Benching to touch the chest

[maassive]

OK, so I've seen this come up a few times and it often ends in a bit of a shit-storm. Please note, however, that I mean to ask this question genuinely.

I understand that for a bench press to be correct, the bar must touch one's chest. What I want to know is must one always train like this, and is it anatomically harder for some people. Before you answer this, please consider the following points.

I don't want to compete in powerlifting (or bodybuilding) ever.

Secondly, I've noticed that a lot of lifters arch their back so that their chest is higher - I assume this makes it easier to complete a legal lift, as the bar doesn't need to move as far. In my reckoning, I think that I would normally bench to the depth that many powerlifters reach with an arched back. I bring the bar down to around 10mm off my chest with my back flat on the bench, feet on the floor.

Lastly, for me to reach my chest is not an issue with weight but rather restriction from the bench. Even if I am benching with only the bar, I find it extremely difficult to bring the bar to my chest because of restriction in my shoulder blades against the bench. I have long arms in comparison to my torso, and wonder if this could be a factor in this difficulty? In fact, without lying down at all and just holding a wooden bar I still find it hard to bring the bar to my chest across my nipple line simply because my arms are still far out from my chest when shoulders are fully back. This is easier if I bring the bar further down my body.

Please advise.

[steak]

The paused/touch bench press is a requirement in PL competition.

Good exercise form would suggest that full ROM is used. Nop point building a top end lift or half a chest.

PLis all about moving as much as you can in the shortest distance whilst sticking to the rules..hence the arch, raising the chest as the bar come down etc the arch also contributes to tightness in the legs helping build a solid foundation for a heavy lift.

I you have trouble getting a bench press to touch your chest I would imagine your tight and need to loosen up you upper back, delts etc..too much charm training been going on? (charm=chest and arms ) I see it all the time..the dudes got traps, arms and a chest developing but no lats delts or legs..front pocket syndrome I think its called. :nod: Fix this first then learn how to bench for your sport...do you want strength or to build a chest like a Wharehouse underwear model

Seriously though...you sound tight...get this fixed then you can sort your bench

[tinytraps]

Yup I agree with steak, would have to say tight around the pec/delt/upperback area. broomstick dislocations and some aggresive stretching of the mentioned areas will see you right.

Training full ROM is also imperitive to injury prevention. For example if you did all of your benching to say a fist off the chest then all of a sudden you try and hit your chest somethings gonna give.

Arching your chest and lowering the bar to a cm of your chest a two different things. One is full ROM(albeit a reduced rom) the other is partial. The way I see it the more I arch the more weight I can lift and the bigger Ill get as a result.

[maassive]

hmmm. Ok. I will try these and drop my bench weight to relearn a correct ROM. Thanks guys.

It's very likely that I have front pocket syndrome from years of training my mirror muscles with little time given to my back. Nowadays, I actually love training back more than anything but it'l take time to return the balance.

[lemon]

Ive recently just changed my form from benching about an inch off the chest, down to the chest and also using the powerlifting form with an arched back, shoulder blades together.

I have almost come back to where I was and it has taken about 2 and a half months. Though the start I was injured hence the decision to change (I keep injurying my shoulder) - The powerlifting form is safer on your shoulders.

It's also better for bragging rights when your weight is a full ROM and no half ass lift

[maassive]

anyone recommend a good site/article to learn how to arch back correctly?

[Phedder]

anyone recommend a good site/article to learn how to arch back correctly?

I haven't actually watched them all myself, something I must get around to doing the next few days, but this should be great for a start. Covers much more than arching too.

So You Think You Can Bench

[maassive]

anyone recommend a good site/article to learn how to arch back correctly?

I haven't actually watched them all myself, something I must get around to doing the next few days, but this should be great for a start. Covers much more than arching too.

So You Think You Can Bench

ah yes I've seen these guys before - watched their squat series. Cheers for the link

[maassive]

Cheers guys for the input on this.

I started doing band shoulder dislocations every couple of hours or so when you advised and last night for the first time I benched all my sets right down to chest and paused before pushing off again. I followed the arching technique on the EliteFTS links that someone posted. I have to say, benching properly is AWESOME! Feels good to hit my weight properly and know that I can legitimately bench what I say I can. + Bonus was that I didn't actually need to drop down in weight and still hit the same top end so that was good.

Thanks heaps all!

[Phedder]

With an arch your chest should be sitting higher than a flat back bench, so it's likely your not actually bringing the bar down any further distance wise, your chest has just risen up to fill the gap. Powerlifters are sneaky eh Glad you're enjoying it :nod:

[maassive]

With an arch your chest should be sitting higher than a flat back bench, so it's likely your not actually bringing the bar down any further distance wise, your chest has just risen up to fill the gap. Powerlifters are sneaky eh Glad you're enjoying it :nod:

LOL yeah, I think it was basically the same distance as before but now it's legal. However, touching the chest is a nice marker to know that you've brought it low enough as it can get easy to partials towards end of set. I also found it was easier to pause before pushing as well.