So how does that 154 pound guy on YouTube bench 410….it’s crazy. Video has almost 10 million views if I remember correctly
Good genetics for leverages, strength, an eye for detail, and lots of practice.
Same way all champion benchpressers do - they are the result when talent for something works hard!
I’ve woken up a day or two after benching and had pec strains that would last for a couple months. Completely derails my training. Nothing crazy heavy and my form is really solid…Never felt an injury occur.
Basically have a mental block now from wanting to bench…
My pecs get good development from db’s and machines but I miss that raw power feeling from bench
Strains happen most often when people get out of position during a hard effort that causes an overload to the pec it hadn’t been experiencing. Not necessarily heavy lifting for them: almost all of my pec strains over the years have occurred on sets of 9-20 reps of benchpress, personally. The primary other way is people getting too strong too fast on steroids.
I believe everyone should be benchpress like a powerlifter. Shoulder blades pulled down towards your back pockets, then apart, and a slight arch should be set in the low/mid back to tilt the angle of the chest to a slight decline.
This shortens total ROM a few inches, but the huge benefit is this position significantly protects the shoulder girdle if isometrically maintained through the lift. You can’t keep benching with torn shoulders, and many a lifter has lost their privilege to bench from just that.
BB Bench is a great total mass & strength builder, not the best pec exercise. So anyone interested in doing it will not be concerned with the minute loss of ROM for less injury & more longevity. There are DBs & machines to address those needs better.
Thanks for the advice guys, going to add in a few more sets to practise throughout the week, I definitely have some imbalances in my lats and traps that makes it awkward for me even when just holding the bar, not necessarily impossible but just need to really focus.
I'll be looking at getting a coach I think, because I am actually really strong elsewhere and explosive, I just really struggle with the bench after 2-3 reps
Spend 30 minutes watching these before you spend money. I bet you will find something useful:
Part 1
Part 2