How far to bench?

[MartyMcFly]

Up until last week when I benched I went all the way down touched my chest and then went all the way to lockout. Then I was in the gym the other day and I got this guy to spot me on flat and he said that he only goes about 12-15 inches up. Not sure exactly about exact length. To just when the tri's start to take over. I did this and my chest was sore for four days after. I was watching the NFL combine the other day and saw some of them doing this also. Just curious if this was more of powerlifting or bodybuilding type of ROM.

[El Jugo Buen0]

you should have a shoulder width grip and lower it until your elbows form a 90° angle, anyone that tells you different doesn't know what they're talking about. any further just leads to injuries.

[pelly789]

id agree with el jugo, you should have a grip to make a 90 degree angle with your elbow and you should go a little past parrallel just like squats

[Kärnfysikern]

I always bench full rom with tucked elbows. Those that hurt themself are those that have flared elbows. That is begging for a injury imo.

[Kärnfysikern]

also imo bench is suposed to be a compound movement. Thats why I go full rom. If I want to isolate chest I do fly's or cabelcross. But when it comes to bench I want to move max ammount of weight in full rom to develop not only chest but shoulders and triceps aswell.

[WHOADY4SHOADY]

also imo bench is suposed to be a compound movement. Thats why I go full rom. If I want to isolate chest I do fly's or cabelcross. But when it comes to bench I want to move max ammount of weight in full rom to develop not only chest but shoulders and triceps aswell.

Thats exactly how I look at it. Also, just cause you see the guys in the NFL do it definitely doesnt make it right. They were also bouncing the weight off their chest and useing zero negative resistance. Are you going to do that too?

[novastepp]

if you use good form, push off the ground with your feet, place your weight on your upper back, tuck your elbows, keep teh bar directly above your forearms and wrists, you wont be able to go much further than 90 degrees anyway. and still lift eth weight slow and controlled.

[helium3]

also bouncing the weight off their chest and useing zero negative resistance. Are you going to do that too?

excellent post,the negative or eccentric part of the lift is just if not more important than the concentric.

[MartyMcFly]

Well I know how to bench. I never said I was not tucking my elbows or bouncing it off my chest. It takes me about 2-3 seconds to get the weight down to my chest then I touch and go up not bounce. I was just using the combine as an example.

[novastepp]

if you "know how to bench" whay ask this question?

[Kärnfysikern]

if you use good form, push off the ground with your feet, place your weight on your upper back, tuck your elbows, keep teh bar directly above your forearms and wrists, you wont be able to go much further than 90 degrees anyway. and still lift eth weight slow and controlled.

good point

if more people adopted a pl style of benching there would be much less injuries.

[Doc.Sust]

touch your chest, it isnt hard, use board presses and rack lockouts for partial movements, this will help increase your regular press, but do not totaly replace full ROM preses with partial movmnts, your press will drop alot!!!also your form will become shitty and you stand more of a chance of injury. partial movements are more of a powerlifting movement not BBing

[MartyMcFly]

if you "know how to bench" whay ask this question?

I saw someone doing something different and wondered about it. I was asking for others opinions. If we just did the same thing and never evolved we would not grow. I bet when the first person did curls they were swinging their back. What if no one said to not do this and everyone accepted this method as gospel. I was wondering why people do this. There has to be a reason and I thought someone would know. I never asked about elbows, bouncing, negatives just the ROM and why is it done. I am curious. So if anyone knows why they do this and what, if any are the benefits to this please respond. And according to the method of tucked elbows, slight arch in back and firmly planted feet I know how to bench nova.

[MartyMcFly]

touch your chest, it isnt hard, use board presses and rack lockouts for partial movements, this will help increase your regular press, but do not totaly replace full ROM preses with partial movmnts, your press will drop alot!!!also your form will become shitty and you stand more of a chance of injury. partial movements are more of a powerlifting movement not BBing

Thank you Doc. That is what I wanted to know. Great input. Something that goes towards answering my question. Thank you. Now since it happens to be chest day i have to go drop the weight and bounce it off my chest with elows as wide as possible. I must not forget to put my feet on the bench as this will make me as stable as possible.

