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Title: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: IRON CROSS on September 30, 2017, 09:35:35 PM
A 15 yo boy who was critically injured when was pinned by weightlifting equipment while working out at a Brisbane gym has died. Ben Shaw's neck was reportedly crushed under a 98kg bar for at least half an hour last Tuesday at the Pine Rivers PCYC *.

*Police Citizen and Youth Club (managed by cops)


A 15-year-old has died in hospital, days after he was crushed at a Brisbane gym while trying to bench press about 100 kilograms. Ben Shaw was found by a staff member at the Pine Rivers PCYC gym on Tuesday evening pinned to a bench after the weightlifting accident occurred.
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: Ron on September 30, 2017, 09:45:35 PM

Wow - tragic news. Very tough for the family.

But questions - Was he by himself? Did he not have anyone watching him? No one was there when the accident happened?



Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: sync pulse on September 30, 2017, 09:51:31 PM
If you are solo in the gym...use the machines.
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: IRON CROSS on September 30, 2017, 09:53:39 PM
Wow - tragic news. Very tough for the family.

But questions - Was he by himself? Did he not have anyone watching him? No one was there when the accident happened?





PCYC is usually managed by 1 out of duty cop, no instructors/trainers until 5-6pm for boxing,MMA,etc ,...........
Totally volunteering clubs, very cheap membership fee & donated equipment . All over AU .........

Sad  we lost 1  :'(
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: galain on October 01, 2017, 01:53:50 AM
Around the corner from my mother's place. Like IronCross said - there's usually one person manning the whole facility. That's the way it's always been - I'd be sad to see the PCYC get hit for that. They provide a good service for those who can't afford much.

PIP little GetBigger. Shitty way to go out.
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: Simple Simon on October 01, 2017, 02:12:04 AM
training on your own, use dumbells..
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: Matt on October 01, 2017, 02:13:29 AM
I did not even work out with weights at that age.  And at age 17, I could not bench press 135-lb.  When I started at 18 [almost 19], my starting point was around 95-lb.

So my question is: did this boy ever train before the day he died?  Whether the answer is yes or no, how familiar was he with 98-kg [216-lb]?  Did he just put it on the bar and think he could lift that?  I was closing in on 20 and one year of training before I bench pressed 225.  I hope he didn't just think he could bench press that weight on his first day of training and decided to put it on the bar.  :-\

Realistically, He did not have experience with this weight - and possibly, he did not have experience with any weight, hence his death.  As Ron said, it is tragic news and very tough for the family.
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: falco on October 01, 2017, 02:23:41 AM
Poor boy. Heavy bench press should always be spotted.
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: Simple Simon on October 01, 2017, 02:43:10 AM
I did not even work out with weights at that age.  And at age 17, I could not bench press 135-lb.  When I started at 18 [almost 19], my starting point was around 95-lb.

So my question is: did this boy ever train before the day he died?  Whether the answer is yes or no, how familiar was he with 98-kg [216-lb]?  Did he just put it on the bar and think he could lift that?  I was closing in on 20 and one year of training before I bench pressed 225.  I hope he didn't just think he could bench press that weight on his first day of training and decided to put it on the bar.  :-\

Realistically, He did not have experience with this weight - and possibly, he did not have experience with any weight, hence his death.  As Ron said, it is tragic news and very tough for the family.

its not about you its a bout a boy who died benching in Australia.
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: ratherbebig on October 01, 2017, 02:45:19 AM
thats terrible and its not the first time ive heard stories like that.

i feel the dangers of the bench press is not talked about often enough
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: Vince B on October 01, 2017, 03:40:53 AM
Gyms don't have a high standard re safety. In the gym I owned all the benches had safety rails so that it wasn't possible to drop the weight on your face or neck. That included bench, incline, and decline presses, press behind neck and squats. Smith machines also were at a height where the weight wouldn't hit the neck if benches were used for bench presses.
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: funk51 on October 01, 2017, 06:44:39 AM
that's why you should invest in a bench like this
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: Mitch on October 01, 2017, 07:00:21 AM
why didn't he roll the barbell on his abs?  ??? it's painful, put less than death.  :-\
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: Sherief Shalaby on October 01, 2017, 07:04:45 AM
If you are solo in the gym...use the machines.

