Elbow Position - Bench Press

[InGreatShape]

A lot of opinions are out there regarding on how to perform the bench press that I just don't know what to follow.

Some say it should be lowered to a 45 degree angle, some say it should be parallel to the bench and not lower, and some go way lower than the bench so elbows are very low and bar touches chest.

I just took a bar and lay on a flat floor, when my elbows touched the floor you could probably crawl under the gap between the bar and my chest, so at a 45 degree angle you could get a bus under it.

Another confusion is whether the arms have to be straight out to the side or forward at some angle. If they go straight out to the side then surely the bar would land on your face if you made a mistake.

I don't know, I am tall and have long arms and it only looks right when small people do it.

Problem 3 is that it always seems like I am pushing forward rather than straight up. Does anyone know why this is and how I can stop it?

 

[the.gladiator1987]

Hmm i always touch my chest. WHy not? The only reason is because i count that as a full rep, and when I record my workouts I dont want to cheat myself. So if i dont touch my chest then sometimes i might be 1, 2 or even 3 inches above which would make the lift easier, and then my workout would be all fucked up because i recorded it wrong. lol

About pushing forward and not up, imagine pushing up and back, with an arch

 

[InGreatShape]

Thanks for the comment bro!

 

[CitizenKane]

Why not see what the king has to say! TMUSCLE.com | Dave Tate's Six-Week Bench Press Cure

 

[kx250rider]

I go full-range, which puts my elbows about 10 or 15 degrees below the bench. It's that last inch or two when the bar is almost on my chest, where I feel the best burn. I keep a pad on the bar, so I can bump my chest with each rep without it bruising.

Charles

 

[CitizenKane]

I keep a pad on the bar, so I can bump my chest with each rep without it bruising.
Charles

Why?

 

[RottenWillow]

I've not found the elbow angle to be nearly as impactful as the position of the bar. Bar should touch right at the very bottom tip of the ribcage, not way up around the nipples like nearly everyone does.

You'll find your bp poundages plunge because you hugely reduce delt involvement. This makes it a much better pec workout though and takes a hell of a lot of pressure off the rotator cuffs.

 

[the_alcatraz]

I've not found the elbow angle to be nearly as impactful as the position of the bar. Bar should touch right at the very bottom tip of the ribcage, not way up around the nipples like nearly everyone does.

You'll find your bp poundages plunge because you hugely reduce delt involvement. This makes it a much better pec workout though and takes a hell of a lot of pressure off the rotator cuffs.

Yes. And always touch your chest. always. It's not a full rep if you don't.

 

[Only1eagle]

Thank Rotten, I will check that when I next bench. I had shoulder sugery and now I cant even get close to my chest with the bar.

Ps shoudl the elbows be flaired or by your side?

 

[the.gladiator1987]

Thank Rotten, I will check that when I next bench. I had shoulder sugery and now I cant even get close to my chest with the bar.

Ps shoudl the elbows be flaired or by your side?

the elbows should be whats naturally comfortable for you, unless you are trying to isolate the chest or triceps. People are different and have different limb lengths so just do what is natural to your body. Heres me benching yesterday

YouTube - David 245x13 Bench

 

[SpyWizard]

depends on what you are training for, i don't allow clients to go below 45.. why?? i want to increase strength with them and protect them from injury..

I'm not training Power lifting competitors, so we train to do 150% bw with most unconditioned people..

when the arm/elbow goes below 45 the weight transfers to the tri and the connective tissues.. if you have over developed tri like the.gladiator1987.. note in his video the tri can be seen in the lowered position..

If he were training to do more strength training and wanted max lift he'd do 4-6 rep range to concentrate of the fast twitch..

Not to speak out of turn, just point out the over developed tri after 45 degree in the lowered position.

good job by the way..

 

[the_alcatraz]

Personally I feel any benching short of the bar touching your chest is like you're cheatign yourself

 

[Tblock1]

Personally I feel any benching short of the bar touching your chest is like you're cheatign yourself

Yeah a guy at my gym started doing half reps for a while. He could do more weight for a while, but when he went back he was quite a bit weaker at regular bench and hasn't progressed since then....

 

[grubd]

You gotta keep those elbows tucked and touch the lower part of your chest, half reps are cheater reps.

 

[zedhed]

Thanks Willow, never have read that before, will put it to use.
The thing about "full reps" is going to that extent does tend to promote an increase in shoulder injuries.
Also for peeps with questionable shoulders, the elbows should def not go past or lower then the should blades.

 

[CitizenKane]

The thing about "full reps" is going to that extent does tend to promote an increase in shoulder injuries.

Not if you are benching properly (ie. tucking your elbows and arching your back).

If you're lying completely flat on the bench and bringing the bar down all the way to your chest with your elbows flared out to the sides, then yes this will almost certainly increase the risk of shoulder injuries.

 

[JDid23]

Not if you are benching properly (ie. tucking your elbows and arching your back).

If you're lying completely flat on the bench and bringing the bar down all the way to your chest with your elbows flared out to the sides, then yes this will almost certainly increase the risk of shoulder injuries.

i have heard this before-- just curious what the idea is behind it because a few of my friends told me (i know they're wrong, just don't know the reasoning to back it up) not to arch your back because it increases the likelihood of acquiring a back injury.