[Warrior]

you should have a shoulder width grip and lower it until your elbows form a 90° angle, anyone that tells you different doesn't know what they're talking about. any further just leads to injuries.

I agree but there are other factors in what the best ROM is...

Such as, sometimes its good to work only in your strong range to get a better mind set to heavier weights and sometimes it is better to work only in your weak range to get a more powerful lift...

Goal dependent. If you want to increase strength, overall development and size or possibly a stronger pushing force for a sports-specific adaption...

Also, your unique body structure also plays a role in how far down you should go... if you break that 90 degree angle El Jugo Buen0 mentioned - some can put serious force against the shoulder joint... the pivot of the shoulder makes it easier to injure - especially when training heavy... carefull with it...

[MartyMcFly]

I agree but there are other factors in what the best ROM is...

Such as, sometimes its good to work only in your strong range to get a better mind set to heavier weights and sometimes it is better to work only in your weak range to get a more powerful lift...

Goal dependent. If you want to increase strength, overall development and size or possibly a stronger pushing force for a sports-specific adaption...

Also, your unique body structure also plays a role in how far down you should go... if you break that 90 degree angle El Jugo Buen0 mentioned - some can put serious force against the shoulder joint... the pivot of the shoulder makes it easier to injure - especially when training heavy... carefull with it...

Right now I go all the way down touch not bounce and go all the way up. I tried the 90 degree thing but that didn't seem to hit my chest so I go all the way down slow it takes ~3 secs to go down. I only do the board press CG on a different day when I do tri's to take pecs out as much as possible. I never max out since my shoulders are bad and I don't really care about strength any way. I have no idea about my 1 rep max.

[novastepp]

Well I know how to bench. I never said I was not tucking my elbows or bouncing it off my chest. It takes me about 2-3 seconds to get the weight down to my chest then I touch and go up not bounce. I was just using the combine as an example.

didn't seem to happy to get these "opinions" now did you?

[Doc.Sust]

Right now I go all the way down touch not bounce and go all the way up. I tried the 90 degree thing but that didn't seem to hit my chest so I go all the way down slow it takes ~3 secs to go down. I only do the board press CG on a different day when I do tri's to take pecs out as much as possible. I never max out since my shoulders are bad and I don't really care about strength any way. I have no idea about my 1 rep max.

first off dont put your feet on the bench, use them on the floor to stabilze , you will be able to press more like this, take a good arch, dont lift you ass of the bench when pressing yourshoulders and you ass should be touching the bench, not you mid back, if you are pressin completely flatm you are doing it wrong. dont take the bar down slow just go at a regular pace, the press is a qucik twitch movement treat itlike one , use explsiveness when you press, bring the bar down in control, touch you chest and explde as fat as you can up.if you want to press more weight this is how to do it

[novastepp]

first off dont put your feet on the bench, use them on the floor to stabilze , you will be able to press more like this, take a good arch, dont lift you ass of the bench when pressing yourshoulders and you ass should be touching the bench, not you mid back, if you are pressin completely flatm you are doing it wrong. dont take the bar down slow just go at a regular pace, the press is a qucik twitch movement treat itlike one , use explsiveness when you press, bring the bar down in control, touch you chest and explde as fat as you can up.if you want to press more weight this is how to do it

thank you, that is what i was just going to explain... i know he knows how to bench, but correct form will help him progress with the lift.

[Kärnfysikern]

Thank you Doc. That is what I wanted to know. Great input. Something that goes towards answering my question. Thank you. Now since it happens to be chest day i have to go drop the weight and bounce it off my chest with elows as wide as possible. I must not forget to put my feet on the bench as this will make me as stable as possible.

My answere was directed at el juggo not you so I meant no offense at all if you took it that way.

