Bench Correctly

[king1033]

ok so whenever i bench its like a pure shoulder exercise even when i pre exhaust the shoulder prior, wtf!! i can i bring out my chest and get some big ****ing pecs!! lay em out

 

[futurepilot]

BB bench doesnt really work for me either, DB I've found are the best.

I like this form alot, it really hits my pecs, if this pic doesnt make sense i've got a good video that illustrates the form.

 

[pmiller383]

First off if you pre exhaust your shoulders, you are going to involve them more in the movement because the motor neurons in your shoulder region are going to be sufficiently warmed up and will start firing first. Try these steps and see if it helps your form:

1. Set your feet
2. If you arch set up your arch
3. Retract your shoulder blades until they are tight on the bench
4. Grip the bar, the wider you grip the more chest you will involve
5. Pull the bar out, don't press it out.
6. Let the bar settle over you and sink your shoulder blades deeper
7. Squeeze the bar hard throughout the entire movement and try to tear it apart
8. Press to your upper abs/lower chest and begin to tuck your elbows as you come down.
9. Keep your forearms and wrist perpendicular to the floor
10. Press up making sure to keep everything tight

You can try putting a piece of foam on your chest or a rolled up piece of carpet which will take a lot of stress off of your shoulders. If you are going solely for hypertrophy and don't need a bigger bench, use dumbbell's.

 

[zay1967]

I am with Futurepilot on this one, seems when I bb bench, whether flat or incline, my shoulders hurt more than my chest. But when I do db, I get a more isolated workout that hits my chest more. I can do 110 db for eight and 315 BB for 3. On incline bb I try to keep the bar close to my chin. I am going to try your tip Pmiller383. Not sure how the carpet or foam helps, but I will try anything once (almost...lol). I will post my results after my next chest day. Off topic..... my lower back bothers me, can great (or even semi great) legs be achieved without squats?

 

[lennoxchi]

pmiller gave some good advise. a couple of the things i started doing about 6 months ago was, keeping the shoulder blades together, really concentrating on where my shoulders are for the entire lift, then should not become extended, that should not leave the bench and come forward. stand a little more than arms length away from a wall or door, you see how your shoulders and blades become extended towards the door? yea, you don't want that to happen. now with the same stance, step forward a bit. see how the shoulders and blades get driven back? that IS what you want. also try and imagine, from your midsection all the way to your feet, is just one piece, meaning it's always stationary, it does not move. drive your back towards the bench, all of your back, my lower back always had a wanting to come off.

 

[Saurabh]

I am with Futurepilot on this one, seems when I bb bench, whether flat or incline, my shoulders hurt more than my chest. But when I do db, I get a more isolated workout that hits my chest more.

Second that. Us DB instead of BB. The only drawback with DB is if you are working with heavier 'bells its often a bit of work just to get it in place, may take out a rep or two. On the other hand to lift it off the rack and walking to the bench means you end up doing a farmer's walk with emphasis on legs, traps and forearms so all's good I suppose.

Off topic..... my lower back bothers me, can great (or even semi great) legs be achieved without squats?

Yes.

My legs went from 23 inches to 27 inches, and no I am not making it up for a message board, using just one leg exercise -front squats. It is a squat of course but it takes lower back completely out of the equation. Squats used to bother me, front squats doesnt.

I would also advise to break leg routine on two days. Day 1(say Monday) go for Front Squats, Leg Press, Leg extension etc for front thighs. Day 2(say Friday) go for hamstring curls, stiff legged deadlifts, Abduction, adduction exercise to work your glutes and hams.

 

[zay1967]

Thanks saurabh, I like that idea. That is sort of how I work my chest; I do flats on one day, and inclines on another day.

 

[Usf97j4x4]

As for the bench, i like the points noted above. The key is keeping those shoulders back


...man I quit doing SLDLs, I find good mornings work em much better.

 

[Saurabh]

As for the bench, i like the points noted above. The key is keeping those shoulders back
...man I quit doing SLDLs, I find good mornings work em much better.