or use moderate weights..

poor kid  :'(
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: ChristopherA on October 01, 2017, 07:05:44 AM
its not about you its a bout a boy who died benching in Australia.
Right. Jesus Matt shut up you're nothing special
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: rocket on October 01, 2017, 07:06:31 AM
Wow - tragic news. Very tough for the family.

But questions - Was he by himself? Did he not have anyone watching him? No one was there when the accident happened?

I did a bit of reading up on this.

It's really quite unfortunate. He was by himself.  He was dropped off at a (24 hour) gym by his mother.  He was part of some powerlifting club or organisation so he probably thought he knew better re: doing the weight.

He got stuck under the bar (at the neck, so it may have been a bar that slipped out of his hand).   He may have been under the bar for up to 30 mins.  A person finally came in and saw him and helped.

I'm not sure about anywhere else, but in Australia - all gyms are now forced to be 24 hour gyms to compete - which causes very clear issues of safety with a lot of the gear being used.  I think there is a backlash coming, soon.  I don't know if this will be the one situation - but I have to wonder what will happen in the future if this happens enough times for insurance to start to put pressure on gyms to take away free weights that can cause accidents.
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: SF1900 on October 01, 2017, 07:06:51 AM
If you are solo in the gym...use the machines.

Or dumbbells.
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: rocket on October 01, 2017, 07:24:42 AM
Apparently the kid was using a smith machine.  Was mentioned in this article about another incident (with a vid of man flailing with 120 pinning him).
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/man-pinned-after-120kg-barbell-falls-on-throat-in-second-gym-accident-in-week/news-story/2e3b44eac5af49c568761243dc8ef404

This one is fucking hilarious.  I mean, it's always serious, but read this:

Mr Layt, who spent five hours in hospital wearing a neck brace after his ordeal, has spoken out, saying lifters need to be prepared for the worst.

It was only 3kg more than my personal best, but I couldn’t lift it off,” Mr Layt said.
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: Yanin on October 01, 2017, 07:33:32 AM
Sad, 1st thing I teach noobs that want to w/o is how to escape while being trapped or getting stuck
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: muscleman-2017 on October 01, 2017, 09:19:32 PM
Sad, 1st thing I teach noobs that want to w/o is how to escape while being trapped or getting stuck

And what method do you teach?

I have lost the ability to raise the bar off my chest approx 2 times.  I never DROPPED it on my chest but just couldn't raise it off.  On these occasions I managed to either roll it down to my abs and then lift it off, or I *very awkwardly* rolled it off my body (managing to tilt it to one side so that side was on the floor and then lifting the other side over myself and onto the floor also).
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: WalterWhite on October 01, 2017, 09:32:41 PM
training on your own, use dumbells..

This. Sad someone wasn't around to save that young kind. I've had to jump in countless times to pull bars off kids going for that extra rep with too much weight. I always advise them to use the smith (with the safety stops) or db's.  :-\

Oh and don't use collars when training alone so you can dump the weight off.
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: Dan-O on October 01, 2017, 10:58:15 PM
And what method do you teach?

I have lost the ability to raise the bar off my chest approx 2 times.  I never DROPPED it on my chest but just couldn't raise it off.  On these occasions I managed to either roll it down to my abs and then lift it off, or I *very awkwardly* rolled it off my body (managing to tilt it to one side so that side was on the floor and then lifting the other side over myself and onto the floor also).

This.  Roll it down to your abs/hips, sit up and lift it off.  Also, don't lower the bar to your neck.  Lower it to the midline of your chest.  Let's hope and pray this doesn't happen any more.
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: Ted SuperSet on October 01, 2017, 11:37:34 PM
I did not even work out with weights at that age.  And at age 17, I could not bench press 135-lb.  When I started at 18 [almost 19], my starting point was around 95-lb.

