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Quick Question on Bench Form

E

ExtraMile

High End Bro
Platinum
OK, Iv heard a few differant ways to bench I just wanted to clear it up. Heres how I currently bench...
Grab the bar to my elbows are at about a 90 degree angle, lower the bar to touch my chest just above my nipples and press it up. I have my legs out in front but my knee bent so my feet are underneath where my glutes are on the bench...

Is right? If not how should I be doing it or doesnt it matter?
 
It doesn't mattr where your feet are. I just put mine on the floor. Do what is comfortable. I don't even touch my chest with the bar.


There are some basic techniques that should be followed, but after that just do what feels right for you and gives you the end results.
 
ExtraMile said:
OK, Iv heard a few differant ways to bench I just wanted to clear it up. Heres how I currently bench...
Grab the bar to my elbows are at about a 90 degree angle, lower the bar to touch my chest just above my nipples and press it up. I have my legs out in front but my knee bent so my feet are underneath where my glutes are on the bench...

Is right? If not how should I be doing it or doesnt it matter?
Click to expand...

Watch and learn my young friend..........

​
 
Only the back of your traps and your glutes should be touching - yuor back is arched and gut up high. Feet flat on the floor. Your head can move all around if it wants.

Put your ring finger on the rings of the bar. As you bring it down, you should feel your lats and arms compress. Let the bar touch the highest point on your body. If you are doing it right, it should be just above the base of your sternum and below your nipple line. When you feel the contact, explode up to lockout in a motion that is slightly arcing back to your chin but in reality only moves the bar back about 2-3" from where you touched your chest.

B-
 
SouthernLord said:
Watch and learn my young friend..........

​
Click to expand...

this video should be a sticky

great post southern



extramile do everything this guy says in the video, that is exactly how you should bench, to the T
 
dabuffguy said:
It doesn't mattr where your feet are. I just put mine on the floor. Do what is comfortable. I don't even touch my chest with the bar.
Click to expand...

????? wtf

foot placement is extremely important for one, i can change my placement to get a bigger arch and get more leg drive and bench 20lbs more. why are you in a thread about correct benchpress form if you are dishing out advice like this, you "dont even touch your chest" cmon man wtf
 
DaveTSI said:
????? wtf

foot placement is extremely important for one, i can change my placement to get a bigger arch and get more leg drive and bench 20lbs more. why are you in a thread about correct benchpress form if you are dishing out advice like this, you "dont even touch your chest" cmon man wtf
Click to expand...


The context of powerlifting vs. bodybuilding makes a big difference. I am not a powerlifter at all. That being the reason I don't touch my chest. I don't need to. I should specify that I don't touch my chest when I am lifting a heavy weight (full rep weight or a max). If I lift a light weight to warm up I bring it all the way down to the chest just to get everything loose and warmed up. Once I stack on the plates, I don't bring it all the way down to my chest. probably 2-3 inches above. That's already far past 90 degres on my arms.

If you are talk powerlifting, yes, you should always touch your chest everytime. You have to to complete a "full rep". If you are a body builder and not necesarrily concerned about presing 500lbs for a score, then you don't need to bring the bar to your chest if you don't feel comfortable doing it. You can get the growth stimulation without touching your chest.

Although this isn't always the best example to use, if you watch pro bb'ers and many of them don't touch the chest when they lift. You can find many videos on youtube of ronnie, jay, big name guys etc. not touching the chest and BarBell bench. It even looks like they are using a very small range of motion sometimes.


If you are a bodybuilder, it's up to you if you touch the chest or not. If you like it and it works, then go for it. If you don't like it, then you don't have to do it.


As for the feet placement, my comment was stupid. I realize that. What was on my mind and what I said didn't exactly reflect eachother and i didn't think it through. Obviously you wouldn't put your feet in a real goofy position like up in the air or indian style on the bench. I would assume everyone just puts their feet comfortably on the ground. If you are looking the do as much weight as possible, I guess you drive with your legs. I never really thought about it like that. I focus on using my chest as much as possible in the excercise as opposed to just ramming the weight up and down.
 
Great video!!! My shoulders are smoked from years of benching without total correct form. I always benched like a bodybuilder, back flat, bar straight down above nipple line. Yes I do have a fairly well developed chest but once I got with a powerlifter about 9 years ago and learned the correct way, my bench went up almost 50 pounds within weeks and I could feel immediate relieve from shoulders. Too bad I didnt know then what I do now,. Guys an improper bench have so much of a negative effect on your shoulders, it may take years to notice but when you do its almost too late.
 
SouthernLord said:
Watch and learn my young friend..........

​
Click to expand...

Ok, when I watch this video it makes perfect sense.
I've tried (what i think is) this technique 3 times this past month and I get more shoulder pain than ever and can't do any chest work for the week.
I retract shoulder blades, arch my lower back, chest out and keep elbows from flaring.
Should I just give up bb and stick to dumbbells?
I'm at a loss to figure this out.
 
Well this helped me, Iv been doing it for the last week or two...
When you lie on the bench, hold onto the bar like he does and pull yourself up and re settle your glutes so that the only part touching the bench is your shoulder blades and glutes, a real arc in your lower back, then take the grip and make sure your feet are flat on the floor, when you grab the bar do what he says imagine your trying to pull the bar apart and then lower it slowly to your chest, as you get there push yourlower back and hips up with your feet as you explode off your chest.

Only trouble I have with this is I get a cramp sort of feelin in the sides of my hips...

