Bench press tips

[Russell Coight]

I've been reading Sticky's bench tips and I'm just after some tips on getting the elbows tucked in.

The grip width I normally use is to have my little fingers on the markers (not sure what they're called) but I find it hard to tuck the elbows in with this grip width. Arm span is 185cm, height is 178cm if that means anything.

If I do manage to get them tucked in, I find my wrists will bend a bit. Should the wrists be straight? Is a narrower grip the way to go? Are wrist wraps a good idea?

Any help is much appreciated.

 

[Russell Coight]

Just came accross this vid, as good a place as any to start.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QnwAoesJvQ"]Dave Tate's Six-Week Bench Press Cure - YouTube[/ame]

 

[callan]

the bar wants to sit directly above your forearm, this will help you keep your hands straight as the weight wont be pushing your hands back, avoid putting a band aid on it and using wraps, they will just give you support is you feel that you need it after you have addressed the wrist issue.

when tucking your elbows think of it more as your trying to bend the bar, rather than just pulling your elbows in. then when you press, as you start to reach that middle part of the press, turn your elbows out, that will help with lockout.

 

[Bench Polkov]

It sounds like you have weak wrists to me. Keep benching til they get stronger, and listen to Callan's advice.

Also with your wingspan why not try a wider grip?

 

[<ULTRA-MEGA>]

i still can't get the bending the bar and driving heels into the floor thing down.

 

[callan]

i still can't get the bending the bar and driving heels into the floor thing down.

trying to 'bend the bar' will create tightness in your shoulders and back, driving your heels into the floor will create tightness in your legs/glutes making you more stable, basically being tight will make your power output more efficient.

what part of it cant you get? sort of head to teach over the net lol

at the top of the bench, turn your elbows out, like your trying to bend the bar in the direction of your feet, when you start to bring the bar down, try to bend the bar over your face, when you start to press the bar, maintain that bend towards your face, you will find a spot where it gets hard thats when you start to 'turn out' so you bench the bar like you did at the top of the press.
it will come down to timing, ideally you want to turn out just b4 that sticking point, for most it will be a few inches off the chest, by keeping your elbows tucked for the first few inches should help give you speed to break through the sticking point, when you start to turn out.

 

[0ni]

I could never figure out breaking the bar or pulling the bar apart etc
Then I saw someone on the internet mention that it was all about the elbows. "The lift ends when the elbows are locked out" or something. Dave Tate also mentioned breaking at the elbows first so I thought 'what the hell' and tried it. I found that I was then able to break the bar quite easily and didn't really need to think about it.

So now I just bend at the elbows more and more until the bar hits my chest, I do not think about raising or lowering the bar, or pushing myself away from the bar or any of that - just bending the elbows, pause and straightening them again. I find the elbow tuck is good and the bar lands in the same place every time doing this as well. This cue might not work for you but it works for me and my benching is much smoother now, albeit at the same pathetic weight

 

[<ULTRA-MEGA>]

any thoughts on contrast training?

 

[Bench Polkov]

Never used it. Not necessary really, but you can give it a try if you want.

 

[0ni]

any thoughts on contrast training?

It's in supertraining, if verkoshansky thought it worth mentioning I'd be willing to give it a go next time I went stale. I do a dynamic workout of power snatches before my training but never after
I'll read what was written in supertraining though instead of t-nation

 

[IRON TANKS]

I posted this a while back. If you want shoulder health, I would strongly advise it.

---

Use a closer grip. The angle between the humerus and your torso should not be 90 degs. I see this far too often. 50-60 is more workable.

Contrary to popular belief - it is not necessary to have the barbell drop down to nipple line during a bench press because:

1: Strength transference of around 15 degrees occurs with the bench press exercise, which means the barbell does not have to descend as deeply as the nipple line for complete muscle strength development;

2: If the shoulder capsule is excessively loaded (i.e. which may occur if the bench press finishes excessively low on the down phase and the BB hits the chest), shoulder impingement may occur. Shoulder impingement involves the humerus migrating upward in the shoulder capsule and causes compression of the subacromial bursa. Subsequently, tendons of the rotator cuff muscles (especially the supraspinatus), which should comfortably glide through the subacromial space and perhaps the biceps tendon, experience excessive loading (i.e. they get squeezed or impinged) between the head of the humerous and the acromion and develop tendinopathy. In resistance training exercises, the primary mechanism for shoulder impingement involves poor scapula control and glenohumeral instability;

3: In addition, we are trying to teach movement efficiency and alignment. So, the only time you would lower it nipple line id if you are a power lifter (as they are the rules).

