Best bench press tips?

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Replies

  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    One more rip vid on foot placement, this is good stuff:


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Es3BX08pO-w&feature=relmfu
  • Big_Daddy6
    Big_Daddy6 Posts: 188
    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

    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: 1,078 Member
    vicsnatural from youtube he explains the bench press

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI45XAFWDoo&feature=share&list=PL86BE7425288757AE
  • Yogi_Carl
    Yogi_Carl Posts: 1,906 Member
    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
    Hand position is also very important.....
  • monty619
    monty619 Posts: 1,308 Member
    use dumbells instead of barbells.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    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
    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
    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.
  • gabriellejayde
    gabriellejayde Posts: 607 Member
    Now that i replied i saw the rest of the responses. :)
    Triceps play an important roll in benching. Dont neglect them.
  • StuartBraddick
    StuartBraddick Posts: 1
    My advice would be as above re; Starting Strength. Taking advice from well meaning people on a board such as this is a very dangerous game.

    http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/Bench_Press_Videos
  • rowdylibrarian
    rowdylibrarian Posts: 251 Member
    Just don't do it like this!!! Lol! :)

    funny-weight-lifting-gym-ball.jpg
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    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.

    Never perform bench press alone - if you fail on the last rep you need a spotter to help the bar back into the rack. If you have to work alone; use dumbells - requires more balance so it doesn't matter if it is less weight.

    TROLL!!! Gotta be a troll! Has to be, must be...! Just can't believe anybody would seriously give that advice; I'll take the high-road and callout the troll.
    Leg drive? In Bench Press? Better off doing Pressups so you can't cheat in that case.

    OMG, there you are again, YIR FUNNI, man I love this site sometimes! As I continue through this thread I see a whole bunch of your posts. Dude, you're killing me tonight. Start a new thread and make it like a comedic approach to chest training or whatever and just make more of your jokes about form and training, I LOVE IT! :drinker:
    I tore my labrum little over a year ago doing flat bench, surgeon told me that doing flat bench was the worst thing I could do because you compinsate too much when muscle are not the same strength. Doc told me too use dumbells because it isolates muscle.

    You probably need to work on your form and increase your tricep strength. Work on getting your tricep strength up and then go back to benching after watching some good form. My doctor told me I'd never deadlift again after I f'd up my vertebrate doing something else. A little rehab, strengthening of supporting muscles and my DL is up well over 100lbs from before my injury. You can do it! :)

    @OP: Learn your form, very important. I think Mark Rippletoe is a good teacher but my personal favorite is "So You Think You Can Bench" by Dave Tate which you can watch on YouTube.

    The Bench Press is really a full body compound movement, not just a chest exercise. You triceps, lats, traps, rear delts, and yes even the legs support this movement. Form is almost too much to talk about in a thread like this and I think the best bet is to watch the video I mentioned above about a dozen times at least. Louie Simmons has some great discussions about the bench press too. A good program like Starting Strength and StrongLifts 5x5 will help get you started on the right track.
  • californiagirl2012
    californiagirl2012 Posts: 2,625 Member
    Interesting tips here. I've never had anyone look at my form but I have been doing them for over 30 years and never dropped them on myself, nor injured myself. I only need a spotter on occasion, I can tell when it's my last rep without a spotter. My main tip would be keeping the bar parallel with a pipe or line on the ceiling as reference and making sure you are not sort of skewing the bar by using a stronger side more, especially as you become more fatigued.

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