Best bench press tips?

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2

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  • Yogi_Carl
    Yogi_Carl Posts: 1,906 Member
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    Don't arch your back to heave too heavy a weight up - you only cheat yourself. Try placing your feet flat on the end of the bench to flatten your back.

    Terrible

    Learn to incorporate leg drive

    Leg drive? In Bench Press? Better off doing Pressups so you can't cheat in that case.

    Oh dear! Its about leverage and maximizing power not about cheating.

    Not wanting to enter into something which could turn nasty - so not helpful - the way I see it is if the lifter is pushing down on the floor with their feet they are arching their back into a slight backbend - not good for the spine even if the leverage is enhanced. That's why I suggested pressups, because the legs are isolated out of the movement. If you have to incorporate leg leverage to get a bench press up you can't handle the weight yet.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    Don't arch your back to heave too heavy a weight up - you only cheat yourself. Try placing your feet flat on the end of the bench to flatten your back.

    Terrible

    Learn to incorporate leg drive

    Leg drive? In Bench Press? Better off doing Pressups so you can't cheat in that case.

    Oh dear! Its about leverage and maximizing power not about cheating.

    Not wanting to enter into something which could turn nasty - so not helpful - the way I see it is if the lifter is pushing down on the floor with their feet they are arching their back into a slight backbend - not good for the spine even if the leverage is enhanced. That's why I suggested pressups, because the legs are isolated out of the movement. If you have to incorporate leg leverage to get a bench press up you can't handle the weight yet.

    Do you really think that press ups will be as effective for strength as a bench press? Unless you have a back issue and use proper form, there is no issue with putting your feet on the floor and arching your back - in fact it is the best way to bench.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    Don't arch your back to heave too heavy a weight up - you only cheat yourself. Try placing your feet flat on the end of the bench to flatten your back.

    Terrible

    Learn to incorporate leg drive

    Leg drive? In Bench Press? Better off doing Pressups so you can't cheat in that case.

    Oh dear! Its about leverage and maximizing power not about cheating.

    Not wanting to enter into something which could turn nasty - so not helpful - the way I see it is if the lifter is pushing down on the floor with their feet they are arching their back into a slight backbend - not good for the spine even if the leverage is enhanced. That's why I suggested pressups, because the legs are isolated out of the movement. If you have to incorporate leg leverage to get a bench press up you can't handle the weight yet.

    If you aren't incorporating leg drive into the bench you are not benching properly.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    Don't arch your back to heave too heavy a weight up - you only cheat yourself. Try placing your feet flat on the end of the bench to flatten your back.

    Terrible

    Learn to incorporate leg drive

    Leg drive? In Bench Press? Better off doing Pressups so you can't cheat in that case.

    Oh dear! Its about leverage and maximizing power not about cheating.

    Not wanting to enter into something which could turn nasty - so not helpful - the way I see it is if the lifter is pushing down on the floor with their feet they are arching their back into a slight backbend - not good for the spine even if the leverage is enhanced. That's why I suggested pressups, because the legs are isolated out of the movement. If you have to incorporate leg leverage to get a bench press up you can't handle the weight yet.

    Do you really think that press ups will be as effective for strength as a bench press? Unless you have a back issue and use proper form, there is no issue with putting your feet on the floor and arching your back - in fact it is the best way to bench.

    ^ This.

    EDIT: Butt should stay on the bench obviously. If you're lifting your butt all the way off the bench, load is too heavy.
  • JustJennie1
    JustJennie1 Posts: 3,843 Member
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    Be very careful taking lifting advice from a website like this.

    ^^^ Yes.

    Do your own research and read books on lifting.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    EDIT: Butt should stay on the bench obviously. If you're lifting your butt all the way off the bench, load is too heavy.

    Agreed.
  • MDWilliams1857
    MDWilliams1857 Posts: 315 Member
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    Im advocate for keeping the back flat. Im not sure where the idea of arching the back during a bench press comes from. Thats new to me. Im gonna have to look into this. Everything I have ever read about lifting says to keep the back flat.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    I think Lyle is sort of a "middle ground" when it comes to bench technique, OP, see here for one example and also check out Rippetoe:

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/training/bench-press-technique.html
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBNeeeTId1M (<-- Mark Rippetoe)
  • Yogi_Carl
    Yogi_Carl Posts: 1,906 Member
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    We disagree, but that's ok as either of our approaches are safe enough, providing the butt stays on the bench. I prefer to not use the legs and isolate the movement into the chest more - that's my preference.

    The original poster was asking for a variety of tips so hopefully the debate has been useful.
  • Yogi_Carl
    Yogi_Carl Posts: 1,906 Member
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    [/quote]
    Do you really think that press ups will be as effective for strength as a bench press?
    [/quote]

    Yes, if the strength potential of the individual has not yet been reached - that is if the person cannot yet do say 3 sets of 10 pressups. If you want to taje it further then fine but most folks on MFP might be satisfied with 30 pushups if they are currently in a place of 3 sets of 1 or 2.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    One more rip vid on foot placement, this is good stuff:


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Es3BX08pO-w&amp;feature=relmfu
  • Big_Daddy6
    Big_Daddy6 Posts: 188
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    Tighten your shoulder blades and press them hard on the bench to give yourself a good foundation.............then PUSH!!!!!
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    Do you really think that press ups will be as effective for strength as a bench press?

    Yes, if the strength potential of the individual has not yet been reached - that is if the person cannot yet do say 3 sets of 10 pressups. If you want to taje it further then fine but most folks on MFP might be satisfied with 30 pushups if they are currently in a place of 3 sets of 1 or 2.

    I probably should have made it clearer - push ups are an excellent body weight exercise, don't get me wrong, but people who are doing big compound lifts in the strength rep range of 3 - 5 reps just cannot get that from push ups.

    Edited to fix quotes
  • Going4Lean
    Going4Lean Posts: 1,077 Member
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    vicsnatural from youtube he explains the bench press

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI45XAFWDoo&amp;feature=share&amp;list=PL86BE7425288757AE
  • Yogi_Carl
    Yogi_Carl Posts: 1,906 Member
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    agreed, although every now and then bodyweight pushups are an interesting change especially if you try to make them more challenging - declined (facing downward from a bench) spiderman pressups for instance!!
  • Big_Daddy6
    Big_Daddy6 Posts: 188
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    Hand position is also very important.....
  • monty619
    monty619 Posts: 1,308 Member
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    use dumbells instead of barbells.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    Don't arch your back to heave too heavy a weight up - you only cheat yourself. Try placing your feet flat on the end of the bench to flatten your back.

    So let's see.... I can take technique advice from you or Rippletoe?? Huuum, I thing the choice is clear. Dude don't be giving lifting technique advice. You are clueless.
  • Big_Daddy6
    Big_Daddy6 Posts: 188
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    Don't arch your back to heave too heavy a weight up - you only cheat yourself. Try placing your feet flat on the end of the bench to flatten your back.

    Ummmm i'm thinking putting your feet on the bench would be a bad idea......but what do I know.........
  • gabriellejayde
    gabriellejayde Posts: 607 Member
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    Don't arch your back to heave too heavy a weight up - you only cheat yourself. Try placing your feet flat on the end of the bench to flatten your back.

    Bad advice.
    I was a competitive power lifter...
    Arching your back doesn't cheat yourself and your feet should be on the floor.
    Bring your shoulder blades together then use your back muscles to push the weight up.

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