posted Fri, 08/23/2019 - 15:37
3649
Touch your chest or not?
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Hey All,
I am hoping to settle a dispute. I have a buddy that swears that proper for on a bench is to not touch the bar to your chest. I however, have had full range of motion drilled into my head for my entire life. Now I am not talking rest the bar on your chest think about the world's problems and then put it back up. I'm talking down and right back up. I understand where he is coming from, as if you just about touch say and inch above and back up would maintain more load on your muscle throughout the movement......... What are everyone's thoughts? Can't think of any better group to ask then here!
Thanks
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jayiskit depends on if you are trying to bench as an exercise or a movement. BB's do it more as an exercise with constant tension and usually stop short of chest and full lockout.
PL's do it as a movement and touch chest and lockout.
Stopping short as in the Spoto Press will help to increase your strength. But if you are going for a max bench i would touch and go to lift more weight.
Also dont know how you set up to do the bench press. PL get their bodies very tight, use leg drive, tuck shoulder blades together, utilize their back and tri's and tuck their elbows.
You never want to bench completely flat backed with your elbows strength out to the sides and they go to far down when the weight comes down. Easy way to injury your shoulder or tear a pec.
if you are not familiar with any of this check out videos on youtube on how to set up for the bench press for BB and PL.
Lol jay nailed it.
Now in bodybuilding the point is hypertrophy by any means necessary. If that means half repping gets you the results you need then that’s what you do. I personally go down close to touching but I stop when I see my elbows hit 90 degrees (maybe a touch further but that’s it) because I’m paranoid about tearing my chest. Then on the drive up I only go up maybe 50-75% then back down to minimize triceps involvement and maximize pectoral stress.
yep^^ spot on
I'm a fan of gently touching the chest, but not letting the bar rest on it or get a bounce off it! Good technique is important for maximum results!
I think in competition the bar has to touch your chest.
But proper depends on what your going for as far chest development is concerned, personally I don't let the bar touch my chest
Like you said not letting the bar touch maintains more load on your chest, My personal opinion is if you need to bounce the bar off your chest your not really lifting the weight. Now a simple down and up no pause and no bounce while still touching your chest is I think the proper form at competitions that maybe your technical answer.