Dont quit it man, dont quit it. Lower the weight I say.

My legs were my weakest area, specially hated my buns. Would cringe everytime I would hear how women got turned on by shapely buns(just being honest here). Then decided working smartly and voila out they come.

They key to SLDL is to have 1) well warmed back. Make sure you do 2 sets of 15 or so Back extension before you move on to SLDL. 2) Use slabs of 25 lbs(and not 45 pound blocks) for maximum stretch and dont go all the way vertical. Go to about 90%. This will keep the stress on your bum and hams. The vertical you go the more you involve your back. Start with low weight and high reps.

You will love the result my friend.

Thanks saurabh, I like that idea. That is sort of how I work my chest; I do flats on one day, and inclines on another day.

Good idea mate. Just make sure you have some time between the two days and you are not working out ancillary muscles like shoulders and triceps in between. Else they will get fatiqued.

 

[pmiller383]

As for the bench, i like the points noted above. The key is keeping those shoulders back


...man I quit doing SLDLs, I find good mornings work em much better.

:good:<-- Love Good Mornings, one of the best exercises IMO.

 

[zay1967]

Hey guys I found this routine that I want to share with all of you. Here is the link, I am going to start it this week. I will post results
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance_bodybuilding_supplements/big_bad_bench

 

[king1033]

:good:<-- Love Good Mornings, one of the best exercises IMO.

agreed one of my favorite exercises

 

[SynergyCSCS]

Solid advice that will surely get you growing! The only thing I would add to this is a sharp intake of breath at the top before the descent. This will inflate your chest and cause you to avoid anteriorly rotating your shoulders when you become fatigued. Exhale at the top of the movement before taking your next breath.

First off if you pre exhaust your shoulders, you are going to involve them more in the movement because the motor neurons in your shoulder region are going to be sufficiently warmed up and will start firing first. Try these steps and see if it helps your form:

1. Set your feet
2. If you arch set up your arch
3. Retract your shoulder blades until they are tight on the bench
4. Grip the bar, the wider you grip the more chest you will involve
5. Pull the bar out, don't press it out.
6. Let the bar settle over you and sink your shoulder blades deeper
7. Squeeze the bar hard throughout the entire movement and try to tear it apart
8. Press to your upper abs/lower chest and begin to tuck your elbows as you come down.
9. Keep your forearms and wrist perpendicular to the floor
10. Press up making sure to keep everything tight

You can try putting a piece of foam on your chest or a rolled up piece of carpet which will take a lot of stress off of your shoulders. If you are going solely for hypertrophy and don't need a bigger bench, use dumbbell's.

 

[datBtrue]

Solid advice that will surely get you growing!

Really? Seemed like generic advice and won't do much to save King's shoulders and build his chest.

I liked futurepilot's picture though...that is helpful. :thumbsup:

King, the answer to your problem is here: http://anabolicminds.com/forum/exercise-science/103142-partial-variable-roms.html

 

[SynergyCSCS]

Out of curiosity, why modify his training style to something more complex and risky when he hasn't even mastered the basic form of a bench press.

Motor recruitment is fundamental. Use the chest, exhaust the chest, build muscle during your repair phase. Pick whatever method you would like.

Really? Seemed like generic advice and won't do much to save King's shoulders and build his chest.

I liked futurepilot's picture though...that is helpful. :thumbsup:

King, the answer to your problem is here: http://anabolicminds.com/forum/exercise-science/103142-partial-variable-roms.html

 

[hardknock]

I was going ask the OP about his angle on his elbows to chest level, but pmiller did a solid post.

Either way, if your arms are str8 out (90%) then your putting a heck of a lot of stress on your shoulders. I tend to keep my arms near 45deg and have seen NOTHING short of great results

 

[datBtrue]

...when he hasn't even mastered the basic form of a bench press.

