Bench Press tips & technique

Waz up Gym Jets,

What is important when you bench press.

I heard squeezing the bar activates your tri's more, and could increase ur strength by up to 10%.

What is your secret to pressing more.
Any posture boo boo's a person should really avoid?

Looking to really hammer the chest tonight...

Tip 1. Avoid pushing too hard with a running tummy.

MCJ wrote: Tip 1. Avoid pushing too hard with a running tummy.

LOL! That will be so funny...

Seriously though, not many guys on forum do bench presses. Its more of a powerlifting exercise apposed to a bodybuilding one. I myself do some bench presses but that is after I have done all my other pectoral exercises. So by that time my muscles are so drained that I'm using a low weight at higher reps just to fatigue the muscles completely.

Think u will find that the majority of guys here concentrate more on incline presses etc. Bench presses are imo over rated.

MCJ wrote: Seriously though, not many guys on forum do bench presses. Its more of a powerlifting exercise apposed to a bodybuilding one. I myself do some bench presses but that is after I have done all my other pectoral exercises. So by that time my muscles are so drained that I'm using a low weight at higher reps just to fatigue the muscles completely.

Think u will find that the majority of guys here concentrate more on incline presses etc. Bench presses are imo over rated.

Pretty much this. But if you're still interested in upping your numbers listen to this guy:

[youtube]QnwAoesJvQ[/youtube]


EDIT: someone embed this for me please

I'm so not gna download that. Lol. Can't u sum it up in a nutshell deadgoat? In exchange for some positive karma. Haha

Deadgoats post is spot on with the video.

Legs tucked under body as much as possible.
Feet planted firmly on the floor.
Arch the back.
Shoulders blades tucked down and under, lats squeezed tight, tight as you possibly can. This position should not be comfortable at all.
When you grab the bar, try and bend the bar with your wrists, that's the action you want.
Slide the bar off rather than lift it up and off, this will keep shoulder blades and lats retracted and tight.
Deep breath and hold as you slide the bar off, hold and stabilise.
Deep breath again as you pull the bar down to your chest.
Keep elbows tucked tight.
Touch the chest with the bar, as you do this, smash your feet into the floor as hard as you can, bum stays on the bench, drive the weight upwards, elbows flare out, imagining pushing yourself into the bench rather than pushing the bar up.
Release the breath as you get to lock out.

Think I got everything?!

Pretty much what evo said. Here's a link detailing what you need to do www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/spo...eek_bench_press_cure

Nice DeadGoat - doing well on Karma today?!?!

jackrabbit1 wrote: Nice DeadGoat - doing well on Karma today?!?!

with my luck I should probably be playing the lotto and visiting GrandWest Casino tonight :lol:

you arent that lucky.. just relax

lol I know, lost the car and the house last night at the blackjack table lol

And stay away from the suicide grip! :ohmy: (That's not wrapping your thumb around the bar and just resting the bar on your palms)

Lol!! I love that grip!

i stand to be corrected but the technique DC EVO described is pure powerlifting technique which targets your triceps more , you will lift more but i dont think you will increase strength/size to your chest

Totally, wholeheartedly and 110% disagree with u on that statement!

While I agree with you that this technique is PL and triceps dominant, your chest strength/size will also increase. Even though the triceps do more work, the extra weight you're lifting will stimulate and overload your chest in the ROM that involves the chest. For e.g. quarter squatting 300kg will still lead to hypertrophy due to the sheer size in weight you're moving even though your ROM sucks

With a wider grip, full ROM, and concentrating on contracting the muscles correctly I see no problem what so ever. Actually more strain is on the chest area due to the wide grip. Which is what I do

And in the case of a narrower grip then yes more emphasis is on the triceps.

MCJ wrote: And in the case of a narrower grip then yes more emphasis is on the triceps.

which you see VERY commonly in PLing so sirtreetrunk is mostly right.

Yeah like I said with regard to a standard or narrower grip. However I disagree with regard to a wide grip. This only my personal opinion and preference. I find this works for me and get more gains this way. Different strokes for different folks.

If not bench presses for bodybuilding, what then? DB flies? I always thought bench pressing was one of the fundamental building block excercises like squats and deadlifts.

personally i hate barbell benching for chest development... I use dumbells, love them and i can feel a contraction nicely..

MCJ wrote: With a wider grip, full ROM, and concentrating on contracting the muscles correctly I see no problem what so ever. Actually more strain is on the chest area due to the wide grip. Which is what I do

And in the case of a narrower grip then yes more emphasis is on the triceps.

Wider grip will hit the chest a little more than a narrow or standard grip but many just dont have the stability and strength in their shoulders to go wide grip.

Bench press has a lot to do with tricep strength and upper back strength, and not as much to do with chest (pectoral) strength - especially with regards to Powerlifting.

Having said that I think deadgoat mentioned it but a powerlifting bench press will under normal circumstances lift a heavier load than regular bodybuilding style bench press therefore more muscle recruit and larger chest.

You just need to find the exercise that works best for you and your development, try something for 8-12 weeks, you wont lose anything over that period but if you can feel/see its not working for you then change things up.

DC EVO wrote:

MCJ wrote: With a wider grip, full ROM, and concentrating on contracting the muscles correctly I see no problem what so ever. Actually more strain is on the chest area due to the wide grip. Which is what I do

And in the case of a narrower grip then yes more emphasis is on the triceps.

Wider grip will hit the chest a little more than a narrow or standard grip but many just dont have the stability and strength in their shoulders to go wide grip.

I train under the guidance of a former powerlifting world champion, and he says the same...

a wider grip will put more emphasis on the chest.