Benchpress- how low do you go?

[dylanamus]

http://www.tmuscle.com/article/performance_training/shoulder_savers_part_i&cr=

Scroll down half way to point 7. Read it and examine the differences between the two videos. If the second video looks weird to you, there's your problem. By the way, this is an article written specifically on maintaining healthy shoulders while lifting weights. There's a wealth of information in it. Replace i with ii and iii in the link to get parts two and three.

[DaveT]

This means that the pushing motion is in a J-shape, but has the benefit of the lockout being vertical and a lot more stable.
Dave Tate has strongly advocated both types of lifting at different points.

Are you suggesting that you push up in an arc towards the rack?

[dylanamus]

That video by Dave Tate was very good too and easier to assimilate when in a lazy mood. The article I posted should definitely be in any lifters arsenal though.

[ricepower]

This means that the pushing motion is in a J-shape, but has the benefit of the lockout being vertical and a lot more stable.
Dave Tate has strongly advocated both types of lifting at different points.

Are you suggesting that you push up in an arc towards the rack?

That is what Dave Tate currently recommends as thoroughly dicussed in the "confused about bench press technique" thread.

http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_arti ... press_cure

[DaveT]

This means that the pushing motion is in a J-shape, but has the benefit of the lockout being vertical and a lot more stable. Dave Tate has strongly advocated both types of lifting at different points.

Are you suggesting that you push up in an arc towards the rack?

That is what Dave Tate currently recommends as thoroughly dicussed in the "confused about bench press technique" thread. http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_arti ... press_cure

Interesting. This is a vid from a year earlier, where his comments towards the end of the video make it pretty clear what he thinks about benching towards the rack/your face.

This is also in agreement with what Mehdi says on the 'how to bench press' page.

Common Errors. The following Bench Press errors are either inefficient or potentially dangerous. Avoid them at all costs. Pressing to Your Face. The shortest distance between 2 points is a straight line. Press in a straight line. Fix a point at the ceiling where you want the bar to go. Don’t look at the bar.

I agree with his thinking that your elbows and wrists should remain directly/vertically under the bar, which would mean at lockout, the bar should be directly above your shoulders, not your head (unless you're some freak of nature and your shoulders are up by your ears somewhere ). If you watch the vid within the T-nation article, there's a wonderful point at 6:50 where he says, "... so you're keeping the elbows under the bar the entire time." However, if you look closely at his lockout then you'll notice that because he has pushed the bar towards the rack his elbows are no longer under it, but rather in front of it.
I will concede that you may not push the bar completely vertically as it will move from above your xiphoid to above your shoulders, but I think people should aim for a position represented by the red line rather than aiming towards the rack and above your head.

I understand that I maybe discussing semantics here, and the difference is quite small, but the majority of gyms do not have the fancy roll cage that he has on that bench rack, and therefore I think it's important that anybody reading this who may be newer to lifting, doesn't get into the habit of pressing towards their head from a safety point of view. As Dave said, even with spotters, failure can happen pretty fast and it's better that the bar land on their chest than their teeth.

[atypical1]

I've taken to benching in the power rack now as I don't utilize a spotter in my lifts for the very reason that you just said Dave. I also think it's important to learn the technique as early as you can because you can muscle through the early lifts but it gets tough as the weight gets heavy. By that time you might have done some damage to your joints.

I watch this vid every day almost and always learn something new.

james

[guru]

Hi Dave,

This whole thing did get discussed earlier where Mehdi himself has said that Dave Tate seems to have changed his mind - and that we need to experiment a bit about this -
http://stronglifts.com/forum/post280192.html#p280192

[DaveT]

Hey Guru
I was aware of the other article. Just wanted to add my 2 cents, but you're right, I probably should've posted the above on the other thread.

[guru]

Hey Guru
I was aware of the other article. Just wanted to add my 2 cents, but you're right, I probably should've posted the above on the other thread.

Haha, I see you've mended it.