Half Bench Press- Poor Form?

MoreBean13

Question- Is there any legit reason someone would do bench presses halfway down, other than using too much weight? Today I saw this tiny girl bench pressing a ton of weight, but only going down MAYBE half way, optimistically. It looked like the weight was going to fall and kill her, honestly. This was on a smith machine, so she didn't even have a spotter! Both myself and at least 1 guy stopped what we were doing and watched her- which normally I think is rude but I couldn't help it!

So, is there any reason to do partial lifts with a lot of extra weight?

Sarauk2sf

As far as I am aware, other than mobility issues, the only reason is to say you can lift more. The top half of the lift is different than the bottom half in that different muscles are coming into play more/less at the top v bottom, so there could be a reason that she was treating this more like an isolation exercise, but I cannot see the point. I could be missing something however,

MoreBean13

As far as I am aware, other than mobility issues, the only reason is to say you can lift more. The top half of the lift is different than the bottom half in that different muscles are coming into play more/less at the top v bottom, so there could be a reason that she was treating this more like an isolation exercise, but I cannot see the point. I could be missing something however,

It looked so strange I thought there *must* be something I was missing...

stubbysticks

I can't think of a reason to do them this way but I'm far from an expert. If anything she'd get the maximum benefit from the half of the movement she was missing. When you work based on progressive overload, it's easy to end up at a really high weight with sub-optimal form, in which case I typically deload by 50%, correct my form, then progress back up again. She may think she's benching an impressive amount of weight, but anyone who knows how to do it correctly (like you) will see immediately she's not completing the entire movement & not be impressed.

nz_deevaa

I have a knee injury so I can't squat as low as some people think I should be able to squat.

SO with that in mind, maybe she has an injury that she's protecting?

My only other thought is that in BodyPump I think there might be some 'half' lifts, but I think it's bottom half. *makes a face*

wellbert

I see a lot of bodybuilders doing that. Then they sort of... jiggle or bounce it. I have no idea why.

MoreBean13

I have a knee injury so I can't squat as low as some people think I should be able to squat.

SO with that in mind, maybe she has an injury that she's protecting?

I see a lot of very questionable squats- but the knee injury issue is so common that I pay no mind to half squats- you gotta do what you gotta do, right?

*makes a face*

I think I made this same face while watching her. My facial expressions convey exactly what I'm thinking at all times- gets me in trouble!

MoreBean13

I see a lot of bodybuilders doing that. Then they sort of... jiggle or bounce it. I have no idea why.

Yess- it was kind of fast...kind of bouncy!

MoreBean13

I can't think of a reason to do them this way but I'm far from an expert. If anything she'd get the maximum benefit from the half of the movement she was missing. When you work based on progressive overload, it's easy to end up at a really high weight with sub-optimal form, in which case I typically deload by 50%, correct my form, then progress back up again. She may think she's benching an impressive amount of weight, but anyone who knows how to do it correctly (like you) will see immediately she's not completing the entire movement & not be impressed.

She added weight and continued sets of mini reps- so it wasn't a progressive overload thing, it was definitely intentional, whatever it was.

Jamie2007

I see this type of thing at the gym a lot. I'm not sure if it makes them feel 'macho' or what, but it seems to me like a waste of time.

nz_deevaa

I have a knee injury so I can't squat as low as some people think I should be able to squat.

SO with that in mind, maybe she has an injury that she's protecting?

I see a lot of very questionable squats- but the knee injury issue is so common that I pay no mind to half squats- you gotta do what you gotta do, right?

*makes a face*

I think I made this same face while watching her. My facial expressions convey exactly what I'm thinking at all times- gets me in trouble!

Yeah, you don't have to spend much time in the gym to see some dodgy squats. LOL.

I had surgery on mine at the end of Feb, and it's getting better all the time, but I still have to be careful. I can get to parallel, just not much further than that.

I don't see many females in the free weights section, so when I do I do double takes to check their form... it's a bad habit.

Rayman79

Most likely one of two reasons, IMO:

1. She has no idea what she's doing and wants to load the bar up beyond her capabilities (usually more of a guy thing). Or

2. To help strengthen the support muscles (more of the arms and delts) without working the chest as much, and/or to get used to a heavier weight.

MoreBean13

Most likely one of two reasons, IMO:

1. She has no idea what she's doing and wants to load the bar up beyond her capabilities (usually more of a guy thing). Or

2. To help strengthen the support muscles (more of the arms and delts) without working the chest as much, and/or to get used to a heavier weight.