[Doc.Sust]

thank you, that is what i was just going to explain... i know he knows how to bench, but correct form will help him progress with the lift.

amen!

[MartyMcFly]

if you use good form, push off the ground with your feet, place your weight on your upper back, tuck your elbows, keep teh bar directly above your forearms and wrists, you wont be able to go much further than 90 degrees anyway. and still lift eth weight slow and controlled.

That is how I bench which I previously stated. "Now since it happens to be chest day i have to go drop the weight and bounce it off my chest with elows as wide as possible. I must not forget to put my feet on the bench as this will make me as stable as possible." That was a joke.

And your "opinion" was not relevant to the topic. This was a ROM question not a form. I am familiar with the form in which you speak, I use it. I just got back from doing chest and I did it which I have done for the last 5 years. So if you want to comment about the ROM then by all means do it. If my question was about form your opinion would have been relevant. Thank you Johan, Warrior, and Doc your anwers were about ROM which this was about.

[Doc.Sust]

any questions feel free to ask

[novastepp]

Well if you have bad form you can push teh bar about 15 inches up which will be a full "over use" of ROM. and if you use correct for you will move it about 7-8 inches in a safe and "useful" ROM. so form is the biggest factor in ROM that's why i'm suggesting good form.

[helium3]

the thing i hate to see most with bench press is when you get some guy lifting way too much,butt off the bench arching his back(enough to crawl through)whats the fecking point.i must admit i like to put my feet on the bench(no cheating)or sometimes on blocks.

[Doc.Sust]

the thing i hate to see most with bench press is when you get some guy lifting way too much,butt off the bench arching his back(enough to crawl through)whats the fecking point.i must admit i like to put my feet on the bench(no cheating)or sometimes on blocks.

keep the feet on the floor, take a good arch, lock you lats back soth bar drops an extra 2 inches and drive with you legs and youare in bussiness, agood presser knows how to use there legs on the press and not pick there ass of the bench,

[Benches505]

I'm old school in flat bench technique. Flat back with no arch and go all the way down to the chest before going back to lock out. Wide grip and I don't push with the legs at all and seem to do just fine. Who knows? maybe adding some technique would increase my bench but we used to get laughed out of the gym years back when some guys would arch the back.

Never injured myself and I always go heavy. **Knocks on wood** No injuries related to the way I do it either.

[Doc.Sust]

I'm old school in flat bench technique. Flat back with no arch and go all the way down to the chest before going back to lock out. Wide grip and I don't push with the legs at all and seem to do just fine. Who knows? maybe adding some technique would increase my bench but we used to get laughed out of the gym years back when some guys would arch the back.

Never injured myself and I always go heavy. **Knocks on wood** No injuries related to the way I do it either.

a few twweks in grip and form can add 30 to 50 lbs on the presss easy, it is contest legal as long as you dont pick your ass up. i worked with a guy wh was doing 315 for triples, terrible form flat back closer grip, not locking the lats, after a day of training with me and continueing to work on it for the next 12 wks he shot his press to 405lbs

[Benches505]

You wouldn't be anywhere near Charlotte NC by chance? That is an awesome increase!

[Doc.Sust]

You wouldn't be anywhere near Charlotte NC by chance? That is an awesome increase!

i used to be a few years ago, greenville SC ,

[Steve80]

I always thought you should bring the bar to your chest when benching but I heard differently recently. There was a body buider in my class (6'4 295) the guy was a monster. He said when you bench you should never touch it to your chest, rather keep it 4-6 inches away. He said if you touch it to your chest it can cause alot of joint, back, and something else injuries.

Is that right?

[MartyMcFly]

Hey Sus you from G'ville. I am from there also but am living in Chas. for college. I used to work out at the Gold's there near the Bi-Lo. It had a sunken dumbell pit area. Good to see some SC boys here.Thanks for your help.

