Proper Bench Form

[Flathead]

THE ARCH- A good back arch is essential to many lifters. The key is to move your butt as close to your shoulders as possible without bringing either off of the bench (feet planted). You want most of the arch to come in your upper back not your lower back. This will do three things for you. First, it will transfer the weight from your delts to the lower pecs. This reduces the risk of injuring your shoulders. NOTE: If you are putting too much strain on your lower back, don't do it. You will also notice that if you have a good arch you will be bringing the bar down just below your pecs. This makes the bench more like a decline bench where most people have more power. Finally, you'll be reducing the distance that the bar will travel during your bench press.
THE SHOULDER TUCK- Many powerlifters do not realize how much energy is wasted by allowing the bar to travel further than they have to. Next time you get on the bench at the gym, notice how far the bar is traveling. Then get yourself set, pull your shoulders back as far as you can, and take the weight off the rack. Try to pull your shoulders back a little bit further and keep them back as you lower and press the weight. With this method, I have taken as much as 4 inches off of my bench while creating a solid base below my shoulders.
GRIP- I am a firm believer in trying new grips from time to time. The grip can change so many factors in your bench press. You do not want to change your grip just to close the gap, but sometimes a slightly wider grip is just what the doctor ordered to cheat an extra few pounds out of your bench. Do not assume that just because you lose power when your grip gets TOO wide that you can't try it in a bench shirt. If you find that you gain power toward the top of the lift with a wider grip, try it with your bench shirt on. The shirt will become tighter at the bottom due to the excess stretch from the wide grip. This will compensate for the weakness at the bottom. Then you will gain power as the bar travels upward. Finally, you have closed the gap a couple more inches.

[sprocket]

Great Post FH

[west]

Great tips bro, here's one of my favorite videos on bench form.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh3t6T-nqP0

[MDR]

Shoulder tuck was a big one for me. Still have to remind myself. Very helpful, though. Good article.

[Flathead]

Trying to rip the bar apart when pressing also helps with keeping your shoulders tucked.

[Scorpionking]

Good post Flathead.

[lastchance]

good post

[TankZ71]

No to many strength and bodybuilders do bench press any more. Its a shame cause it really develops your core muscles. It all about the core! You can do dumbell presses but without a strong core your wasting your time in my opinion.

[Flathead]

No to many strength and bodybuilders do bench press any more. Its a shame cause it really develops your core muscles. It all about the core! You can do dumbell presses but without a strong core your wasting your time in my opinion.


I don't know what life would be like without the BB Flat Bench?

[Insane_Rage]

great tips, ill have to try a few of them.

[BrotherIron]

I personally believe that benching is the least impressive lift out there. Now that being said, I do bench every week but due to shoulder issues I have to bench with a narrow grip (shoulder width).

[evan_test@250]

gunna have to try the shoulder tuck

[evan_test@250]

I personally believe that benching is the least impressive lift out there. Now that being said, I do bench every week but due to shoulder issues I have to bench with a narrow grip (shoulder width).

I agree with that as bench is not the most athletic lift and does not focus on a large muscle group

[Structure88]

Always lift with the shoulder tuck, saw it in one of my dads old west side barbell VHS tapes on bench pressing, and I totally agree with flathead i personally anticipate my flat bb bench press workouts, has been and still is my favorite lift

[northcountry]

all very important tips. good form = big weight and less injuries

[maul]

Great info, thanks FH!

[cmeliftheavy]

These methods listed by "flathead" are the foundation on a good bench. A few months back I started my power lifting journey where my technique was picked apart by coaches, no arch and just raw strength. Since then the techniques listed above by FH have been reinforced the one thing I would add would be to keep a 2 second pause at the bottom and explode on the press upward bound.

[pekinpitman]

Good info about arching your upper back as opposed to your lower back. i see guys getting twisted very bad when they have a huge arch and their butt comes off of the bench.

[jbax]

I don't know what life would be like without the BB Flat Bench?
hahaa I know what you mean! I <3 benchpress

[GrimR]

Never really had any issues with my bench, I got right shoulder pain in early days but paid more attention to how I was benching compared to my left side and no dramas ever since.

[Flex_on_her]

Great helpful post!!!

[juice man]

You learn something new every day..

[born]

Tuck those tris to your lats. Keep your elbows in front of the bar. You will prevent a shoulder surgery and your lifts will climb like no other.

[Sqwuidd]

Tuck those tris to your lats. Keep your elbows in front of the bar. You will prevent a shoulder surgery and your lifts will climb like no other.

I’m that guy

Who fuckin benched like a moron whilst younger and fucked the shoulder

Now — I just don’t B.B. bench
All dumbbells different grips and motions
It works well and doesn’t irritate my shoulder bc it’s a diff movement

I kinda just miss benching tho ya kno?
Lesson learned the hard way


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Alterspanic132]

great tips, ill have to try a few of them.

[mastermonster]

Good info about arching your upper back as opposed to your lower back. i see guys getting twisted very bad when they have a huge arch and their butt comes off of the bench.

If your butt comes the bench your feet are to wide. Try it sometime. Get in your setup. Pull your feet in narrow and try to lift your butt off the bench with your leg drive. It comes up easily. Now, widen your feet wide enough that when you drive your feet down hard your butt barely touches the pad but doesn't leave it. It essentially shortens your legs. Once you're used to it, you don't even have to think about keeping your butt down.

[mastermonster]

Tuck those tris to your lats. Keep your elbows in front of the bar. You will prevent a shoulder surgery and your lifts will climb like no other.

I used to tell my benchers to imagin they had a pencil squeezed (gripped) in their armpits between the triceps and lats. To try not to drop the pencil throughout the lift. I'd remind them of it until it was second nature.