Help On Bench Press

[krives55]

I have always wanted to try a competition. I currently go to GA Southern and saw that they put one on every April. I am going to start training for it, but I read the rules and you have to pause at the bottom of the Bench. I know this is standard for most meets but I have never done it. I am obviously going to perform this exercise more but are there any tips on not losing any strength as compared to the no pause bench?

Any help will be appreciated.

[Poppy83]

You certainly will not lose any strength by incorporating a pause. When you pause, it is not like you let everything go limp and let the bar rest itself on your body. The trick to a pause it to keep everything tight, control it on your body, and blast it up when you get the press command.

Your pause bench will almost certainly be less than your touch and go. Besides just incorporating a pause into a regular bench, you could also set up a bench in a power rack, set the pins to where the bar is either touching your body or as close to possible, and start the bench press from the bottom position. It's tough and humbling, but it will help to increase explosion out of the bottom (yummy...).

[Torrtrefireto]

Once you've gotten used to it pause benching will probably only be a loss of 10 or 15 pounds from your touch and go bench. You don't let the bar rest there, you just make it hover on your chest. It allows you (well me atleast) to get much more leg drive. Powerlifting bench technique is not limited to that though, its completely different than bodybuilding. I'm sure someone can post example videos on how to learn it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh3t6T-nqP0

Hits most of the main points, either way its worth the time

[Westhoe]

As the other fellows have said mate, its just a question of holding tight in the bottom position and pressing up. Reduce the weight down and learn the technique before you concern yourself with the weight on the bar.

[Doollas]

Originally Posted by Torrtrefireto

Once you've gotten used to it pause benching will probably only be a loss of 10 or 15 pounds from your touch and go bench. You don't let the bar rest there, you just make it hover on your chest. It allows you (well me atleast) to get much more leg drive. Powerlifting bench technique is not limited to that though, its completely different than bodybuilding. I'm sure someone can post example videos on how to learn it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh3t6T-nqP0

Hits most of the main points, either way its worth the time

Excellent vid, thanks. One question though: in another of his videos he (and I have heard others discuss it similarly) discusses the fact that you should not press backwards towards the rack, that you should aim for your feet with the weight. Any input here? Thanks!

[krives55]

Originally Posted by Torrtrefireto

Once you've gotten used to it pause benching will probably only be a loss of 10 or 15 pounds from your touch and go bench. You don't let the bar rest there, you just make it hover on your chest. It allows you (well me atleast) to get much more leg drive. Powerlifting bench technique is not limited to that though, its completely different than bodybuilding. I'm sure someone can post example videos on how to learn it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh3t6T-nqP0

Hits most of the main points, either way its worth the time

Good vid... whats the anacoda talk at the end though?

[koyongi]

Originally Posted by Doollas

Excellent vid, thanks. One question though: in another of his videos he (and I have heard others discuss it similarly) discusses the fact that you should not press backwards towards the rack, that you should aim for your feet with the weight. Any input here? Thanks!

I think it kind of amounts to personal preference and individual strengths. Pressing back results in a longer bar path, but most people end up strongest this way, because it allows you to flare your elbows more on the way up.

[Dragger]

I usually train with a pause at the top and bottom in most exercises I do, especially bench, deadlift, and squat. It feels like cheating if I don't.

Only workouts that I don't pause and roll through the reps are bodyweight(higher reps) and even then sometimes I mix it up and add in pauses.