Benchpress- how low do you go?

[Jinithith]

Hey guys,
tried a search on this forum but didn't turn up much
How low do you guys go for bench presses?
I tried touching chest but I get front shoulder pains. Should I work on it/ increase flexibility/ go lighter???
Normally I just do an inch or two above chest.

any help and input is appreciated
thanks!

[Bluegreyhound]

I touch the chest but have no such shoulder pains. Perhaps there is a form issue?

[Jinithith]

I was wondering that so I've been asking around a few gyms and multiple trainers have said multiple things but overall they don't see a problem in my elbow angle to the torso and how linearly im lifting etc.
as for the lowness some have said touch the chest some have said elbows parallel to floor
ahhhhh confusionnnnnn

[Bluegreyhound]

Are you pulling the bar down towards the chest? As funny as it may sound, I find that actively pull the bar down helps with control at the bottom.

[Jinithith]

interesting. I've never really thought about actively pulling down on the bar
I will give that a try tomorrow on my A workout

[Leot]

Take a video of yourself, but you definately want to tag the chest around the nipples. Mehdi has a few suggestions to avoid pain in his "how to bench press" article.

[lovestolift]

I'm surprised no one asked, but are you benching with your arms at a 45 degree angle? If you aren't, you'd better start. From the sounds of it you are benching with arms at 90 degrees which compacts the shoulder, jamming the tip of the humerus (upper arm bone) into the acromion process (tip of the scapula). This can lead to shoulder impingement, where tendons and ligaments get pinched between the bones. It manifests itself as front shoulder pain. Start using a 45 degree angle, and touch the chest just below the nipples. You'll also want to squeeze the back together before you lift, and hold it that way.

[maroon]

Also regarding how low, I believe the bar should touch your chest (but NOT rest/bounce). I think about it as the bar should touch my tshirt, but nothing more.

Stop dead for a brief moment here and then press up. Most important is just that you go deep enough and that you don't "bounce" it off the chest. I had a lot of issues with getting my bench form right, it solved itself when I had done shoulder dislocations for a good while, and could pinch my shoulder blades properly on the bench.

Tighten your glutes, dig your pinched shoulder blades into the bench and press with the bar "kissing" your t-shirt. Be careful not to push your neck/back of head into bench. The pinched shoulders should be the main pressure point on the bench. If you let your shoulder blades slip, lose tension in core/glutes or press your neck into bench you could risk injury.

So.
- Shoulder blades pinched together, the force should be lead to this point on the bench
- Depth: "Touch" bar on chest. Do not rest it there. Around nipple area sounds about right
- Core + glutes tight during whole lift. Glutes on bench.
- Feet stable on floor, push from heels.

Hope this helps a bit.

[Bluegreyhound]

I'm surprised no one asked, but are you benching with your arms at a 45 degree angle? If you aren't, you'd better start. From the sounds of it you are benching with arms at 90 degrees which compacts the shoulder, jamming the tip of the humerus (upper arm bone) into the acromion process (tip of the scapula). This can lead to shoulder impingement, where tendons and ligaments get pinched between the bones. It manifests itself as front shoulder pain. Start using a 45 degree angle, and touch the chest just below the nipples. You'll also want to squeeze the back together before you lift, and hold it that way.

Well, I though he got some people to check his elbow and lifting angle.

[lovestolift]

Well, I though he got some people to check his elbow and lifting angle.

I guess he did, but "trainers" don't necessarily know shit about what they are doing, they are often hired for how they appear. If they look big, then they must know what they are doing, right? Not necessarily. I've seen the trainer at my old gym telling a guy to shove his arms out to 90 degrees so that it "hits the chest more." I then saw the same guy rubbing his shoulder in pain after finishing his benching.

[atypical1]

Take a video of yourself, but you definately want to tag the chest around the nipples. Mehdi has a few suggestions to avoid pain in his "how to bench press" article.

That's not correct. You'll hurt yourself by going to your nipples.

Watch this. Practice. Then watch it again.

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

james

[Portillo]

I lower the bar until it just touches my chest and i usually go down to my lower pec area, or just under the nipple area.

[Jinithith]

i definitely don't hold my arms at 90 degrees to my torso, thats just asking for my front shoulders to rip in half

and interestingly... I touched my chest today on all 25 of the 5x5 with no pain or problems... friday is my next A session so I will see how that goes

[DaveT]

Bar should touch lightly at the xiphoid.


Also, make sure, as per the Dave Tate video, that you're pushing up in a straight line. Initially, this may feel as though you're pushing down and away from your head.
The best way I found of getting used to where my arms should be at the top of each rep was to practice standing up. If your arms are extended in front of you, then your hands should be slightly lower than your shoulders. If your arms start going above parallel then you're pushing towards your head and therefore when you bench, the bar will travel like this / rather than this I.

[ricepower]

Bar should touch lightly at the xiphoid.

Also, make sure, as per the Dave Tate video, that you're pushing up in a straight line. Initially, this may feel as though you're pushing down and away from your head.
The best way I found of getting used to where my arms should be at the top of each rep was to practice standing up. If your arms are extended in front of you, then your hands should be slightly lower than your shoulders. If your arms start going above parallel then you're pushing towards your head and therefore when you bench, the bar will travel like this / rather than this I.

Bench press form is a little confusing here. If you really were to push the bar up in a completely vertical line then your arms would be at an angle pointing forwards at full extension. I think its best to concentrate on keeping elbows under the bar and forearms vertical.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.