So my question is: did this boy ever train before the day he died?  Whether the answer is yes or no, how familiar was he with 98-kg [216-lb]?  Did he just put it on the bar and think he could lift that?  I was closing in on 20 and one year of training before I bench pressed 225.  I hope he didn't just think he could bench press that weight on his first day of training and decided to put it on the bar.  :-\

Realistically, He did not have experience with this weight - and possibly, he did not have experience with any weight, hence his death.  As Ron said, it is tragic news and very tough for the family.

And again it must be about you. Not the boy who died, no you must first start talking about you, you, you. Amazing, simply amazing.
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: sceagacros on October 01, 2017, 11:58:12 PM
why didn't he roll the barbell on his abs?  ??? it's painful, put less than death.  :-\


Exactly, I've rolled up to 405 lbs down my torso , stood and deadlifted it down MANY times - it can leave a welt/ scratch but doesn't even really hurt as your adrenaline is definitely going at that point.
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: Matt on October 02, 2017, 12:12:32 AM
its not about you its a bout a boy who died benching in Australia.

 ;D ;D ;D

I'm starting to like your posts complaining about me now.  :D
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: muscleman-2017 on October 02, 2017, 12:15:02 AM

Exactly, I've rolled up to 405 lbs down my torso , stood and deadlifted it down MANY times - it can leave a welt/ scratch but doesn't even really hurt as your adrenaline is definitely going at that point.

a) he may not have had the strength (in which case he was lifting WAY outside his strength capacity)

b) perhaps he was so seriously injured when it dropped, that he was not capable of doing anything
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: BB on October 02, 2017, 12:15:28 AM
The roll works. The quickest for me when I didn't bench in a rack was the collars off and tilt method. It can be scary with big weights, but it beats dying under the bar. Also I wish kids and most people would stop with the false grip method of pressing. Thumbs are useful, use them :).
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: muscleman-2017 on October 02, 2017, 12:23:57 AM
The roll works. The quickest for me when I didn't bench in a rack was the collars off and tilt method

Oh yeah I've done that.  That works fine. 
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: rocket on October 02, 2017, 12:52:45 AM
As I said, the articles say the kid was actually crushed by a smith.. on his neck.

Smiths are probably more dangerous in some cases.
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: BB on October 02, 2017, 01:12:58 AM
As I said, the articles say the kid was actually crushed by a smith.. on his neck.

Smiths are probably more dangerous in some cases.

Sure. My comment was just a general one.
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: ratherbebig on October 02, 2017, 01:46:46 AM
smiths ive been using goes all the way down, im sure many people never bother to adjust them before benching, that is a death trap
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: The_Punisher on October 02, 2017, 03:09:17 AM
was there a "Lift at your own risk" sign posted?
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: falco on October 03, 2017, 06:46:08 AM
why didn't he roll the barbell on his abs?  ??? it's painful, put less than death.  :-\

Had to do it once, using the same weight that kid was on.
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: Griffith on October 03, 2017, 06:56:39 AM
The roll works. The quickest for me when I didn't bench in a rack was the collars off and tilt method. It can be scary with big weights, but it beats dying under the bar. Also I wish kids and most people would stop with the false grip method of pressing. Thumbs are useful, use them :).

Yes, that's how I bench at home. With NO collars.

I just leave a lot of space on each side, failed a rep only twice and that bar goes flying after the weights on the one end drop off.

Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: DroppingPlates on October 03, 2017, 07:00:17 AM
was there a "Lift at your own risk" sign posted?

or a "check your ego at the door"?
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: Griffith on October 03, 2017, 07:03:24 AM
or a "check your ego at the door"?

An employee should always be in the gym though, keeping an eye out.
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: DroppingPlates on October 03, 2017, 07:12:26 AM
An employee should always be in the gym though, keeping an eye out.

