Benching and chest touching

[enigma4dub]

regardless of goal; strength or aesthetics, a full range of motion is always best. whether ohp or benching i use a more narrow grip, like shoulder width. more bang for your buck. you will stimulate more muscle growth taking a movement through its full range of motion.

 

[Elementality]

And that way doesnt give more stress. Its MUCH easier not going down or up all the way. I can do 225 without a real problem that way.

I kinda posted something similar to this. I tried taking advice from someone to go all the way down, but not all the way back up. you go like 50 - 60% of the way up and then back down and its much harder for me and im much more sore the next day. Kinda the idea that when your arms are straight you are relaxing. much easier to hold and remain with 300 above your head than it is to hold it with your elbows bent to like 70 degrees. this way you never rest and the muscles are always squeezing.

 

[Eric1987]

I understand that but I dont hold it up there any longer than I have to. I bring it back down almost immediately.

 

[Improvise]

either move your grip in, or learn how to tuck your elbows on your decent rather than flaring them out and touching really high on your chest. This places tremendous strain on the shoulders and is how alot of lifters get hurt. Tucking your elbows and touching your sternum will transfer the majority of the weight off your shoulders and onto your back (yes back), tris and chest. Moving your grip in will make you do this almost automatically(ever notice that your shoulders dont really hurt when doing closegrip bench?), but it can be done using a wide grip also with practice.

And yes if you want to call it a proper benchpress, you do HAVE to touch your chest. Those guys at your gym probably get annoyed with the fact that they have to watch you butcher a basic movement like the benchpress every time they see you do it. And i was using 100's when i was 17 and 160lbs, big deal, if you learned how to benchpress properly, you could move alot more than that. If you can get a full range of motion with DB's, you can do it with the bar. Seriously take my advice and just try it next time your going to bench. Just think on your decent, tuck your elbows in towards your ribcage, flare your lats, and bring the bar to the lowest part of your sternum. TRY IT!

I've experimented with grip width time and time again, some are more comfortable than others but they all put strain on my shoulders for the most part. And I don't use an usually wide grip anyway, moving my hands further in would put them in the same plane as my shoulders and that is too narrow.

 

[DaveTSI]

I've experimented with grip width time and time again, some are more comfortable than others but they all put strain on my shoulders for the most part. And I don't use an usually wide grip anyway, moving my hands further in would put them in the same plane as my shoulders and that is too narrow.

using your normal groove, where on your chest would the bar touch if you were to bring it down all the way?

 

[markmark]

Very interesting subject. At shoulder width I bring the bar all the way down and up 90% just short from locking my elbows. At close grip I bring the bar down to about 4" from chest..With half reps I would probably move a lot more weight but that's something I don't believe in { not to mention but that will add me to the "moron at the gym" thread}....

 

[machine316]

Full range of motion thats my opinion. regardless of your goals. If you want to put more of the workload on the pecs, then take a wide grip.
Now if you can do a full range of motion with a particular weight but you choose to do "partial reps" fine. to each his own. but what bothers me is when people have too much weight and do partials only because they can't handle the weight, but then they come up with all these reasons why they do partials like " That's how Ronnie Coleman does them" ......your not ronnie coleman

 

[keasbey]

bob saget here explains the bench pretty well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hsr1-xcXFL8&NR=1

and no it isnt bob saget but it sure looks like him

 

[DaveTSI]

bob saget here explains the bench pretty well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hsr1-xcXFL8&NR=1

and no it isnt bob saget but it sure looks like him

basically exactly what i explained in a previous post. I disagree with the placement of the bar, it should be below his nipples IMO(which would be done by tucking his elbows even more). And slow reps are overrated IMO. If you can control it and they are clean reps, they should be fast and explosive.

 

[DaveTSI]

i think this video shows perfect form

http://www.youtube.com/v/cSJCDcAKShA&hl