get bench off chest

[seagrave]

I have trouble getting bar off my chest. If I can get it moving I can finish it. But I seem to have trouble in the transition from lowering to raising. I have never tried to bounce it off. I do lower it in a slow controlled fashion. Any ideas? An excercise or technique change that might help.

[Scotsman]

How's your back strength?

Lats play a huge roll in the initial portion of the press. Another possibility is that you are too focused on controling the weight coming down that you aren't starting to push at the right time. Consider the motion like loading a spring, lower the weight until it hits the chest then unload all the force you can into the bar just like a spring. Don't start bouncing though as that will make you even weaker coming off the chest and can lead to other mishaps.

Cheers,
Scotsman

[musclemom]

I had the same problem. Fine about 6" above my chest to lockout. I found improvement when I added in deltoid isolation work and skullcrushers.

What the Scottsman says about bouncing, don't go there. Better to go to a lighter weight or get someone to spot you than continue to do an exercise you aren't strong to begin with, but now using bad form.

Pardon me for poking my nose in the powerlifting forum, gentlemen

[gjohnson5]

Lower the weight and do lots of bottom half reps.
Speed reps can train muscle activation during the pess.
Louie Simmons says triceps have to initiate the push upward which seems like good advice

Quote posted by seagrave I have trouble getting bar off my chest. If I can get it moving I can finish it. But I seem to have trouble in the transition from lowering to raising. I have never tried to bounce it off. I do lower it in a slow controlled fashion. Any ideas? An excercise or technique change that might help.

[seagrave]

Thanks for the input I'll try it all and see what happens.

[big-dumb-lug]

yep scotsman typed what i was thinking coming in here, also one thing i experimented that helped off the chest was doing paused reps

[salemlot]

Along with what others told you, do Dumbbell benching for awhile try to increase the weight every week do it as a accessory for 4 sets of 10

[BigboyAl]

if your a few inchs off the bottom pause benching, 90 degree bb rows and good set help off the chest..
but if your literally stuck at the bottom your just lifting a weight to heavy for you...

[DaveTSI]

its your back

heavy BB rows, deads, pulldowns/pullups for a month and youll smoke that weight off your chest. triceps have nothing to do with getting weight off your chest. they arent truely in the lift until your arms reach about 90* angle (about 6" off your chest depending on your height)

and speed is the key, dont go slow, get it to your chest as quickly as possible, control it (dont bounce) and explode out off the hole. work on your speed with lighter weights (50-60%) and youll get it.