SL bench press form check

ZoeLifts
ZoeLifts Posts: 10,347 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Another form check on my bench press from this morning. Still building up weight, of course, but should I be going slower on this one as well?

https://www.dropbox.com/s/j4qv52lp2f2k9m7/DSCN3480.AVI

Replies

  • ZoeLifts
    ZoeLifts Posts: 10,347 Member
    Bump!
  • iWaffle
    iWaffle Posts: 2,208 Member
    Eyes under the bar to start with, nice wide grip, controlled lowering, and my favorite pet peeve.... you actually let the bar come all the way down to your chest. Well done! ( Hate seeing guys put on 2 plates and then just lower it half way to their chest)

    The speed looks fine to me. You can tweak the lowering part to your taste. Negatives are good for building muscle too but as long as it comes all the way down and you're not bouncing it off your chest (not typically a woman's issue) then just lower it at a rate that sets a good rhythm for you.
  • ishtar13
    ishtar13 Posts: 528 Member
    Check some videos here, too.

    My research indicates that the bar should come just below the breasts, instead of so high on your chest. Going as high as you do could cause shoulder problems when the weight gets higher.

    Check here:
    http://www.stumptuous.com/dork-diva-bench-press

    and here:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEDWMosUjqs

    The Rippetoe video actually shows this, but it's hard to tell because the chick doesn't have much of a chest.
  • ZoeLifts
    ZoeLifts Posts: 10,347 Member
    Thank you! I will make a note of these suggestions. It's difficult for us girls to know where to bring the bar to because of, well, the girls!
  • ishtar13
    ishtar13 Posts: 528 Member
    I know, and for some reason, it's never mentioned in training vids!
  • ZoeLifts
    ZoeLifts Posts: 10,347 Member
    Check some videos here, too.

    My research indicates that the bar should come just below the breasts, instead of so high on your chest. Going as high as you do could cause shoulder problems when the weight gets higher.

    Check here:
    http://www.stumptuous.com/dork-diva-bench-press

    and here:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEDWMosUjqs

    The Rippetoe video actually shows this, but it's hard to tell because the chick doesn't have much of a chest.

    Wow, that second video, I have never seen such a high arch in the back but the feet that far back, I wonder why she does that? I get the arch, but the feet?
  • iWaffle
    iWaffle Posts: 2,208 Member
    My research indicates that the bar should come just below the breasts, instead of so high on your chest.
    I usually lower it so that the bar sits just a bit under my armpits but for sure it hits above the nipple. Women probably have to make some personal decisions on this one but I wouldn't put it all the way at the bottom of the chest. Use the neutral position you have at the top of the movement and just lower it straight down.

    I suppose I'll defer that one to the experts since I don't have this as an issue. Not too high of course since it will strain your shoulders but if you go too low past center you'll have the same issue to a worse degree. That would be like doing decline press on a flat bench. It would be hard to balance the weight in my opinion.


    EDIT:
    Thank you! I will make a note of these suggestions. It's difficult for us girls to know where to bring the bar to because of, well, the girls!

    Controlled lowering is the key I would guess. You just can't hit down to the sternum like men but it should be lowered the same I would guess. When you get down to the muscle (which is what we're working) the alignment should be just the same as it is for a man. You're not built any different on that level.
  • ishtar13
    ishtar13 Posts: 528 Member
    I injured my shoulder by going above my breasts.

    It still tweaks now and then.

    This may be one of those differences between powerlifting and body building?

    The higher bar position does isolate pecs more, but at the risk of your shoulders. If the concern is general strength, then why not minimize risk of injury?

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/bench-press-powerlifting
  • ishtar13
    ishtar13 Posts: 528 Member

    Controlled lowering is the key I would guess. You just can't hit down to the sternum like men but it should be lowered the same I would guess. When you get down to the muscle (which is what we're working) the alignment should be just the same as it is for a man. You're not built any different on that level.

    But you can't go down low enough if it's right over the breasts if you have much of it at all.

    Again, maybe it's a difference between powerlifting and body building, but a lot of the powerlifting for women stuff shows a position below the breasts "lower chest or upper stomach".
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    I agree with most of what's posted here.

    - The bar path is good but needs to come down lower on your chest, below your breasts for the most part.
    - I'd like to see a further out view so I can see your feet. You ask why the feet are so back. It's simply to provide more support, help with your arch, and you actually use a little bit of a leg drive when you bench.
    - Your arch isn't bad but see if you can get a little more, it'll help with the bar-path.
    - RE Speed: Your control on the eccentric is good but I'd like to see a little more "pop" on the way up.

    Rippletoe's videos are pretty good. Another suggestion would be, So You Think You Can Bench by Dave Tate; you can find that video on YouTube. It's probably my favorite "how-to" video of all the big strength trainers.

    Good to see you lifting like this and taking it seriously, just a couple changes to your form and you'll be killin' it in no time. :)
  • ZoeLifts
    ZoeLifts Posts: 10,347 Member
    I injured my shoulder by going above my breasts.

