotsman]

Hey at least I didn't use any numbers.

Cheers,
Scotsman

 

[donsj]

thanks for replies, it is good to think about such things now and then ya think ?
I tend to agree now that is see it put that way yoos guys, appreciate the time and bla bla woof woof, if I do get around to an actual experiment I will let you know what happens