DB bench press problem

junglistfire · 04-10-2009, 01:16 PM

My triceps and shoulders fatigue too quickly and it holds me back.
I keep my shoulder blades down and squeezed on the bench, i push my chest out, have an arched back and i keep the DB's close to my body but still it feels like my arms working my than my chest. My arms feel so exhausted now i can hardly type

Any advice?

junglistfire · 04-10-2009, 01:47 PM

thanks

andrew.pace · 04-10-2009, 01:49 PM

get your shoulders and triceps stronger!

D4rkhorse · 04-10-2009, 02:01 PM

I guess the only advice I can really give is go lighter. Sometimes (even if we don't like it) we have to lighten the weight in order to really master a movement and too many people disregard this warning. Next time you do DB Bench grab a weight that's heavy enough to cause strain, but light enough to let you perform the movement without full focus. When you lift, focus completely on your chest muscles. When you bring the weight down, focus on stretching them (not excessively) out. When pushing the weight up, do everything you can to contract the chest muscles into lifting the weight. If done properly, you should hardly feel your arms work... you may even feel like you lifted harder than you used to!

I hope this advice helps. Give it a shot and update us.

bigplay_jt · 04-10-2009, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by junglistfire

My triceps and shoulders fatigue too quickly and it holds me back.
I keep my shoulder blades down and squeezed on the bench, i push my chest out, have an arched back and i keep the DB's close to my body but still it feels like my arms working my than my chest. My arms feel so exhausted now i can hardly type

Any advice?

How long have you been lifting and experiencing this problem? That would be my first question. My advice would be to keep at it. If you are really having issues I would say, to begin with, lower the weight and really concentrate on your form until you make progress. Mix things up between dumbbells and barbells, as well as the angle of the bench. You will come along, you may just need to stay focused, try out different things and keep working! Good luck!!!

junglistfire · 04-10-2009, 02:07 PM

I am lifting light weights, i'm doing 12-15 reps with 30kg. It's hard to focus on your chest when your arms are killing.

junglistfire · 04-10-2009, 02:09 PM

I used BB for about a year and had no problem. I recently switched to DB's and that's when the problem started.

Razicator · 04-10-2009, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by junglistfire

I used BB for about a year and had no problem. I recently switched to DB's and that's when the problem started.

I had the same problem. I realized that I kept the DBs so close to my body that it was beginning to be almost like a close-grip benchpress. I fixed the problem with two things: a) have the DBs a bit wider, like an additional half-DB length wider on each side and b) pre-exhaust my chest by using the machine pec fly or cable flies.

junglistfire · 04-10-2009, 02:34 PM

Thanks i'll try that.
I keep the DB's close to body because i watched chest training with Charles Glass and he says u need to keep the weight close so your shoulders are not dominant.
Here's the link.. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/glasscut3.htm

AnthonyBishop · 04-10-2009, 03:03 PM

Pre-exhaust your chest with some pec-dec flys prior to performing DB presses. Chances are you will need to drop the weight on the DBs as well.

laughin_man · 04-10-2009, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by junglistfire

I am lifting light weights, i'm doing 12-15 reps with 30kg. It's hard to focus on your chest when your arms are killing.

I dont know how much you weigh but i wouldnt call 30kg DB's lightweight.

EDIT: judging by your photo I'd say you cant DB press 30kgx12

junglistfire · 04-10-2009, 03:07 PM

30 in total, 15 each

laughin_man · 04-10-2009, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by junglistfire

30 in total, 15 each

oh ok, sorry, forget what i said earlier

idk maybe you should try decreasing your ROM, try not to fully extend your arms at the top or something

dantheman999 · 04-10-2009, 03:20 PM

Im going to second bringing your grip distance apart. you want your forearms to be in line with your elbows the whole time, and you want your elbows to be at about 45 degrees from your body.

