Question about bench press

[jinduy]

i see people at the gym basically doing two types of bench pressing

1) the bar goes all the way to the chest, barely touching it lightly before going back up

2) the bar goes down about half the distance, where the upper arms are parallel with your chest

which one do you guys do and recommend?

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: jinduy
i see people at the gym basically doing two types of bench pressing

1) the bar goes all the way to the chest, barely touching it lightly before going back up

2) the bar goes down about half the distance, where the upper arms are parallel with your chest

which one do you guys do and recommend?

I used to do 1 but now do 2 because of admonition by a physical therapist. It depends some on how old you are. If you are middle aged or older, 2, if young, 1 shouldn't hurt you, I'd think (but I could be wrong). Myself, I use dumbells except for decline presses. I had elbow issues. They're mostly resolved now, but I'm careful for my joints.

 

[Muse]

Duplicate post (I guess)

 

[handoverfist]

The bar is not supposed to touch your chest. Come like an inch or two away from chest.

Google semi-stretch overload.

 

[SVT Cobra]

WOW more morons talking about what they do not know

A bench press MUST touch your chest...in powerlifting you actually bounce it off (in compititions etc), but when training you slightly touch your chest...and then back up

only going half way down is a towel benchpress...designed just to work your dead zone, the point of failure for most when lifting your max reps


jeez of course you touch your chest....the ones that are not are n00blars doing it wrong because they want to more weight and look big

 

[Landroval]

If it does not come to your chest, you are not doing a bench press in good form. No wonder I hear so many sticks bragging they can BP 350 lbs.

 

[sadguy]

What about someone with an indented chestbone? Will bringing the bar all the way down to the chest still be considered "safe"?

 

[SVT Cobra]

Originally posted by: sadguy
What about someone with an indented chestbone? Will bringing the bar all the way down to the chest still be considered "safe"?

yeah...you are not slamming it down


PSA geeks who have never worked out and make excuses why not too....lifting heavy weight does not injur you when donne correctly

you have to do a lot to screw yourself up...you do not suddenly develop elbow problems

 

[DVad3r]

The bar is never supposed to come down and touch your chest...especially when doing incline. Reasons:

1. Your not getting as effective workout if you touch because the weight is resting and your muscles arent holding it up.

2. You can dis-proportion your body posture if you go all the way down.

 

[SludgeFactory]

Actually a competition bench press must have a visible pause at the chest. Bouncing is cheating.

Guys going halfway down on the bench are just fooling themselves, much like the people in the gym barely breaking 45 deg on their squats :laugh:

 

[jinduy]

looks like ima have to start touching my chest... right now i just lower the bar actually about an inch or two above my chest

 

[TripleAAA]

Everyone here is arguing about proper form for a bench press to get maximum result and I would agree with the majority that you do need to touch your chest (although I would not recommend the bouncing like some people do).

Without getting too technical, you are going to cover more muscle area in any exercise for the most part, by merely going through a larger range of motion.

If you want to experiment with seeing more muscle, faster, try what is called Eccentric muscle contractions. With the bench press in particular, using your max weight or thereabouts and a spotter (a spotter is a must), start the bar at the top and slowly let it down until it almost touches your chest. Have your spotter help you bring it back up and then do it again...give 3 or 4 times a try per set.

Most people do concentric workouts at the gym. Concentric means the shortening of a muscle fiber, as in a bicep curl. Eccentric is the opposite.

 

[SVT Cobra]

Originally posted by: TripleAAA
Everyone here is arguing about proper form for a bench press to get maximum result and I would agree with the majority that you do need to touch your chest (although I would not recommend the bouncing like some people do).

Without getting too technical, you are going to cover more muscle area in any exercise for the most part, by merely going through a larger range of motion.

If you want to experiment with seeing more muscle, faster, try what is called Eccentric muscle contractions. With the bench press in particular, using your max weight or thereabouts and a spotter (a spotter is a must), start the bar at the top and slowly let it down until it almost touches your chest. Have your spotter help you bring it back up and then do it again...give 3 or 4 times a try per set.

Most people do concentric workouts at the gym. Concentric means the shortening of a muscle fiber, as in a bicep curl. Eccentric is the opposite.

bouncing in powerlifting compitions is a usual...like the most you can do at this set wiehgt in 30 seconds

in a strength contest...you do pause...

and as I said when training you do not bounce...its not proper form and its cheating...

man I love how people do not read words

 

[eigen]

Originally posted by: DVad3r
The bar is never supposed to come down and touch your chest...especially when doing incline. Reasons:

1. Your not getting as effective workout if you touch because the weight is resting and your muscles arent holding it up.

2. You can dis-proportion your body posture if you go all the way down.

Thats one retarded post.

Regarding 1. You do not let the weigh rest on your chest just touch it.
Regarding 2.If this occurs this mean you have weak lats and a weak upper back.Work on these then come back to the bench.

 

[TripleAAA]

Originally posted by: Son of a N00b

Originally posted by: TripleAAA
Everyone here is arguing about proper form for a bench press to get maximum result and I would agree with the majority that you do need to touch your chest (although I would not recommend the bouncing like some people do).

Without getting too technical, you are going to cover more muscle area in any exercise for the most part, by merely going through a larger range of motion.