Oh and also, press the bar back a little, not just straight up and down so it should lower to your nipple line and when your at the top of the rep be around chins to nose level. Also make sure your grip is comfortable, I used to take a grip way too wide and hurt my wrists and strangley use my delts alot more...

Thats my understanding of it anyway.
 
only thing I'm not aware of is the "pulling the bar apart". Maybe my shoulders aren't warmed up enough as well.
Off to the gym now. I'll give it another try.
 
DaveTSI said:
????? wtf

foot placement is extremely important for one, i can change my placement to get a bigger arch and get more leg drive and bench 20lbs more. why are you in a thread about correct benchpress form if you are dishing out advice like this, you "dont even touch your chest" cmon man wtf
Click to expand...

Man...what's wrong with you?

This is exactly why WE don't give advice on the "how to properly do the pec deck" threads....OR the ones about "how can I add pounds to my cable cross overs?".
 
About pulling the bar apart. I think its just as if your doing a band pull apart, grip it tightly and pull your hands apart... :confused:
 
Yea I remember I found this video five months ago and I upped my bench immediately. Definitely helps you lift more, and lift better.
 
I am now doing one set of bench with an arch to push more weight then dropping the weight and doing it flat to target the chest completely, this is because strength is number one but I have 4 weeks left of bulking and just want to add as much mass as possibly in this time
 
bbr100, don't stop pressing! Practice more! Even if you have to drop weight down to just the bar, spend some time working with very light weight. Start with something you feel like you could bench 100 times. That light. Do 5-10 reps, about 5 sets, with 20-30 seconds rest.

Start your work outs with this as your warm up. The only concern should be perfecting your form.

If it causes you shoulder pain in the 2-4 out of 10 range, then work through it. In a couple weeks, your shoulders should no longer bother you. Almost always shoulder pain is caused by weak scapula stabilizers, so if rowing isn't a priority make it one. A good program to try would be Cressy's Neanderthal No More. You can find it on T nation. I would bet your shoulders would feel better than ever and your bench form will feel natural in only a couple weeks.

This is a good read too!
 
Last edited:
ExtraMile said:
I am now doing one set of bench with an arch to push more weight then dropping the weight and doing it flat to target the chest completely, this is because strength is number one but I have 4 weeks left of bulking and just want to add as much mass as possibly in this time
Click to expand...

you are 14, you should be "bulking" until you are out of highschool, if not college
 
DaveTSI said:
you are 14, you should be "bulking" until you are out of highschool, if not college
Click to expand...

Seriously, you should write a book!

I'm 31 and still bulking. I can "cut" in 12 weeks, anytime :)
 
Cant see the video as im in work but bench press should be a whole body press - feet should be planted firm, back arched, shoulders back, bar shoud touch to the bottom of the pecs on the negative but at the top of the positive be above the upper chest
 
bblazer said:
WTF is this "cutting" thing you guys keep talking about ;)

B-
Click to expand...

Cutting means I'm sweating because of the heat...it was already above 100F here today. Just starting!

People training for the Summer, hurts to hear. I train because it is me. Torn hamstring, I trained. Torn bicep, I trained. In the hospital, I left to go train.

I can't imagine training for the Summer.
 
b fold the truth said:
Cutting means I'm sweating because of the heat...it was already above 100F here today. Just starting!

People training for the Summer, hurts to hear. I train because it is me. Torn hamstring, I trained. Torn bicep, I trained. In the hospital, I left to go train.

I can't imagine training for the Summer.
Click to expand...

Ah, I get it. So you have a "Fat Elvis" training program for winter and a "Skinny Elvis" program for summer.

I'm in Wisconsin. Fuck your 100 degrees.

B-
 
bblazer said:
Ah, I get it. So you have a "Fat Elvis" training program for winter and a "Skinny Elvis" program for summer.

I'm in Wisconsin. Fuck your 100 degrees.

B-
Click to expand...

Last Summer it was 130's most days when I was training. Houses here don't have insulation and by far sub-par AC units so I sweat from May till October (we don't even get a cloud between then, much less a drop of rain).

I'm really hoping I can maintain 285-290 this Summer and break 300 or more by December.
 
ExtraMile said:
I am now doing one set of bench with an arch to push more weight then dropping the weight and doing it flat to target the chest completely, this is because strength is number one but I have 4 weeks left of bulking and just want to add as much mass as possibly in this time
Click to expand...

Does that REALLY make sense to you? Seriously, read it again.

1 set with an arch
1 set flat

So you will do one set that takes the shoulders out of the movement and one set that puts GREAT strain and possibly injury on them?

And Strength is number 1? How does this fit into what you have already said?

Bulking is done in the kitchen and on the couch...not in the gym. Deciding to bench in an injury prone position is not the way of the bulk. And when you do hurt your shoulders you will be sitting on the couch wishing you could do anything at the gym.

And then you say you want to cut for the Summer?

Really...I'm finding it hard to see your goal(s). If you do have them, the path that you are on isn't running towards them at all.
 
When I said one set flat I meant without an exaggerated arch. Last friday I did it all with an exaggerated arch cuz I just didnt want to drop the weight down as I already feel it in my chest. Alot of people have said its best to bench without an exaggerated arch and with no hip or leg drive. Im about to post up a video so you can check if it you want bro
 
ExtraMile said:
Alot of people have said its best to bench without an exaggerated arch and with no hip or leg drive.
Click to expand...

well those people are wrong imo

i agree 100% with everything my boy b fold the truth said.

extramile bro you are putting way too much thought into alot of your training. KISS will do you right, keep it simple stupid
 
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