What? Are you kidding me bro? Why just the other day I saw King driving his 1973 AMC Gremlin to the gym... with the bumper sticker that reads What would Joe Weider do?

The man is textbook technique. Thats why his shoulder's are so messed up.

Motor recruitment is fundamental. Use the chest, exhaust the chest, build muscle during your repair phase. Pick whatever method you would like.

No don't do that. Pick the method that puts the most force & load directly on the chest not the shoulders.

 

[SynergyCSCS]

Oh I get it. Sarcasm. Nice.

Riddle me this. If bench press is so horrible for your shoulders... why is it used by every major professional sports organization to boost upper body strength, mass, and power?

If it didn't work.. it wouldn't exist.

Now.. to clarify, I agree with you 100%. I'm not saying that bench press is the god of all chest exercises, but it certainly allows for an extremely heavy load to be placed upon the upper body.

Thousands of exercise scientists and professional athletes can't be wrong. New isn't always better.

What? Are you kidding me bro? Why just the other day I saw King driving his 1973 AMC Gremlin to the gym... with the bumper sticker that reads What would Joe Weider do? View attachment 23136

The man is textbook technique. Thats why his shoulder's are so messed up. View attachment 23135



No don't do that. Pick the method that puts the most force & load directly on the chest not the shoulders.

 

[king1033]

Really? Seemed like generic advice and won't do much to save King's shoulders and build his chest.

I liked futurepilot's picture though...that is helpful. :thumbsup:

King, the answer to your problem is here: http://anabolicminds.com/forum/exercise-science/103142-partial-variable-roms.html

thank you kind sir

 

[datBtrue]

Riddle me this. If bench press is so horrible for your shoulders... why is it used by every major professional sports organization to boost upper body strength, mass, and power?

I don't accept your statement as phrased as absolute fact.

Also understanding the concepts of constant muscular tension, ranges of motion, duration, load & power and applying them to presses that involve the chest is not the same thing as stating "don't do bench presses...they are horrible."

Do them...but do them properly.

If it didn't work.. it wouldn't exist.

Oh no you DIDN'T! Bro please tell me you didn't just lay out your strongest argument right there...

Now.. to clarify, I agree with you 100%. I'm not saying that bench press is the god of all chest exercises, but it certainly allows for an extremely heavy load to be placed upon the upper body.

Thousands of exercise scientists and professional athletes can't be wrong. New isn't always better.

Actually if you went to the thread I posted I do provide scientific studies that demonstrate that more power & load are generated with partial ROMs then full and that there is carryover in strength gains into the unworked ROMs.

SoCal even posted a full article on shoulder stress and hand placement for the bench press wherein, among other things it recommends that the bar not go all the way down to the chest.

 

[SynergyCSCS]

I'd much prefer to respond to the post you left on your ROM thread. I'm gonna let this one die.

 

[ABNRanger]

I don't accept your statement as phrased as absolute fact.

Also understanding the concepts of constant muscular tension, ranges of motion, duration, load & power and applying them to presses that involve the chest is not the same thing as stating "don't do bench presses...they are horrible."

Do them...but do them properly.



Oh no you DIDN'T! Bro please tell me you didn't just lay out your strongest argument right there...





Actually if you went to the thread I posted I do provide scientific studies that demonstrate that more power & load are generated with partial ROMs then full and that there is carryover in strength gains into the unworked ROMs.

SoCal even posted a full article on shoulder stress and hand placement for the bench press wherein, among other things it recommends that the bar not go all the way down to the chest.

Which SoCalare are you referring to. I tried looking up the post by username, but there are so many usernames with SoCal. I just want to read the article on the shoulder press. Thanks.

 

[datBtrue]

Which SoCalare are you referring to. I tried looking up the post by username, but there are so many usernames with SoCal. I just want to read the article on the shoulder press. Thanks.

oops should have been SoCo4Fun.

The post is #10 in the following thread: http://anabolicminds.com/forum/exercise-science/103142-partial-variable-roms.html