 

[<ULTRA-MEGA>]

I posted this a while back. If you want shoulder health, I would strongly advise it.

---

Use a closer grip. The angle between the humerus and your torso should not be 90 degs. I see this far too often. 50-60 is more workable.

Contrary to popular belief - it is not necessary to have the barbell drop down to nipple line during a bench press because:

1: Strength transference of around 15 degrees occurs with the bench press exercise, which means the barbell does not have to descend as deeply as the nipple line for complete muscle strength development;

2: If the shoulder capsule is excessively loaded (i.e. which may occur if the bench press finishes excessively low on the down phase and the BB hits the chest), shoulder impingement may occur. Shoulder impingement involves the humerus migrating upward in the shoulder capsule and causes compression of the subacromial bursa. Subsequently, tendons of the rotator cuff muscles (especially the supraspinatus), which should comfortably glide through the subacromial space and perhaps the biceps tendon, experience excessive loading (i.e. they get squeezed or impinged) between the head of the humerous and the acromion and develop tendinopathy. In resistance training exercises, the primary mechanism for shoulder impingement involves poor scapula control and glenohumeral instability;

3: In addition, we are trying to teach movement efficiency and alignment. So, the only time you would lower it nipple line id if you are a power lifter (as they are the rules).

thank you. this was very helpful

i have been bringing the bar down below nipple line. my shoulders crack so much and very loud now more than ever since i've been getting right into bench press.

not long ago, i had something go in my left bicep which i believe was a nerve and i felt the pain go right through the chest. and i couldn't get full extension in my arm for weeks after that.

i have some exposed scapula and my shoulders are fairly unstable.

 

[0ni]

Thanks to multiply lifting, millions are confused over form

 

[solarbear]

Odd a closer grip really hurts both my shoulders. When I say hurt I men in an injury sort of way. Wtf

 

[IRON TANKS]

Odd a closer grip really hurts both my shoulders. When I say hurt I men in an injury sort of way. Wtf

The grip width depends on the length of your arms, those with longer limbs will have a wider grip than the rest. How close are you talking?

 

[Bazza20]

The grip width depends on the length of your arms, those with longer limbs will have a wider grip than the rest. How close are you talking?

Not always. You find a lot of long armed people that do better close grip for some reason.

 

[solarbear]

The grip width depends on the length of your arms, those with longer limbs will have a wider grip than the rest. How close are you talking?

I generally put my hands an inch or so inside that outer marking some bars
have. No pain.

When I bench say a handwidth from the middle it hurts.

I am 5'11".

I seem to be the opposite of the rule. When I bench normally my forearms seem to be nice and perpendicular. Whatever angle they get going closer does not seem to be good for me.

 

[IRON TANKS]

Not always. You find a lot of long armed people that do better close grip for some reason.

Generally speaking!

I generally put my hands an inch or so inside that outer marking some bars
have. No pain.

When I bench say a handwidth from the middle it hurts.

I am 5'11".

I seem to be the opposite of the rule. When I bench normally my forearms seem to be nice and perpendicular. Whatever angle they get going closer does not seem to be good for me.

Yeah that's OK, it's not a close grip bench press which is what you seem to be describing, rather a closer grip. I bench roughly 1-2" within the rings marks on the knurling.

When you lay down, and bench with your arms at the lowest point of the eccentric movement (ie; near nipple line) where are you upper arms in relation to your torso (right angles or 45-60 degrees?)

 

[<ULTRA-MEGA>]

i always grip about 1-2 inches out from the smooth of the bar. thumbless.

 

[solarbear]

when you lay down, and bench with your arms at the lowest point of the eccentric movement (ie; near nipple line) where are you upper arms in relation to your torso (right angles or 45-60 degrees?)

45-60...