Bench - arch and tightness
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liljohn24/06/15 @ 22:38
liljohn25/06/15 @ 09:26
matthewvc said:
yeah you don't look tight plus looks like the bar is always behind your elbows a tiny bit. so not opening/flaring the elbows after halfway (looks like its almost 'falling' back into the rack - in competition you'll need to hold for a short time at full extension until the head judge gives you a rack command - so work on that too)
as said don't worry about getting a big arch at this point - just plant the feet, push and squeeze glutes,
squeeze scapula down and together, get lats tight as possible.
something you would benefit from is a handoff too - your shoulders look pulled forward after you've unracked.
yeah you don't look tight plus looks like the bar is always behind your elbows a tiny bit. so not opening/flaring the elbows after halfway (looks like its almost 'falling' back into the rack - in competition you'll need to hold for a short time at full extension until the head judge gives you a rack command - so work on that too)
as said don't worry about getting a big arch at this point - just plant the feet, push and squeeze glutes,
squeeze scapula down and together, get lats tight as possible.
something you would benefit from is a handoff too - your shoulders look pulled forward after you've unracked.
Thanks for that Matthew
Issue with hand off is I usually train alone when benching as often make that gym early mornings
Personally I think your bench set-up is too close to the wall so when you set yourself on the bench; you're not able to get yourself far enough under the bar to minimise the shoulder movement when un-racking the bar!
Are you able to pull the bench away from the wall at all?!
Also you need to try and focus on pulling the shoulder blades together just as you're about to un-rack the bar; this way they'll stay together and tight throughout the lift. Do this by visualising that you're pulling the bar apart between your hands / or bending the bar etc
You also could do you pull your elbows in a lot more on the downward line of the press and keep them in tight on the press; they clearly flare out when you press back up
Do you do enough back work (ie. to strengthen the lats)? If not do this and more and get that back built up (reverse grip, wide lat pull-downs, heavy dumbbell rows, heavy low pulley rows, chins, supinated rows and get some rear delt work ion there too)!
You'll see all these on Youtube if you're unsure of what exercise they are specifically
Are you able to pull the bench away from the wall at all?!
Also you need to try and focus on pulling the shoulder blades together just as you're about to un-rack the bar; this way they'll stay together and tight throughout the lift. Do this by visualising that you're pulling the bar apart between your hands / or bending the bar etc
You also could do you pull your elbows in a lot more on the downward line of the press and keep them in tight on the press; they clearly flare out when you press back up
Do you do enough back work (ie. to strengthen the lats)? If not do this and more and get that back built up (reverse grip, wide lat pull-downs, heavy dumbbell rows, heavy low pulley rows, chins, supinated rows and get some rear delt work ion there too)!
You'll see all these on Youtube if you're unsure of what exercise they are specifically
liljohn25/06/15 @ 18:01
i could pull the bench away but then i better not miss a lift with no spotter bars haha
why would it make a difference? don't think i quite follow you?
and i will add more back work in as im sure more wont hurt
why would it make a difference? don't think i quite follow you?
and i will add more back work in as im sure more wont hurt
As the bench is so close to the wall; you can't pull yourself through and under the bar to get yourself set properly IMO
Also it stops you form being under the bar more as it's fairly behind you when you go to un-rack it; it'd be better if the bar was as close to being above your shoulders as possible so it makes for an easier un-rack!
Have a watch of Mark Bell's vids:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgCX4Sm5Gm0
Also it stops you form being under the bar more as it's fairly behind you when you go to un-rack it; it'd be better if the bar was as close to being above your shoulders as possible so it makes for an easier un-rack!
Have a watch of Mark Bell's vids:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgCX4Sm5Gm0
I may well be alone on this view - I often am :-)
But I encourage lads to just f**king bench and that's it !!
What I mean by this is - don't arch - don't f**k about with tucking shoulders and elbows and pushing through
Your legs and all that crap .. Just lie down and press ..
Your best is 95kg ? Worry about all that bollox when your pressing 160kg in a few years .. Just get strong as f**k first .
But I encourage lads to just f**king bench and that's it !!
What I mean by this is - don't arch - don't f**k about with tucking shoulders and elbows and pushing through
Your legs and all that crap .. Just lie down and press ..
Your best is 95kg ? Worry about all that bollox when your pressing 160kg in a few years .. Just get strong as f**k first .
Post Edited: 26.06.2015 @ 11:26 AM by AaronJ
MarkClegg said:I may well be alone on this view - I often am :-)
But I encourage lads to just f**king bench and that's it !!
What I mean by this is - don't arch - don't f**k about with tucking shoulders and elbows and pushing through
Your legs and all that crap .. Just lie down and press ..
Your best is 95kg ? Worry about all that bollox when your pressing 160kg in a few years .. Just get strong as f**k first .
But I encourage lads to just f**king bench and that's it !!
What I mean by this is - don't arch - don't f**k about with tucking shoulders and elbows and pushing through
Your legs and all that crap .. Just lie down and press ..
Your best is 95kg ? Worry about all that bollox when your pressing 160kg in a few years .. Just get strong as f**k first .
This. I'm nowhere near good at benching, but AMHs advice in my thread was spot on.
I've gone from an all time max of 120kg which I was stuck on for months, to benching 10 easy singles with 120 in my last session including some easy paused ones, in about six weeks.
Just bench lots.
MarkClegg said:I may well be alone on this view - I often am :-)
But I encourage lads to just f**king bench and that's it !!
What I mean by this is - don't arch - don't f**k about with tucking shoulders and elbows and pushing through
Your legs and all that crap .. Just lie down and press ..
Your best is 95kg ? Worry about all that bollox when your pressing 160kg in a few years .. Just get strong as f**k first .
But I encourage lads to just f**king bench and that's it !!
What I mean by this is - don't arch - don't f**k about with tucking shoulders and elbows and pushing through
Your legs and all that crap .. Just lie down and press ..
Your best is 95kg ? Worry about all that bollox when your pressing 160kg in a few years .. Just get strong as f**k first .
Getting the technique right first is more important! Would you say the same for squat and deadlift??!!
hifilover said:As the bench is so close to the wall; you can't pull yourself through and under the bar to get yourself set properly IMO
Also it stops you form being under the bar more as it's fairly behind you when you go to un-rack it; it'd be better if the bar was as close to being above your shoulders as possible so it makes for an easier un-rack!
Have a watch of Mark Bell's vids:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgCX4Sm5Gm0
Also it stops you form being under the bar more as it's fairly behind you when you go to un-rack it; it'd be better if the bar was as close to being above your shoulders as possible so it makes for an easier un-rack!
Have a watch of Mark Bell's vids:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgCX4Sm5Gm0
Mark Bell although great is far from the best to look at for setup on bench for a drugfree fed lifter...
walker said:
Getting the technique right first is more important! Would you say the same for squat and deadlift??!!
Getting the technique right first is more important! Would you say the same for squat and deadlift??!!
I agree, just telling someone to bench is poor advice, if they have a crap technique it requires twice as much work to correct later and if you set up poorly to a bench you are asking for injury.
liljohn26/06/15 @ 21:50