Bench press technique

[JTS22]

Hello all, I’m trying to figure if what I’m adding to my technique is correct.

When doing bench and lowering bar, my elbows flare out to about 60+ degrees. Prior, I suppose I would just push the bar straight up.

Now though, it feels like I lead the elbows as in the first thing I do is bring my elbows in and tight - say from 60+ degrees to 45 and feel my chest contracting. Then I drive and the bar travels from lower chest to upper chest (if one were looking from overhead view)

I feel this significantly more in my chest and feel so much safer at the expense of my strength going down by a few pounds/few reps.

My question is does this *sound* like I’m doing this correctly or am I perhaps isolating/ over emphasizing a particular detail?

 

[rodefeeh]

It sounds like you are on the right track. There are tons of proper bench technique videos on youtube. Here are the things I think about when benching:

- Retract shoulder blades pinching them in the back
- Slight arch in my back
- Suicide grip (open grip)
- Elbows at 45 degrees
- Lower bar to bottom on sternum
- Push bar up with slight arc back over my chest

It took a while to get used to but feels much safer on the shoulders. Happy benching!

 

[JTS22]

It sounds like you are on the right track. There are tons of proper bench technique videos on youtube. Here are the things I think about when benching:

- Retract shoulder blades pinching them in the back
- Slight arch in my back
- Suicide grip (open grip)
- Elbows at 45 degrees
- Lower bar to bottom on sternum
- Push bar up with slight arc back over my chest

It took a while to get used to but feels much safer on the shoulders. Happy benching!

Thank you- just trying to verify.

I enjoyed j Johnnie shrieves pointers- shoulders away from your ears. Helped hit my chest and protect my shoulders

 

[PolishHamm3r77]

Hello all, I’m trying to figure if what I’m adding to my technique is correct.

When doing bench and lowering bar, my elbows flare out to about 60+ degrees. Prior, I suppose I would just push the bar straight up.

Now though, it feels like I lead the elbows as in the first thing I do is bring my elbows in and tight - say from 60+ degrees to 45 and feel my chest contracting. Then I drive and the bar travels from lower chest to upper chest (if one were looking from overhead view)

I feel this significantly more in my chest and feel so much safer at the expense of my strength going down by a few pounds/few reps.

My question is does this *sound* like I’m doing this correctly or am I perhaps isolating/ over emphasizing a particular detail?

Walk up to a wall and place palms on wall, lean into wall and do a “push up”. That’s the angle of elbows etc. and the retracted scapula and arc etc