Yes, but this is seldom the case. As a formal instructor myself I've experienced the "just leave me alone" attitude among most gym members. In general only women and nerdy guys pay attention to advices.
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: ratherbebig on October 03, 2017, 10:44:42 AM
15 years old is a little young to train in the gym by yourself isnt it

ive seen even younger, kids that play around with the weights like it's a playground

Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: wes on October 03, 2017, 11:30:18 AM
SAD   :(

 RIP
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: rocket on October 04, 2017, 02:56:09 AM
An employee should always be in the gym though, keeping an eye out.

Do you not have 24 hour gyms in your parts?  In Australia, they are very popular and they are most certainly NOT staffed a lot of the time.
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: booty on October 04, 2017, 02:58:44 AM
Do you not have 24 hour gyms in your parts?  In Australia, they are very popular and they are most certainly NOT staffed a lot of the time.
Truth. Under 16 years of age should be accompanied by an adult.
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: Vince B on October 04, 2017, 03:17:16 AM
Do you not have 24 hour gyms in your parts?  In Australia, they are very popular and they are most certainly NOT staffed a lot of the time.

Australia has a lot of regulations re gyms but not so much re safety. How gyms were allowed to stay open without staff is unbelievable. The government has to take some responsibility here.

They have some safety measures but nothing replaces staff at all times when open. Boys Clubs aren't businesses as such. They should install benches with safety rails so this sort of thing can't happen.
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: rocket on October 04, 2017, 03:39:49 AM
Australia has a lot of regulations re gyms but not so much re safety. How gyms were allowed to stay open without staff is unbelievable. The government has to take some responsibility here.

They have some safety measures but nothing replaces staff at all times when open. Boys Clubs aren't businesses as such. They should install benches with safety rails so this sort of thing can't happen.

As I said earlier in this thread, there is a storm coming over this.

When it first came in, ALL the 24 hour gyms were phaggotesque gyms with nothing but machines.  Basically no free weights.  It made sense.

Now every gym has 24/7 and there are no limits to what you can do.

I reiterate, though, that particular accident happened on a SMITH machine! 

Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: Costanza on October 04, 2017, 03:55:50 AM
As I said earlier in this thread, there is a storm coming over this.

When it first came in, ALL the 24 hour gyms were phaggotesque gyms with nothing but machines.  Basically no free weights.  It made sense.

Now every gym has 24/7 and there are no limits to what you can do.

I reiterate, though, that particular accident happened on a SMITH machine! 



Very likely. I trained at a PCYC for 15 years, policy was a parent/guardian was always required to be present for anyone under 16 in the weights area.



Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: Vince B on October 04, 2017, 05:02:04 AM
As I said earlier in this thread, there is a storm coming over this.

When it first came in, ALL the 24 hour gyms were phaggotesque gyms with nothing but machines.  Basically no free weights.  It made sense.

Now every gym has 24/7 and there are no limits to what you can do.

I reiterate, though, that particular accident happened on a SMITH machine! 



Well, no matter how safe you make equipment guys will do weird stuff. My Smith machines wouldn't let a user hit his throat if using a flat bench in my gym.
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: falco on October 04, 2017, 08:10:46 AM
Truth. Under 16 years of age should be accompanied by an adult.

Welcome dear.
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: falco on October 04, 2017, 08:13:53 AM
Well, no matter how safe you make equipment guys will do weird stuff. My Smith machines wouldn't let a user hit his throat if using a flat bench in my gym.

You should improve your legacy in the bodybuilding industry by inventing a anti-choke benching device. Can you image the lives you can save in the future generations?
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: gcb on October 04, 2017, 11:53:36 PM
You should improve your legacy in the bodybuilding industry by inventing a anti-choke benching device. Can you image the lives you can save in the future generations?

(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/b5/16/cf/b516cf46e1be37b15178446246b6fb62.jpg)
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: Sherief Shalaby on October 07, 2017, 11:28:09 AM
I did not even work out with weights at that age.  And at age 17, I could not bench press 135-lb.  When I started at 18 [almost 19], my starting point was around 95-lb.