I'm really trying to give this poor girl credit- so I'll say #2 is the best answer so far
(though #1 is probably more likely)

MoreBean13

I have a knee injury so I can't squat as low as some people think I should be able to squat.

SO with that in mind, maybe she has an injury that she's protecting?

I see a lot of very questionable squats- but the knee injury issue is so common that I pay no mind to half squats- you gotta do what you gotta do, right?

*makes a face*

I think I made this same face while watching her. My facial expressions convey exactly what I'm thinking at all times- gets me in trouble!

Yeah, you don't have to spend much time in the gym to see some dodgy squats. LOL.

I had surgery on mine at the end of Feb, and it's getting better all the time, but I still have to be careful. I can get to parallel, just not much further than that.

I don't see many females in the free weights section, so when I do I do double takes to check their form... it's a bad habit.

HAHAHA this reminded me of another dodgy lifter I saw today- also with the smith machine!! It was a woman who it was obvious it was her first time in the weight section, and she had an equally clueless guy "advising" her, and she put 2.5# weights on eavh side, and then held the bar behind her neck- but not resting on her traps- just like held in her hands, and then did a 1/4 squat and then a 1/2 overhead press behind her neck with the bar. That was super strange...I was actually going to help her but I was doing cardio at the time and she was gone by the time I was done. LOL

nz_deevaa

I avoid the smith's machine at all costs. :P

MoreBean13

I avoid the smith's machine at all costs. :P

Its really helpful, though, if you have no spotter and you want to load up dangerous amounts of weight and pump out halfreps!

Sidesteal

It's possible that she has shoulder issues that prevent proper ROM. It's more likely to be ego in most cases, but injury is a legitimate reason that can prevent someone from full ROM.

AntWrig

It's possible that she has shoulder issues that prevent proper ROM. It's more likely to be ego in most cases, but injury is a legitimate reason that can prevent someone from full ROM.

If that's the case they shouldn't be benching in the first place. Work on shoulder rehab first and stay away from the bench.

Nataliaho

Idk, did she look experienced? If she's an elite lifter then she could have been isolating the upper part of the lift if that's the part troubling her. Maybe she's been failing to lockout her lifts. My mate is a massive deadlifter but she has trouble with the last couple of inches, just completing her hip lockout. Our trainer has prescribed her some deads from the safety just to work on that last part. This could be a similar thing, it would allow her to do more volume at a high weight in the part she's failing at. Personally if she was pushing a massive weight, even partially I'd tend to assume she has a reason. Would you assume a runner who is just practicing her takeoff from the blocks doesn't realize she should keep running?

Sidesteal

It's possible that she has shoulder issues that prevent proper ROM. It's more likely to be ego in most cases, but injury is a legitimate reason that can prevent someone from full ROM.

If that's the case they shouldn't be benching in the first place. Work on shoulder rehab first and stay away from the bench.

I think it depends on the injury. In some cases you are probably correct.

Jordant107

Lifting in this manner keeps the muscle under constant tension, and can therefore work the muscle group more. Weight lifters use this method of lifting to increase their overall lift strength- it helps to build up the muscle, and in turn allows for a greater weight to be lifted when using a full range of motion.
It also helps to get past problems created by the 'sticking point' (the point in the exercise where you cannot move the weight- in the case of bench press it would be around the time when you're pushing back up off your chest). When doing partial reps the 'sticking point' is avoided, and more reps/ weight can be managed.

QuestForFitness

Would you assume a runner who is just practicing her takeoff from the blocks doesn't realize she should keep running?

Good point

Mayor_West

I see a lot of bodybuilders doing that. Then they sort of... jiggle or bounce it. I have no idea why.

Yess- it was kind of fast...kind of bouncy!

I've seen bodybuilders do this type of stuff before, but in most cases, it's strictly as warm-up with lighter weight. I can see how doing so will force blood into the muscles, but I prefer to work through a full range of motion on my warm-ups.

wellbert

HAHAHA this reminded me of another dodgy lifter I saw today- also with the smith machine!!...

Pretty much anything with the smith machine is dodgy. Except maybe using it as a rack for your gym towel.

ishtar13

HAHAHA this reminded me of another dodgy lifter I saw today- also with the smith machine!!...

Pretty much anything with the smith machine is dodgy. Except maybe using it as a rack for your gym towel.

You can use it for incline push-ups and inverted rows. . .