benching-touchin the chest

[The_Template]

Just wondering if people find it more effective to take the bar all the way down to the chest when doin bench, or do u preffer to keep it an inch or two off the chest to keep tension on the chest. I've seen many people do it different ways. I was watchin a jay cutler interview and he said he started not taking the bar down to his chest and found his chest responded better to it, but i know alot of people touch it down.

i find it good when doing a slow negative to touch it on the chest.

thought?

[kyokushin1]

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/search.php

[Brian_r_]

According to Arnold's book more muscle fibers get stimulated if the muscle you're working out gets fully stretched in your exercise's range of motion, so lowering it all the way to your chest seems to be the best option, just don't take a minute rest every time it's on your chest.

[crunchfit]

I usually keep it and inch from my chest. Past that and my delts get worked to much. Personally I find barbell better for strength and dumbbell better for growth

[Liftinglover]

hi,
i prefer stopping it an inch or so above the chest, this keeps the tension on the chest muscles and doesnt work the front delts as much
its much of a muchness really buddy, but my way works for me

[joey1521]

I can't touch my chest due to a bad left shoulder so I just go as far down as possible.

[chilly-c]

i don't go all the way down cause as mentioned before the shoulders start working and now the chest isn't isolated. i usually leave an about an inch off

[Lightweight16]

as long as you dont rest, and keep moving the bar.

[TJ2000]

The only exercise where I don't use full range of motion is barbell shoulder press/or military press. I mean, sometimes I'll go full range of motion, but its a tough exercise with added weight, and for me its always been one of the hardest exercises to perform next to squats. Still, full range of motion is key for bench press imho cause whats the point in not going all the way down? Maybe barely touching chest, but this crap where they bring it like one inch down is stupid in my book. Atleast on shoulder press, I still bring it down far enough to stimulate the muscle!

[152_pilot]

Originally Posted by chilly-c

i don't go all the way down cause as mentioned before the shoulders start working and now the chest isn't isolated. i usually leave an about an inch off

The chest is never isolated while benching....its a compound exercise. You use your chest, tris, delts, and back to a lesser extent

[Chris_1990]

Drop it down to the chest...all the way.

[legendz411]

I usually just BARELY *DUST* my chest (so I go all the way down, but I keep the tension as much as possible). When I go up, sometimes I choosen ot to lock my elbows and keep tension that way. I think it is more useful.

[IceMan13]

Going all the way to me chest puts too much strain on my shoulders and considering I've recently had surgery on my right one, I don't do it. I go about an inch above my chest. I've heard from alot of trainers to keep it around this distance.