[Doc.Sust]

I always thought you should bring the bar to your chest when benching but I heard differently recently. There was a body buider in my class (6'4 295) the guy was a monster. He said when you bench you should never touch it to your chest, rather keep it 4-6 inches away. He said if you touch it to your chest it can cause alot of joint, back, and something else injuries.

Is that right?

NO it is not, maybe that true for him but not the general population or the norm. touch your chest.

[Doc.Sust]

Hey Sus you from G'ville. I am from there also but am living in Chas. for college. I used to work out at the Gold's there near the Bi-Lo. It had a sunken dumbell pit area. Good to see some SC boys here.Thanks for your help.

not from there but lived ther for a few years, actualy i spent alot more time in"sparkle city" hahahaha, now the golds that you are talking about, was it relatively close to "stacks" and the chicken wing place"something fire water" area? close to the mall area?not rt next to it but like a 3minute drive? when i lived there i worked out at coops, they let me power lift there . i had problems at golds, they didnt like my antics

[muscle_20]

you should have a shoulder width grip and lower it until your elbows form a 90° angle, anyone that tells you different doesn't know what they're talking about. any further just leads to injuries.

Doesn't agree...

.:Warrior

[novastepp]

I always thought you should bring the bar to your chest when benching but I heard differently recently. There was a body buider in my class (6'4 295) the guy was a monster. He said when you bench you should never touch it to your chest, rather keep it 4-6 inches away. He said if you touch it to your chest it can cause alot of joint, back, and something else injuries.

Is that right?

he may have not been using good form, and this was when he felt, or was told, that his shoulder joint should be stopped. if you tuck your arms and keep then straight under the bar, you should be just fine touching your chest.

[MartyMcFly]

not from there but lived ther for a few years, actualy i spent alot more time in"sparkle city" hahahaha, now the golds that you are talking about, was it relatively close to "stacks" and the chicken wing place"something fire water" area? close to the mall area?not rt next to it but like a 3minute drive? when i lived there i worked out at coops, they let me power lift there . i had problems at golds, they didnt like my antics

Yea that is the place. You are talking about Chiefs Wings and Firewater. I ****ed the owner of chiefs girl one night so I never went there. Gold's was so slack we just walked in everytime without a membership. I lived in G'ville for ~25 yrs and maybe went to Spartanburg 5 times. Gold's is gone now.

[Doc.Sust]

Yea that is the place. You are talking about Chiefs Wings and Firewater. I ****ed the owner of chiefs girl one night so I never went there. Gold's was so slack we just walked in everytime without a membership. I lived in G'ville for ~25 yrs and maybe went to Spartanburg 5 times. Gold's is gone now.

why did gold shut down? where did all the people go? in spartanburg, i used to scam this Ymca, they had great equipment and this back door entrance with a scanner, so i copied and laminated my own boot leg idead, fixed up with a bar code and it would scan me in and open the door to the gym and cost me ZIP!!! iit was a good time, yep chiefs' couldnt remember the name. greenvile was a good time, i liked the block house, we used to go to game time alot, than it got ghetto, . i was a big fan of the downtown area, the brewery and there was another wing place that was also a bar that used to get bands,,cant remember the name. whole place was A ok. i still have some friends therem i have to get back there, i would consider retiring there some day

[helium3]

I'm old school in flat bench technique. Flat back with no arch and go all the way down to the chest before going back to lock out. Wide grip and I don't push with the legs at all and seem to do just fine. Who knows? maybe adding some technique would increase my bench but we used to get laughed out of the gym years back when some guys would arch the back.

Never injured myself and I always go heavy. **Knocks on wood** No injuries related to the way I do it either.

i agree totally,but if it is just more weight you want to push then push with your feet but if you want to do it properly then dont use the feet except for balance.

[Doc.Sust]

i agree totally,but if it is just more weight you want to push then push with your feet but if you want to do it properly then dont use the feet except for balance.

using your feet is more for functional traing and sports related, not using you feet would be more to isolate just chest for BBing