ZiPP · 04-10-2009, 03:26 PM

keep your mind focused on using your chest to lift the weights, even if you gotta lighten the weight, eventually over time your arms and shoulders will catch up

AnthonyBishop · 04-10-2009, 03:33 PM

P-r-e-----e-x-h-a-u-s-t-i-o-n!!!!

ZiPP · 04-10-2009, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnthonyBishop

P-r-e-----e-x-h-a-u-s-t-i-o-n!!!!

using up all your energy on light weights is foolish to be honest, then your too exausted and energy drained to put 110% effort and energy in bigger weights which is what matters, light weight is just for warmups unless your a fitness lady

everyone should follow the concept of using the bulk of their energy working on weak points, and doing the exercizes they really wanna increase their abilities in

but ya, if you wanna stringy body liek bruce lee then use up all your energy pointlessly on light weights before u get to the real workout lol

sdbolts512 · 04-10-2009, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnthonyBishop

Pre-exhaust your chest with some pec-dec flys prior to performing DB presses. Chances are you will need to drop the weight on the DBs as well.

yes, do this. and tuck your elbows in on the db presses to minimize shoulder involvement.

Also, NOT locking out your elbows at the top can help keep your triceps out of it

Celtics34 · 04-10-2009, 11:26 PM

Lower the weight and get the form down. Finding the right form can take a while before your ready to go up in weight. Just concentrate on pushing out your chest while your pushing up the weight. You want mostly your chest doing the work, and for secondary you want the shoulders and tri's to help a little.

Get the form down, it'll help in the long run.

JOSEF RAKICH · 04-11-2009, 12:31 AM

For some reason i cant open up Google?

Anyway, on Google search: Charles Glass chest training.

Charles has a video out there of him explaining how to train the chest correctly while minamizing the front delts and triceps.

blindside · 04-11-2009, 01:00 AM

Elbows in, close to chest. Shoulder blades tucked, chest popped out.

Your stablizers may still be lagging, so just keep at it.

AnthonyBishop · 04-11-2009, 01:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZiPP

using up all your energy on light weights is foolish to be honest, then your too exausted and energy drained to put 110% effort and energy in bigger weights which is what matters, light weight is just for warmups unless your a fitness lady

everyone should follow the concept of using the bulk of their energy working on weak points, and doing the exercizes they really wanna increase their abilities in

but ya, if you wanna stringy body liek bruce lee then use up all your energy pointlessly on light weights before u get to the real workout lol

The pre-exhaustion principle has been shown to help in situations just like this for more than 20 years. What source are you referring to when you say 'everyone should follow the concept of using the bulk of their energy working on weak points, and doing the exercizes they really wanna increase their abilities in'? Also, why do you assume pre-exhaustion is using light weight? You can do a full working set of pec-dec fly's and move on to a compound press.

rhizome · 04-22-2009, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josef_Rakich

For some reason i cant open up Google?

Anyway, on Google search: Charles Glass chest training.

Charles has a video out there of him explaining how to train the chest correctly while minamizing the front delts and triceps.

You tell 'em GENETICZ.

jawadams · 04-22-2009, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by D4rkhorse

I guess the only advice I can really give is go lighter. Sometimes (even if we don't like it) we have to lighten the weight in order to really master a movement and too many people disregard this warning. Next time you do DB Bench grab a weight that's heavy enough to cause strain, but light enough to let you perform the movement without full focus. When you lift, focus completely on your chest muscles. When you bring the weight down, focus on stretching them (not excessively) out. When pushing the weight up, do everything you can to contract the chest muscles into lifting the weight. If done properly, you should hardly feel your arms work... you may even feel like you lifted harder than you used to!

I hope this advice helps. Give it a shot and update us.

Great advice. I was using all arms till I started to do this. Like he said, bring the weight down to get a nice stretch on the pecs. Visualize your pecs "pulling" the weight up from that position, then focus on pushing. I pause at the top of the movement and flex my chest hard, then I focus on keeping my chest flexed the entire way back down.