Shameless Bench Press Brag

SignorePillolaRossa

Thanks ... yeah we only have 2.5# plates ... good idea to buy some 1# or 0.5# plates to bring along

Any thoughts on my technique questions?

maverick

@SignorePillolaRossa ;
the most efficient way to bench heavy is powerlifting style.  Get a good back arch such that you upper back and butt are on the bench.  Arms tucked, back tight, spread the bar with hands.  Bring the bar down just below you nipples.  Elite power lifters actually kind of bridge the bar, pushing up but also pulling the bar back over their shoulders before completing the top half of the lift and locking out.  The bar follows a "j" pattern, not a straight line.

this is not the best way to build the chest.  It's actually a little cheesy IMO.  The whole technique is designed to reduce the range of motion.  All other things equal, the movements with the greatest range of motion stimulate the muscle better (with exceptions)

MiddleMan

I've been getting my progress by benching the heaviest weight I can do 10 reps of. I'll stay at that weight until I can do 2-3 sets of ten reps. Then I'll increase it 5 pounds the next time. 

Rorschach

@SignorePillolaRosa, Technique depends entirely on what you are trying to accomplish.

That is, if you just want to put up big weights, then bench like a power lifter. Keep your elbows tucked. Go watch Dave Tate videos. Power lifters just try to move as much weight as possible from point A to point B, by any means necessary. Knock yourself out.

If you want to maximally stimulate your pecs and grow your chest, however, then bench like a bodybuilder. Keep your elbows out under the bar. Keep your chest up and your shoulder blades pulled together and down and your feet firmly planted on the floor throughout. Do not arch your back or roll back on your shoulders. As for grip width, your elbows should make roughly a 90 degree angle at the bottom. Bring the bar all the way down to your chest in a controlled manner (don't bounce it), to about where your nipples are, and power it back up.

The pecs are maximally stimulated on the lower part of the movement, before the tris get involved. When you see guys loading up the bar and not bringing it all the way down, well, they're just getting a really shitty triceps workout. They're making their ego huge though.

You can't chase two rabbits at once. You have to choose.

Blackwulf

I want both size and strength, that is why I do 5/3/1.  I focus on increasing my main lifts weight monthly.  Then I do 5 sets of 10 plus one or two more accessories to get my volume and build my muscle.   

I am about ready to move though to maintenance of my strength and muscle as I need to really get serious about my weight and diet again after 4 months of intense work. 

Mjolnir

@SignorePillolaRossa
As far as bench press technique goes, I would like to echo everything that @Rorschach said, but with one little caveat. I prefer to have my final elbow position roughly 75 degrees or so (instead of the typical bodybuilder 90), as this tends to alleviate shoulder impingement injuries. If you are plateauing, you can also deload and change your cadence. For instance, drop 10 pounds, but rock a 5/0 rep (5 seconds down and explode up) while really focusing on complete control of the weight all the way to your chest. 

On a related tangent, make sure you are performing your other lifts with proper form. It is unusual to see someone squat 200+ and row 140+ while struggling with a 120 bench press, as the row typically plateaus much faster than the bench press. I would hate for you to be making progress and get derailed by injury for something that could potentially be corrected now, while the weights are relatively light. 

ffp20

I put the bar at the base of my palms with fingers and thumb around on same side of bar

SignorePillolaRossa

Mjolnir said:

@SignorePillolaRossa
As far as bench press technique goes, I would like to echo everything that @Rorschach said, but with one little caveat. I prefer to have my final elbow position roughly 75 degrees or so (instead of the typical bodybuilder 90), as this tends to alleviate shoulder impingement injuries. If you are plateauing, you can also deload and change your cadence. For instance, drop 10 pounds, but rock a 5/0 rep (5 seconds down and explode up) while really focusing on complete control of the weight all the way to your chest. 

On a related tangent, make sure you are performing your other lifts with proper form. It is unusual to see someone squat 200+ and row 140+ while struggling with a 120 bench press, as the row typically plateaus much faster than the bench press. I would hate for you to be making progress and get derailed by injury for something that could potentially be corrected now, while the weights are relatively light. 

interesting - exploding up is the hard part for me ... i can hold the weight up even without locking the elbows for a long time and can control it easily on the way down .... its pushing it back up that hits a wall for me towards the end of my last couple sets

i have a theory as to why i can squat and DL bigger numbers - mostly, because i was hauling around 270+ lbs of my flabby body for so long that my legs/back can haul a load - especially now that there is 65 lbs less of my flab to haul around .... but i never was much for lifting heavy things with my arms/chest so not alot of upper body strength

i am wondering if i just have to tweak my BP technique per the advice above and experience more failure now ... i didnt experience much failure on the way up from when i started with SL 5x5 on my BP (i did alot on my OHP) .. i am guessing / hoping that failure along with sufficient protein in my diet will promote growth in strength if i work those muscles harder

thanks for the help, folks

Mjolnir

ffp20 said:

I put the bar at the base of my palms with fingers and thumb around on same side of bar

I have only seen bad things come from a grip like this, and I will never understand why this hand position persists.

