[tunnelrat]

i've been dealing with a lil shoulder pain lately, and decided to try a different approach to my bench. i tucked my elbows yesterday while benching and it felt really awkward.

i'm not used to keeping my forearms perpendicular to the floor throughout the press. i'm convinced this is the right way to do it. am i wrong? any tips?

[jasonschaffin]

Originally Posted by tunnelrat

i've been dealing with a lil shoulder pain lately, and decided to try a different approach to my bench. i tucked my elbows yesterday while benching and it felt really awkward.

i'm not used to keeping my forearms perpendicular to the floor throughout the press. i'm convinced this is the right way to do it. am i wrong? any tips?

I would say where most people go wrong is that they don't keep their shoulder blades retracted/squeezed. Feet under you, butt on bench, big arch, shoulders retracted, lats squeezed, wide grip but not wide elbows, up and down press (no arch), below the nipple line (where is the highest point of your body? shorten the press)

[tunnelrat]

yeah...

i keep the shoulders pinched tight, slight arch, breath held during the concentric, 2 fingers on the smooth part of the bar, and up until yesterday i flared my elbows.

so tuck em, and bring the bar just below the nipples. thanks.

i think i just need to work on my form with some lighter weight.

[MakaveliThaDon]

It will take more than one workout to get used to a totally new form on a lift.

[quigley]

id reccomend no arching of the back =) actually try to suck your gut in to keep your lower back neutral so your using your chest and nothign else. As with nearly every excercise out there shoulders must be retracted and depressed and must stay there through all motions of the lift. Wrists must be straight, not bent back, elbows must be infront of the bar at all time, not in line with it. If you want to sky your blood pressure hold your breath during the concentric phase, otherwise breath in when your taking the bar down, out when your pushing it up.

[tunnelrat]

[quote=quigley;803076]id reccomend no arching of the back =) actually try to suck your gut in to keep your lower back neutral so your using your chest and nothign else. QUOTE]

really depends on your goal...

if u lift for strength/power, the bench is more of a lat and triceps dominant movement. if you're a bodybuilder, your point is well taken.

[quigley]

saftey was more the primary concern. a powerlifter probably has a very strong lower back from all the squats and dead lifts, so its ok for them like u said. The average gym goer will not have this super strong lower back, in fact probably 80% have slight lordosis (pelvic tilt putting strain on the lower back) Arching the back on the bench press not only, like u said, transferING the agonist from chest to lats and tri's, but it also puts alot of stress on a not to strong lower back =/ So just like keeping your shoulders back and down on most excercises, i also advise most my clients to keep core tight during all excercises to limit this curvature of the lower back which is so common

[tunnelrat]

yes...

the posterior chain on 90% of lifters IS relatively weak; at least the ones that go to my gym. i get plenty of weird looks for the rdls, ghrs, gms, and pull-throughs i do.

[CDONDICI]

It will take a couple sessions to get used to the new form, but in a couple weeks, if you are doing it correctly your bench numbers will go up significantly.