benching - bar to chest vs bar above chest

[die faster]

when i first started i benched to chest, hit a plateau, started benching above chest (maybe 2 board height) and started throwing on weight every week. now that i jsut started doing more of a powerlifting routine i of course go to chest. and it seems im not progressing as much again

just looking for some oppinions on this

 

[moya]

sounds more like a form/technique issue... i myself have been playing around with my setup and technique and found my lift is getting stronger because im now using more chest...
the change i made was that im working on keeping my elbows in, as opposed to letting them flare out... by tucking them in i can feel my contracting on the descent, and it seems they are helping me press it up as before with the elbows flared i was using more shoulders than anything... i do feel more chest in this change as well...
it could be a number of things though... a vid of your bench would really help us nail it...
the partials can be easier for some because of more advantageous leverage... also the tri's come more into play...

 

[CoBra666]

if the hardest part is those first few inches id say its a chest problem and maybe some assistance workouts would help. but yeah with compound movements there are so many factors as to how u bench and what muscles you are really utilizing, a video would be needed to critique

 

[die faster]

sounds more like a form/technique issue... i myself have been playing around with my setup and technique and found my lift is getting stronger because im now using more chest...
the change i made was that im working on keeping my elbows in, as opposed to letting them flare out... by tucking them in i can feel my contracting on the descent, and it seems they are helping me press it up as before with the elbows flared i was using more shoulders than anything... i do feel more chest in this change as well...
it could be a number of things though... a vid of your bench would really help us nail it...
the partials can be easier for some because of more advantageous leverage... also the tri's come more into play...

yeah keeping my elbows in is my main focus right now, esp after getting a little shoulder pain that i know can turn bad if i dont fix it. ive been really focusing on my close grip bench(shoulder width) with my elbows in as much as possible, this is helping the elbow flare problem tremendously.

basically im trying to bench as close as possible to the dave tate video on youtube- so you think you can bench part 1,2,3, etc. i would love to get a video but i go to the gym alone and dont have anything to tape myself with

 

[die faster]

if the hardest part is those first few inches id say its a chest problem and maybe some assistance workouts would help. but yeah with compound movements there are so many factors as to how u bench and what muscles you are really utilizing, a video would be needed to critique

yeah its a real sticking point for me. im thinking of trying a technique where you bench in the power rack and you set the pins just barely above where your sticking point is and push the bar against it as long as you can. i forget where i saw this it was in a youtube video probbaly dave tate. i really wanna start taping my lifts though to post up here, esp my deadlifts since theyre pathetic lol

 

[theweakgeteaten]

Generally a board bench press or partial is to work the triceps more which kick in on the top part of the bench. If your partials are jumping up in weight quickly maybe that was a weak point that is now building up?

In a power lifting contest you must go to the chest and for bodybuilding you get more chest developlement by far when you go to the chest.

Try doing your full bench press first each workout. Then do some partials with heavy weight. See if that brings your full bench up.

 

[die faster]

Generally a board bench press or partial is to work the triceps more which kick in on the top part of the bench. If your partials are jumping up in weight quickly maybe that was a weak point that is now building up?

In a power lifting contest you must go to the chest and for bodybuilding you get more chest developlement by far when you go to the chest.

Try doing your full bench press first each workout. Then do some partials with heavy weight. See if that brings your full bench up.

actually partials (which i do at about 2 board height but with no boards) are my stronger point, always have been. its just when i bench all the way to chest, i dont progress as much as i do when i do partials. but i get the full carry over.

example - when i got my bench max to 275 with partials, i could get a full rep with 250 or so. now that i got my partial reps to 2x315, i can do still do 2 full reps at 295

so the carry over is there. but whenever i do full bench workouts of always going to chest, i dont progress as fast at all

 

[theweakgeteaten]

Fits exactly what I am thinking. I am probably not explaning it well.

Just look at the partials as assistance work. And bottom line it is bringing your bench up so keep it up

 

[zedhed]

For your shoulder health you def wanna keep the elbows more or less in. What you wanna achieve is roughly a 45° angle between your elbows and your bod. Also you do not want those elbows going lower then your shoulder blades. For shoulder longevity pay some attention to both of these. Good luck!

 

[SPEKTOR-AAA]

Zedhed-So dont let the elbows go below the shoulders. If that happens the bar will not touch my chest. Hmm thanks for some clarification bro

 

[zedhed]

LOL....yeah I know.
I will put some education links up for you bro got to find the ones that I have in mind tho.
Regards bro!

 

[moya]

i agree and disagree zed...
in essence, the bench press, when performed correctly (a lift that would pass on competition) is generally a very distructive lift to oneself...
however, for powerlifting, you have to get the bar to the chest... so under that condition, it is necessary...

to the OP, if you know what works for you... keep doing it! just keep in at least a couple sets of full ROM presses a week so you can work on your technique...

 

[zedhed]

No contest destroya! As in I fully agree.
For those that compete they already know this tho. For those that dont, preserve your shoulder health and limit your range of movement on that bench.
Good for ya checken up on me bro!

 

[die faster]

No contest destroya! As in I fully agree.
For those that compete they already know this tho. For those that dont, preserve your shoulder health and limit your range of movement on that bench.
Good for ya checken up on me bro!

thanks zed, so its actually better for me to bench with less range of motion? this is basically what my shoulders have agreed with the most, just i always feel like the guy who does "half squats" when i bench like this. w.e though ill stick with it, 315 is more than 99% of my gym benches anyway lol