Tennee

I thought I'd post a couple of expert vids regarding Bench Press that would be helpful







Actually, its been kinda Heavy round here lately, so I thought a solid laugh was in order...

But if you can get past the obvious silliness, the Brofessor vids do contain some wisdom...


Whaddup Boosh

BlueWolf

242 lbs in bench a few days ago. Have done a program with 5 reps x 132 lbs for 2 weeks. After that 6 x 132 and so on. I´ve done that with several others exercises during the workout. On week 10 when I´m up in 10 x 132 I could make 1 x 242 first time ever. Good program for progress, I do the same routine 3 times a week when I manage...it´s a pretty boring and painful program. But effective, I´m gonna mix it up with some funnier stuff after this week for a period.  In the same fashion I could move from max 88 lbs in standing military press until I managed 1 x 165 lbs. Now it´s soon time to move on to better progress in squats... the pain! 

UnBetaMe

275lbsx3 (help with the 4th) 
Want a 315lbs bench and 500lb Deadlift by Dec.31,2016

For reference Deadlift is current at 455x2

maverick

Mjolnir said:

ffp20 said:

I put the bar at the base of my palms with fingers and thumb around on same side of bar

I have only seen bad things come from a grip like this, and I will never understand why this hand position persists.

It's easier on your shoulders 

Blackwulf

Yeah but its called suicide grip for a reason. I would never use it without a spotter. 

ffp20

Well....whats wrong with it?  Thats how i was trained. If theres something better im all ears.

cdddd

@SignorePillolaRossa my coach is powerlifter who can bench 440 and has ginormous (especially now that he's lost weight) pecs. There isn't a secret way powerlifters are moving heavy weight without building muscle except for some fat bellied guys and those ladies who can practically arch up to the bar. For what it's worth I asked him once about tucking my shoulders or where my elbows should track and he asked me what on earth I was talking about. 

If you arch your back (assuming you're not flexible like a cat), plant your feet firm on the floor, and grab the bar hard like you're angry at it, you'll be able to push heavier weights. The bar should touch your lower sternum at the bottom and end up slightly under your eyes / right over your shoulders at the top. And don't look at the bar. Look straight up, and just see the bar a few inches below your center of vision, locked out. Again, don't look at the bar, it'll make the bar path wonky.

But really if you're not feeling pain in any joints, don't worry about elbow flaring and all that yet. Probably the solution is just time spent benching. Even what program you use probably doesn't matter too much as long as it's 5+ reps for sets in the 70-99% range of your max, and completing your sets and getting the work in.

cdddd

Blackwulf said:

Yeah but its called suicide grip for a reason. I would never use it without a spotter. 

You guys see the video of that Russian guy who died after dropping the bar on his chest despite three spotters? If your wrists turn and the bar goes, if it's heavy enough no one is really fast enough to catch it. 

Rorschach

Blackwulf said:

Yeah but its called suicide grip for a reason. I would never use it without a spotter. 

If you look into it, you'll also see that it's sub-optimal for nerve activation.

Rorschach

cdddd said:

@SignorePillolaRossa my coach is powerlifter who can bench 440 and has ginormous (especially now that he's lost weight) pecs. There isn't a secret way powerlifters are moving heavy weight without building muscle except for some fat bellied guys and those ladies who can practically arch up to the bar. For what it's worth I asked him once about tucking my shoulders or where my elbows should track and he asked me what on earth I was talking about. 

If you arch your back (assuming you're not flexible like a cat), plant your feet firm on the floor, and grab the bar hard like you're angry at it, you'll be able to push heavier weights. The bar should touch your lower sternum at the bottom and end up slightly under your eyes / right over your shoulders at the top. And don't look at the bar. Look straight up, and just see the bar a few inches below your center of vision, locked out. Again, don't look at the bar, it'll make the bar path wonky.

But really if you're not feeling pain in any joints, don't worry about elbow flaring and all that yet. Probably the solution is just time spent benching. Even what program you use probably doesn't matter too much as long as it's 5+ reps for sets in the 70-99% range of your max, and completing your sets and getting the work in.

About 99 percent of the bodybuilding world would disagree with this. 

cdddd

Rorschach said:

About 99 percent of the bodybuilding world would disagree with this. 

Sure, but the bodybuilding world likes things complicated and we're talking about a guy struggling to just get to one plate. He probably just needs to keep benching. I've had spotter kids yell at me about my elbows (flaring, not flaring, how many degrees), exhale while pushing, activate this or that, etc, and it's too much to think about under the bar for a newbie. The only big tip that seems helpful to move more weight earlier is to arch your back (or lift your chest as you said - probably the same effect in an inflexible newbie) and push all the way from the floor if you can, without lifting your butt. Pressing 150 as a 'whole body' effort is going to do more good (for his fitness and his pecs) than struggling to make 120 an isolation exercise. At least I figure for him at this point.

In the end he probably just needs to keep plugging away and eating right.

Also judging from the accountability thread he may find the best thing is to use a spotter, it's amazing how much lighter the weight gets then (and I don't mean when they grab it, lol)