So my question is: did this boy ever train before the day he died?  Whether the answer is yes or no, how familiar was he with 98-kg [216-lb]?  Did he just put it on the bar and think he could lift that?  I was closing in on 20 and one year of training before I bench pressed 225.  I hope he didn't just think he could bench press that weight on his first day of training and decided to put it on the bar.  :-\

Realistically, He did not have experience with this weight - and possibly, he did not have experience with any weight, hence his death.  As Ron said, it is tragic news and very tough for the family.

i bench pressed 130 kg when i was 17.. and i did it for 7 reps without any help when i was 21 or 22..
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: NelsonMuntz on October 07, 2017, 11:55:39 AM
wow that is crazy and sad.

Here is the thing though, everyone and their grandmother can scream all they want about safety, in which I agree, but the fact of the matter is people have been lifting weights off benches for more than a century and considering the millions of people who lift weights this has happened like very minimally and is a freak accident.

Knee jerk reactions will not prevent the one person out there who does not know their limits and accidents will always happen. Look at all those gym fail videos where people had more than one spotter.

Not saying thatn this kid was/did something stupid, but stupidity has been a factor in gyms since the beginning and will be even more so because the percentage of people using gyms the past 2 decades has exploded and will keep growing
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: Coach is Back! on October 07, 2017, 11:58:49 AM
If you're stupid enough to bench heavy on your own, have sense enough to not put collars on the bar, at least to have a chance of deloading the weights off of one side. I personally would never recommend a smith machine. I if the weight is heavy enough to pin you it's more than likely going to be too heavy to roll the bar back on the rack or let alone push it back up to the next notch to rack it.

Some years back we had a local kid that decided to workout alone in I think it was his grandfathers garage equipped with a smith machine. The kid got pinned and was found a couple of hours later, dead.
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: NelsonMuntz on October 07, 2017, 12:05:26 PM
If you're stupid enough to bench heavy on your own, have sense enough to not put collars on the bar, at least to have a chance of deloading the weights off of one side. I personally would never recommend a smith machine. I if the weight is heavy enough to pin you it's more than likely going to be too heavy to roll the bar back on the rack or let alone push it back up to the next notch to rack it.

Some years back we had a local kid that decided to workout alone in I think it was his grandfathers garage equipped with a smith machine. The kid got pinned and was found a couple of hours later, dead.

I am sure that the kids you mentor get made aware of the do's and don't of training with and without people around. Too bad there is not more of that these days. Rather than forcing people to take an initiation in most of these corporate facilities in which they are just showing people machines and pushing them onto personal training they should be spending half that time teahing noobs the do's/dont's and proper etiquette. It would probably help them froma business standpoint because noobs would be more impressed by the service and probably actually buy a few sessions without feeling pressured and saying fuck it
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: Coach is Back! on October 07, 2017, 12:17:22 PM
I am sure that the kids you mentor get made aware of the do's and don't of training with and without people around. Too bad there is not more of that these days. Rather than forcing people to take an initiation in most of these corporate facilities in which they are just showing people machines and pushing them onto personal training they should be spending half that time teahing noobs the do's/dont's and proper etiquette. It would probably help them froma business standpoint because noobs would be more impressed by the service and probably actually buy a few sessions without feeling pressured and saying fuck it

At least in my gym and our school gym, our kids are not allowed to be there unattended. For their safety and our liability. Believe it or not, I was the first one teach gym safety at our school. Blows me away that this is rarely taught.
Title: Re: Teenager Dead After Gym Accident - Brisbane
Post by: Simple Simon on October 07, 2017, 12:27:17 PM
most gyms these days are run by fuckwits who have no idea what they are doing, commercial chains employing fat stupid fucks who have been on a 6 week PT course.

Long gone are the days of gyms being run by experienced people like Coach.