Bench Press.... are they idiots, or am I???

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  • ncahill77
    ncahill77 Posts: 501 Member
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    I see a ton of guys going down 1/3 to 1/2 of the way down, I don't get that at all, I do give them props for being able to press 300 plus with all tricep and shoulder though, too bad they try to say it's their chest day.
  • _noob_
    _noob_ Posts: 3,306 Member
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    This whole "bouncing it off the chest" thing needs some scientific studies.

    I'm looking for volunteers to drop a moderate weight (225 lbs) from about 10 inches on to their sternum and see how high it bounces.

    Most forums I think would assume at least 5 inches...
  • KatrinaWilke
    KatrinaWilke Posts: 372 Member
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    What I have found works best for me is to put four 45's on each side, then just sort of walk around the bench a lot and stretch. Then once someome I want to impress comes by, I offload the 45's grunting about how tired and torn up I am.

    Form and control mean nothing. You have to look impressive. All that counts.

    Do you work out at my gym?! I swear I see guys doing this ALL THE TIME!!
  • _DaniD_
    _DaniD_ Posts: 2,186 Member
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    Lately I've been paying attention to some of the "regulars" at the gym while they are lifting. I see a lot of them doing the whole routine where they bounce the bench press off their chest and don't fully extend their arms.....

    They probably don't fully extend their arms to avoid injury. I never lock my arms when benching.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    i don't bounce but i don't lockout either. i rarely lockout on any exercise of any type.
  • _the_feniks_
    _the_feniks_ Posts: 3,443 Member
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    Definitely dumb-dumbs.
  • Mustang_Susie
    Mustang_Susie Posts: 7,045 Member
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    This whole "bouncing it off the chest" thing needs some scientific studies.

    I'm looking for volunteers to drop a moderate weight (225 lbs) from about 10 inches on to their sternum and see how high it bounces.

    Most forums I think would assume at least 5 inches...

    Well, if CPR breaks ribs...
  • BrainsOnGains
    BrainsOnGains Posts: 282 Member
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    http://youtu.be/aWACCWBzAmc

    Matt! That is ****ing awesome!
  • Abells
    Abells Posts: 756 Member
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    Lately I've been paying attention to some of the "regulars" at the gym while they are lifting. I see a lot of them doing the whole routine where they bounce the bench press off their chest and don't fully extend their arms.....

    Now, I've always been under the impression that doing this is basically worthless and a waste of time. I was taught to slowly bring the bar to your chest, then extend until your arms are locked out, then repeat. Basically the same routine for every other lift I do as well. I see more and more people doing it the way I mentioned earlier (without full extension). I've also noticed that with this whole new "crossfit craze", this is basically the "new way" to lift.

    So I guess my question is......are they the idiots, or am I? I am so confused

    interesting you say that ...considering I crossfit and in nooooooooooo way -- lift as you are describing what you are seeing.
  • csi4us
    csi4us Posts: 74
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    Form is more important than weight. I see guys doing curls by rocking their entire upper body to get the weight up. Chest boucnes to presses are bad. So many injuries from bad form. Correctly done, weights turn out to be much lighter.

    Absolutely this! I just saw a guy with 60 lbs doing curls rocking his entire upper body on Sunday. And grunting loudly ugh,, ugh,, tring to lift what was clearly too heavy for him.
    I guess he was tring to impress someone. I though to myself what a dork. Dumb *kitten*! ????
  • KatrinaWilke
    KatrinaWilke Posts: 372 Member
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    http://youtu.be/aWACCWBzAmc

    HAHA!! That guy is hillarious!

    "If I don't do it right...it's cause I don't want to!"
  • _noob_
    _noob_ Posts: 3,306 Member
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    Form is more important than weight. I see guys doing curls by rocking their entire upper body to get the weight up. Chest boucnes to presses are bad. So many injuries from bad form. Correctly done, weights turn out to be much lighter.

    Absolutely this! I just saw a guy with 60 lbs doing curls rocking his entire upper body on Sunday. And grunting loudly ugh,, ugh,, tring to lift what was clearly too heavy for him.
    I guess he was tring to impress someone. I though to myself what a dork. Dumb *kitten*! ????

    but maybe he recruited more muscle than doing 40's with good form...
  • jivitasa
    jivitasa Posts: 150 Member
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    I agree bouncing serves no purpose, but if your trying to stimulate your pecs why would someone have to lockout? If I am not at a meet, there is no reason to lockout. I want to keep the muscle under tension and not let it rest.

    This. A full extension and a full lockout aren't quite the same. Depending on your goal and weight there are different methods of range to vary tension, but literally fully locking out is not a good idea. It can be very hard on the joints, especially with heavy weight. that could lead to injury and damage. You can definitely get a full extension without literally locking out.
  • MercenaryNoetic26
    MercenaryNoetic26 Posts: 2,747 Member
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    I bounce the barbell by itself when I'm doing a bench warm up (like 20 reps) and doing them pretty fast. When I add weights and get serious, I start slow and may speed up towards the last few reps. I only lock elbows when I'm putting the weight back up. (ETA: Actually I don't think I EVER lock elbows. RETHUNK that. lol)

    That's what I do. I don't think I look like an idiot. BUT I think it's really apparent that if someone looks like an "idiot", they may not be following proper form. Even the pros need to be reminded sometimes.
  • Flyersteve18
    Flyersteve18 Posts: 53 Member
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    They are idiots. Unless they are on roids, "cheating" or having bad form will hurt muscle and strength gains. Yeah they prolly look strong but they probably have been doing that for years, and probably should be bigger/stronger than what they are now if they used a lower weight, went full ROM and used proper form and technique. Using bad form will get you hurt in the long run as well. If they are barbell benching more than 50% or so of what they can bench with dumbbells, they are doing it wrong.
  • MercenaryNoetic26
    MercenaryNoetic26 Posts: 2,747 Member
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    True, GuitarJerry. Agreed.

    I don't really check people out at the gym like that. I judge books by their covers. If they have the body, then I assume they know what they're doing. If they don't, well then, I probably won't even check them out. Sorry, but true. I worry about my own ****. Unless someone is on a machine I'm waiting for, I won't stare them down. LOL I give the stare down when I want them to hurry up!
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
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    They are idiots. Unless they are on roids, "cheating" or having bad form will hurt muscle and strength gains. Yeah they prolly look strong but they probably have been doing that for years, and probably should be bigger/stronger than what they are now if they used a lower weight, went full ROM and used proper form and technique. Using bad form will get you hurt in the long run as well. If they are barbell benching more than 50% or so of what they can bench with dumbbells, they are doing it wrong.

    lolwut?
  • Mighty_Rabite
    Mighty_Rabite Posts: 581 Member
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    I don't think locking out is 100% necessary (however I usually do) but I feel bouncing the weight from the chest is cheating reps.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    I think context matters.

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