benching - touch the chest?

**jgg1221** · 03-27-2005, 01:23 PM

when benching, should the bar or dumbbells touch the chest?

or should the bar come down to a point where your elbows are parallel to your chest?

im asking because im afraid of hurting my shoulders...

**Juddman** · 03-27-2005, 01:26 PM

I touch the chest. My right shoulder has been bad, but I think its from when I was young and stupid and tried to lift too heavy.

**nsa** · 03-27-2005, 01:36 PM

For barbell presses, regardless of the angle, i tough my chest. The key is to TOUCH your chest, not bounce the weight off your chest. You should be in control of the weight you are lifting, not out of control and needing to bounce it off your chest. Bouncing is an easy way to crack a rib if your using heavy weight.

**Hypertrophy** · 03-29-2005, 05:29 PM

I recommend working through a range of motion that is pain free. Meaning if something hurts at full extension/flexion, just simple work within a pain free ROM.

**Hed** · 03-29-2005, 05:36 PM

Not necessary, but i wouldnt go any further up than 2" from your chest. Its at about that point where you are starting to lose the effect of full ROM. I go to about 1" on flat bench, 1.5" on inclined, and i touch the chest on decline.

**kloter1** · 03-29-2005, 09:49 PM

barbell- i very lightly touch the chest
dumbbell- i bring the weight down as far as i can but i dont touch my chest

**Kärnfysikern** · 03-30-2005, 10:23 AM

To me it feels like stoping the weight 1 inch before the chest is risky. Isnt that like praying for a pec tear? Reversing the movement when the bar has downward momentum.

Also how do you know you get stronger, maby you just cut the movement a bit shorter without noticing? Touching the chest seems like the only way to be sure.

**dr.shred** · 03-30-2005, 10:40 AM

I always touch my chest. However, you will see a lot of bbers not touch their chest because they want to keep the muscle under constant tension.

If you touch don't bounce and controll the weight on the way down, even if you are maxing out.

-SHRED

***Billy_Bathgate*** · 03-30-2005, 11:23 PM

touch n pause

if your benching right, it will add no more stress than stoping short of touching

if your having pains, look at your technique, specifically the bar travel and the angle of your elbows in relation to your side

**LACBodybuilder** · 03-31-2005, 01:00 AM

Originally Posted by Hed

Not necessary, but i wouldnt go any further up than 2" from your chest. Its at about that point where you are starting to lose the effect of full ROM. I go to about 1" on flat bench, 1.5" on inclined, and i touch the chest on decline.

I agree with this 100%. I have reached a point where it is too painful and uncomfortable to touch, so I dont do it.