If you want to experiment with seeing more muscle, faster, try what is called Eccentric muscle contractions. With the bench press in particular, using your max weight or thereabouts and a spotter (a spotter is a must), start the bar at the top and slowly let it down until it almost touches your chest. Have your spotter help you bring it back up and then do it again...give 3 or 4 times a try per set.

Most people do concentric workouts at the gym. Concentric means the shortening of a muscle fiber, as in a bicep curl. Eccentric is the opposite.

bouncing in powerlifting compitions is a usual...like the most you can do at this set wiehgt in 30 seconds

in a strength contest...you do pause...

and as I said when training you do not bounce...its not proper form and its cheating...

man I love how people do not read words

How is this referring to my post? Just curious

 

[SVT Cobra]

Originally posted by: TripleAAA

Originally posted by: Son of a N00b

Originally posted by: TripleAAA
Everyone here is arguing about proper form for a bench press to get maximum result and I would agree with the majority that you do need to touch your chest (although I would not recommend the bouncing like some people do).

Without getting too technical, you are going to cover more muscle area in any exercise for the most part, by merely going through a larger range of motion.

If you want to experiment with seeing more muscle, faster, try what is called Eccentric muscle contractions. With the bench press in particular, using your max weight or thereabouts and a spotter (a spotter is a must), start the bar at the top and slowly let it down until it almost touches your chest. Have your spotter help you bring it back up and then do it again...give 3 or 4 times a try per set.

Most people do concentric workouts at the gym. Concentric means the shortening of a muscle fiber, as in a bicep curl. Eccentric is the opposite.

bouncing in powerlifting compitions is a usual...like the most you can do at this set wiehgt in 30 seconds

in a strength contest...you do pause...

and as I said when training you do not bounce...its not proper form and its cheating...

man I love how people do not read words

How is this referring to my post? Just curious

lol sorry quoted wrong on lol...

 

[eigen]

Originally posted by: Son of a N00b

Originally posted by: TripleAAA
Everyone here is arguing about proper form for a bench press to get maximum result and I would agree with the majority that you do need to touch your chest (although I would not recommend the bouncing like some people do).

Without getting too technical, you are going to cover more muscle area in any exercise for the most part, by merely going through a larger range of motion.

If you want to experiment with seeing more muscle, faster, try what is called Eccentric muscle contractions. With the bench press in particular, using your max weight or thereabouts and a spotter (a spotter is a must), start the bar at the top and slowly let it down until it almost touches your chest. Have your spotter help you bring it back up and then do it again...give 3 or 4 times a try per set.

Most people do concentric workouts at the gym. Concentric means the shortening of a muscle fiber, as in a bicep curl. Eccentric is the opposite.

bouncing in powerlifting compitions is a usual...like the most you can do at this set wiehgt in 30 seconds

in a strength contest...you do pause...

and as I said when training you do not bounce...its not proper form and its cheating...

man I love how people do not read words

You cannot bounce at a powerlifting meet.You must pause.

http://www.marylandaau.com/powerlif1.htm


In strongman comps, you can do what you want.

 

[imported_g33k]

I use a machine because many times I cant get a spotter. Do you think free weights are better for benching? Or does it matter?

 

[SVT Cobra]

okay thats one...the ones I have seen and a couple that I have participated in for fun in NJ and CA you were allowed to bounce

 

[eigen]

Originally posted by: Son of a N00b
okay thats one...the ones I have seen and a couple that I have participated in for fun in NJ and CA you were allowed to bounce

Well okay.But all the major federations follow that rule.

 

[SVT Cobra]

Originally posted by: eigen

Originally posted by: Son of a N00b
okay thats one...the ones I have seen and a couple that I have participated in for fun in NJ and CA you were allowed to bounce

Well okay.But all the major federations follow that rule.

hmm? were they timed? I just watched the NFL strenght comp also and I saw a lotta bouncing, at least if I remmeber right...

hmm interesting

 

[Landroval]

Originally posted by: jinduy
looks like ima have to start touching my chest... right now i just lower the bar actually about an inch or two above my chest

If you really want to work your pecs and have good form, push your chest up a little and pull your shoulder blades together somewhat. If you don't do this you are likely using other muscles to cheat the exercise somewhat. Focus on your form over the weight you can do. It's more impressive to do 150 lbs with proper form and actually hit your pecs hard than to struggle with 300 by cheating.

 

[LordMaul]

I wonder how many of the posters in this thread arguing about proper form are either fat, or sickly-skinny wimps.

 

[Brian M]

Originally posted by: LordMaul
I wonder how many of the posters in this thread arguing about proper form are either fat, or sickly-skinny wimps.

Probably Most.

When you bench you should bring the bar all the way to your chest and then back up. Do not bounce the bar off your chest, you will injure yourself and it's not as good of a workout because you're using the momentum from the bounce instead of pushing the weight with your muscles. So, bring the bar down slowly to the point where it lightly touches your chest, not resting the bar on your chest, then back up again. Then Repeat.

 

[jiggahertz]

Originally posted by: Son of a N00b

Originally posted by: eigen

Originally posted by: Son of a N00b
okay thats one...the ones I have seen and a couple that I have participated in for fun in NJ and CA you were allowed to bounce

Well okay.But all the major federations follow that rule.

hmm? were they timed? I just watched the NFL strenght comp also and I saw a lotta bouncing, at least if I remmeber right...

hmm interesting

NFL strength competitions are not powerlifting. To my knowledge, USAPL, ADAU, IPF and NASA all require a pause for a legal benchpress.