Partial ROM Bench Presses: Is this something new?

[KOArtist]

I have been seeing a lot of people in my gym lately doing their bench presses with only about 2/3rds ROM, if that. I actually asked the dude if he was doing that because of a shoulder injury...because I've been having some pain in my left frontal shoulder area when i bench, and he said "yeah, you're not supposed to go all the way down because you will mess up your shoulders."

Is this "new info"? I indeed have a shoulder problem, and was considering trying it out to see if it helps..but is there any science behind this? Or has any experts suggested this recently or something?

Just FYI, I lift for athletic performance, not size/bodybuilding...in case that makes any difference

Thanks!

 

[jnevin]

I rarely touch the bar to my chest because of shoulder issues I have. I only go to about 90 degrees. I've asked physical therapists and personal trainers about it, and they've said there's no need to go all the way down.

 

[al420]

Well, depending on what aport you play you may need to place some strain on your shoulders... Not that the 'guy' you spoke w/ knows jack shit, but still.

The Bench Press is lift, and has rules to preform properly - one of which is touching your chest w/ the bar, another is locking out. I have seen tons of BB's that train the limited range of motion - some b/c they want constant tension on the muscle (at lockout there is some 'relief' , some b/c they are asshats.

What sport? Have you ever tried the Oly lifts?

 

[Tweakle]

the majority of college kids and other douchebags I see struggling with 180-225 in the gym would probably agree that a full range of motion is a waste of time.

done correctly (elbows in, lower to sternum) the bench is fine to do for a full range of motion. Try to isolate the chest by benching with your elbows out to the chest or God forbid to the neck and expect bad things to happen eventually.

 

[Tweakle]

btw - the real reason they do half reps is because they can lift more weight that way. Would suck to go down to 135 and do the lift properly. the chicks wouldn't dig that.

 

[alex2678]

Agreed with Tweakle here. I cringe when I see people putting a mighty 225 pounds on the bar and going down only halfway fighting their way back to the top.

Incidentally I tried the power factor training, which is a strictly partial range of motion workout, for a while back 7 or 8 years ago and succeeded in gaining strength only in that limited range of motion. My full range lifts didn't go up at all.

Better to use less weight, good form and go through the entire movement for better overall muscular conditioning.

 

[RottenWillow]

done correctly (elbows in, lower to sternum) the bench is fine to do for a full range of motion. Try to isolate the chest by benching with your elbows out to the chest...and expect bad things to happen

WOW. Just these few sentances cleared up some confusion I'd had about benching since I started training 4 years ago. Now I know why I messed up my shoulder a few years ago, but havent done so again lately even though I'm pressing considerable more weight now. Thanks.

 

[perp69]

Seems more dangerous to me to not train with full range of motion. You will be weak in the areas that you don't bench. Unless you are doing board presses then you can't really go down to the same level every rep. If you happen to go to low one time then seems like you risk dropping the weight on yourself do to your developed weakness.

Perp

 

[KOArtist]

thanks, just making sure there wasn't some "breakthrough" I missed or something...but I figured it was just a buncha sallies that wanted to look stronger than they are, haha. I'm a boxer, and my left shoulder has been buggin me, but I doubt it has anything to do with full ROM bench presses. Probably just that I've used my jab so many million times that I'm bound to have some overuse issues. And I do a lot of OLY's, but cleaning is starting to bug my left shoulder as much as benching too, so I'm in a pretty shabby spot right now. Guess I'll do some lower body only stuff for a few weeks and see if it goes away hopefully. peace

 

[silver_shadow]

yep it sounds like you saw a bunch of asshats using partial ROMs to LOOK stronger not powerlifters who were using rack lockouts/floor presses/board presses to GET stronger!

 

[blut wump]

Tuck your elbows in and touch down onto the chest no higher than the nipple line, preferably sternum, as Tweakle mentions, and your shoulders should be just fine with the movement.

I used to be the same as many others and hold off from the last couple of inches or so until I decided that it was less safe to be unable to do a full range of motion. I've never failed a weight that I've had any hope of pressing while the bar is right down on the chest. My sticking point is a few inches off the chest so once I've passed that point I might as well touch down. The extra run-up can even help with getting a press though my sticking point.

Sticking points usually arise as one muscle group hands the load over to a different one. When you see people benching in partial ROMs, they are typically staying above what would be their sticking point. This logically suggests that they aren't working all of the muscles that a full ROM would be working or, at least, are neglecting some of the benefits.

 

[apbt14]

I see alot of people doing that partial ROM benches, infact someone criticized me for doing full range of motion benches. I keep my elbows in and let the bar barely touch my chest at the nips then push up. The thing that pissed me off about his critique is that he is a sloppy lifter.

 

[mm107]

dude, not touching your chest is not benching......

you need to learn to tuck your elbows in and dont flare your elbows out....

unless your benching 300+lbs, then you should be touching my man.....besides a half rom bench works out your tricpes/lats and hardly your pecs....just FYI

 

[Y_lifter]

btw - the real reason they do half reps is because they can lift more weight that way. Would suck to go down to 135 and do the lift properly. the chicks wouldn't dig that.

Bingo..

I watched a crowd of wife beater teens doing 8 partial bench presses with 225 get "lessoned" by a trainer. He asked them to drop the weight they were using on the partial benchs and do them properly.

They all were able to complete only 3 reps at the lower weight done correctly.

I got schooled on doing lunges and squats the same way once.

 

[Tweakle]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=l4GzrW2-ovM&search=Samuelsson

I saw this posted on a thread about benching to the sternum.. although he bounces it a little you get the idea.

awesome youtube braintrust comments, as always.

 

[blut wump]

The shirt is doing all the work.

I have the DVD, one of my favourites but Svend's is better.

Lol, the YT comments are awesome. Apparently his curling form sucks. I wish mine sucked like his does.

 

[jnevin]

See, my right shoulder is jacked and I've been told by a number of people to stop about two inches from my chest, pause, and push it up. I haven't felt (much) pain since I switched to doing it that way. I'll just knock some off and go with a full ROM, see how it goes. My pain is from baseball, so probably similar-ish to Koartist.

 

[Y_lifter]

2 inches up isn't really a partial bench press IMO..

I'm talking about dudes that only come 1/2 way down..

 

[jnevin]

2 inches up isn't really a partial bench press IMO..

I'm talking about dudes that only come 1/2 way down..

There's a guy at my gym that does those on the smith machine. He puts 275 on there, just makes it go up and down maybe 3 inches, and getu up looking at everyone like they're pussies. I feel bad for him so I go do screaming curls in the squat rack with just the bar.

I'm lying. I can't budge the bar.

 

[Protobuilder]

Moving your grip in a few inches helps bring your elbows in closer to your body during the descent. this makes it easier to keep the "elbows tucked" position and prevent shoulder strain.

 

[Y_lifter]

I'd mostly do slow DB presses as it allows my shoulders more freedom of
movement and better stress on the stability muscles. Occasionally I toss
in some heavy BB benches as well. But mostly its flat, incline, decline DB.

 

[al420]

I'd mostly do slow DB presses as it allows my shoulders more freedom of
movement and better stress on the stability muscles. Occasionally I toss
in some heavy BB benches as well. But mostly its flat, incline, decline DB.

While DB's are great, I feel heavy flat bench incorporates far more muscle groups, and therefore the stimulus is greater...