    It still tweaks now and then.

    This may be one of those differences between powerlifting and body building?

    The higher bar position does isolate pecs more, but at the risk of your shoulders. If the concern is general strength, then why not minimize risk of injury?

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/bench-press-powerlifting

    I have had some shoulder injury in the past so I certainly don't want to mess it up again. I haven't felt any yet, but I sure will take your advice to aim lower than above the girls so as I add weight it doesn't tweak again. Thanks!

    Edit keystroke mistake
  • ZoeLifts
    ZoeLifts Posts: 10,347 Member
    I agree with most of what's posted here.

    - The bar path is good but needs to come down lower on your chest, below your breasts for the most part.
    - I'd like to see a further out view so I can see your feet. You ask why the feet are so back. It's simply to provide more support, help with your arch, and you actually use a little bit of a leg drive when you bench.
    - Your arch isn't bad but see if you can get a little more, it'll help with the bar-path.
    - RE Speed: Your control on the eccentric is good but I'd like to see a little more "pop" on the way up.

    Rippletoe's videos are pretty good. Another suggestion would be, So You Think You Can Bench by Dave Tate; you can find that video on YouTube. It's probably my favorite "how-to" video of all the big strength trainers.

    Good to see you lifting like this and taking it seriously, just a couple changes to your form and you'll be killin' it in no time. :)

    Excellent!! Thank you, I will look into the vidoes and work the feet angle too!
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    I injured my shoulder by going above my breasts.

    It still tweaks now and then.

    This may be one of those differences between powerlifting and body building?

    The higher bar position does isolate pecs more, but at the risk of your shoulders. If the concern is general strength, then why not minimize risk of injury?

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/bench-press-powerlifting

    I have had some shoulder injury in the past so I certainly don't want to mess it up again. I haven't felt any yet, but I sure will take your advice to aim lower than above the girls so as I add weight it doesn't tweak again. Thanks!

    Edit keystroke mistake

    Changing up your form with some of the suggestions above and in the videos will help avoid injury, or at least reduce the risk of injury. I've found a powerlifting method much less taxing on my shoulder and I definitely have shoulder issues. I'm not sure why people think it stimulates the pec less but my pecs are pretty damn solid and I don't do any isolation exercises for my pecs. Mostly due to a prior injury that is aggravated by things like flies but it's kind of a waste unless you're bodybuilding.
  • iWaffle
    iWaffle Posts: 2,208 Member
    - The bar path is good but needs to come down lower on your chest, below your breasts for the most part.

    Just out of curiosity wouldn't that be subjective depending on the specific woman? Below the breast would be totally different for a woman with an A cup and a woman with a C or D. That's why I was wondering why you wouldn't just use a neutral position and lower it straight down. I'm not any kind of an expert on this. Just curious. My daughter uses the bench some times and she just lowers it down to center chest.

    Anyway, glad I don't have that as an issue and I'm totally bouncing that last rep of 205 off my chest if I'm tired. Yeah! It's what men do. LOL
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    - The bar path is good but needs to come down lower on your chest, below your breasts for the most part.

    Just out of curiosity wouldn't that be subjective depending on the specific woman? Below the breast would be totally different for a woman with an A cup and a woman with a C or D. That's why I was wondering why you wouldn't just use a neutral position and lower it straight down. I'm not any kind of an expert on this. Just curious. My daughter uses the bench some times and she just lowers it down to center chest.

    Anyway, glad I don't have that as an issue and I'm totally bouncing that last rep of 205 off my chest if I'm tired. Yeah! It's what men do. LOL

    Honestly I don't know how larger breasted women would do it. Off-the-cuff I would think that if she works on building a more pronounced arch the bar-path down below the breast line wouldn't be a problem. A straight-down path as the OP is doing in this video is rough on the shoulder and eventually it will become too much when the weight increases. Form as Dave Tate and other powerlifters teach it is much safer on your shoulder. If you see in the video there's a little bit of an arch but not enough to really support a good bar-path. I think if the OP were to keep her form like this she'll run into shoulder issues when the weight gets heavier.

    I've seen videos of women powerlifters and they seem to do it pretty well, it's likely just a matter of watching some more info on form and practicing. She's dedicated and doing well as a beginning lifter so I'm sure she'll get it down-pat just fine.

    Show your daughter the So You Think You Can Bench Press video. Especially at a young age when kids are still developing you don't want them to run into soft tissue damage cuz it's a ***** to recover from.
  • ishtar13
    ishtar13 Posts: 528 Member
    - The bar path is good but needs to come down lower on your chest, below your breasts for the most part.

    Just out of curiosity wouldn't that be subjective depending on the specific woman? Below the breast would be totally different for a woman with an A cup and a woman with a C or D. That's why I was wondering why you wouldn't just use a neutral position and lower it straight down.

    Not when you're laying down. Breast position is pretty much the same no matter the cup size, if you're wearing a good bra. The cup size would make a difference in how close to the chest you can get if you went directly over the breasts.

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