Partial Rep Bench Press - what's the problem again?
- Thread starter BrooklynBB
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ravenheart
New member
i do partial reps once every 4 weeks to mix it up, just make sure its partial from the chest upwards and taking triceps out of the movement, not lowering it 5 inches from the starting point like an ego driven newbie. im not a bodybuilder per se but i still have good strength gains from doing it this way.
VolcomX311
Legend
It's like running to the 50 yard line and declaring a touch down.
On a serious note, partial bench reps are full triceps workouts and partial chest workouts. You remove the most pecs stimulating portion of the lift (the bottom half of the lift) with a half rep. I only advocate partial reps if you have some sort of ROM issue with your shoulders or if you're intentionally training a sticking point.
On a serious note, partial bench reps are full triceps workouts and partial chest workouts. You remove the most pecs stimulating portion of the lift (the bottom half of the lift) with a half rep. I only advocate partial reps if you have some sort of ROM issue with your shoulders or if you're intentionally training a sticking point.
Chubbinmuffin
Active member
Uh oh, time warp.
I throw in some partials if I'm repped out on full ROM.
I throw in some partials if I'm repped out on full ROM.
rckvl7
Member
I didn't feel like reading all the responses but partial reps can be great, but let me clarify. First, if you want to do partial reps you should do them by doing board presses or pin presses. This way the ROM on each rep is consistent. Second, I would not do only partial reps, I would cycle them with full range of motion movements, or do them after doing full range of motion sets.
That is all :booty:
That is all :booty:
DreamWeaver
Legend
Exactly I know some do partials with extra weight to get more tricep work and lower range partials for the chest. Doing upper range for chest is like pissing into the wind, almost all the chest work is in the bottom of the lift. I never use them cuz if I want to work my triceps with a bar I use close grip. Again vitually no chest work at the top of the lift...
Jstrong20
Well-known member
I actually do the opposite for my chest. I come down and touch my chest but don't lockout so I keep then tension of the triceps. I can feel the diffrence. Triceps are responsible for the lockout. When I used to train westside style I would do lots of lockouts, board presses, bands to purposley hit the triceps. One partial movement I did actually notice recruited the chest was floor presses but then again for me a floor presss brings the bar within a couple inches of my chest. Id say if your happy with your pec development keep doing it that way. If you want to try something diffrent try doing just the bottom half and see how it feels.
Jstrong20
Well-known member
LOL if I would of seen this post I wouldn't of botherd typing out mine. ha I feel exactley the same way.
brownstown89
Well-known member
the problem is people dont realize thats what there doing and consider it a full rep. and partials do little i believe other than help you eventually handle a heavier weight to better ur ORM thats why its used by powerlifters
DreamWeaver
Legend
Exactly!! and that's why when I see someone doing it I ask why. If they tell me their purpose and it makes sense then carry on.
brownstown89
Well-known member
exactly and say ur doing 315 with partials for 5 reps.. i gurantee you your not going down the exact same distance every rep.. use a damn board then you will be doing it correctly. you cant just estimate where the board would be and do partials that way
kingk0ng
Active member
You should always let your body go through it's full ROM or else you're going to lack in stabilizer maturity, hormonal response and muscle symmetry.
When you perform a specific movement in a specific way, it is essential you do so properly. "Motor pattern" is the process in which the peripheral nervous system sends impulses towards the CNS (through the spine) to change the plane of movement accordingly to the way it is accustomed to. This means that performing movements correctly will have functional carryover in other movements and everyday activities.
If you perform a movement only partially, you are stressing your joints and teaching your body to move incorrectly; it is not the way to avoid a plateau or balance muscles; it is a way to promote imbalance and effect motor pattern.
Your body needs to work through its full and natural ROM.
When you perform a specific movement in a specific way, it is essential you do so properly. "Motor pattern" is the process in which the peripheral nervous system sends impulses towards the CNS (through the spine) to change the plane of movement accordingly to the way it is accustomed to. This means that performing movements correctly will have functional carryover in other movements and everyday activities.
If you perform a movement only partially, you are stressing your joints and teaching your body to move incorrectly; it is not the way to avoid a plateau or balance muscles; it is a way to promote imbalance and effect motor pattern.
Your body needs to work through its full and natural ROM.
Pinky355
Guest
Prefer negatives myself when trying to break barriers. Even on the deadlift you can lift off from a rack and only do the lowering range of motion. Atleast your still working a full range of motion while getting used to a heavier weight. All my max weights have improved from this.
viralencore84
New member
I've been doing bench press partials for about 4 years now. I lift the bar 2 1/4 inches from my chest upward. With that said when I start strength training again, I find I bench 180 about 4 or 5 times max with full range. But with partials I start out at 200 and when I reach 250 I can do 200 to the chest. And when I reach 270 I can do 225 to the chest about 2 or three times. This all takes about 2 months to do, but works for me. In 2008 I was benching 315 about 3 or 4 reps at a time full range. What I'm saying is use partials to get started and then switch to full range. But they do work.
brownstown89
Well-known member
use boards if u wanna do partials i say... otherwise u have no idea how far down ur goin etc..
rambo679
Member
The problem with partial rep benching is that not all partials are created equal. I personally dont like doing partials but it makes little difference, I'm sure, to lower the bar to an inch - inch and a half above the chest and most people who denigrate partial rep benching aren't referring to that specifically. However, there is something wrong about the type who load up the bar and barely lower the bar below the pegs on the bench. There are two guys at the gym I go to who do this with massive amounts of weight, and heavy spotting and despite being lard-ass and mr puniverse respectively, they walk around after each set like they just kicked Brock Lesnar's ass. It's those types who ruin the reputation of partial reps for everyone else.
Also, sorry about the run on sentences.
Also, sorry about the run on sentences.
CJPopovich
Active member
Didn't read the thread.
1: Zatsiorsky and old russian olympic training manuals say that a greater training effect is had when a larger range of motion is utilized. Good luck getting through science and practice of strength and conditioning, lol.
2: Partial range of motion is useful to train different aspects of the lifts. For example, powerlifters use board work on the bench to overload the triceps and/or practice the lockout. This does NOT substitute for full range bench though.
3: The guys that say partials let them lift more weight... well.... sort of. The way to really test that is to perform a competition bench, then train with partials for however long you want, then re-test with the gold standard; the full range lift. You may find that in some cases, with some anatomy, the full range lift went up. There is your answer. More often then not though, and especially for beginners, full range will be the way to go.
1: Zatsiorsky and old russian olympic training manuals say that a greater training effect is had when a larger range of motion is utilized. Good luck getting through science and practice of strength and conditioning, lol.
2: Partial range of motion is useful to train different aspects of the lifts. For example, powerlifters use board work on the bench to overload the triceps and/or practice the lockout. This does NOT substitute for full range bench though.
3: The guys that say partials let them lift more weight... well.... sort of. The way to really test that is to perform a competition bench, then train with partials for however long you want, then re-test with the gold standard; the full range lift. You may find that in some cases, with some anatomy, the full range lift went up. There is your answer. More often then not though, and especially for beginners, full range will be the way to go.