Poll - Do you touch the bar to your chest when you bench?

[-=FLEX=-]

I know someone asked the question recently in another thread how far they should bring the bar down when they do barbell bench press.

A lot of people answered that the bar should be brought down as far as possible without incurring pain/injury to the shoulders.

I rarely, and I seriously mean rarely see anyone bench press at my gym and bring the bar down all the way. And this seems like a new phenomenon to me.

Just wondering what everyone else is doing. Not hating. Just curious.

Poll is anonymous, so feel free to vote and not post if you don't want to comment.

But I would like to read comments. I am here to learn, after all.

-=FLEX=-

[gimmejr]

What poll?

Anyway, I touch the bar to my chest. Probably explains why i dont bench that much or maybe not as much as people who only have half the range of motion I do.

[-=FLEX=-]

What poll?

The poll is there now.

You have to post the thread first then create the poll, and I type slowwwwwwwww.



-=FLEX=-

[bodyhard]

Its all relative to the persons size, the bigger the chest/back the shorter the ROM.

[Marius_Ursus]

You probably already knew I'd answer this way...

According to USA PL Raw rules, if it doesn't touch the chest, it doesn't count, so I touch the chest every time.

[pointreyes]

I take the bar down as far as the spotter bars on my power rack will allow me.

I also incorporate some DB presses in order to get full ROM. Got power hooks to assist with using higher weights.

[IronCharles]

I touch it. Why deny yourself part of your ROM?


I just imagine that there is a village of tiny elves, pixies, and fairies living in the forest of my chest hair, and I just want to shake them up a bit, not crush them into a gooey, magical pulp.

[Beachman]

I touch my chest. Was taught that way and have always done it. Never noticed any pain in my shoulders.

[Guinea-pig]

I have a very shallow ribcage and long arms so I have to go to my upper belly with a narrow grip.

[fitcopforlife]

I bring it all the way down to my chest, if anything i might shorten the reps and not come to a complete extension when locking out, this helps me with working chest and not throwing alot of tri's in.

[socket]

I touch the bar to my chest. Always have. I don't think it counts in a bench contest if you don't touch the chest...

That said, if it caused me pain, I'd probably just go as deep as I can or just use DBs

[Minotaur]

To my chest.

[DeTazMan]

touch the chest. I am training for powerlifting, so I might as well get used to it..

[namtrag]

I told the powerlifter who works at my new gym that I could not touch the bar to my chest because it hurt my shoulder. She told me I probably needed to tuck my elbows down to my sides, as I was probably holding them high and away from my body, and it would take my shoulders out of it a little and allow me to touch my chest.

will try this next chest day.

So as of now I answered, take my arms to parallel.

[beancntr]

I come down to about an inch or two above my chest. Just to the point before I have pain from impingment in both shoulders. I used to go all the way down. Wish I still could
Maybe again someday.

[litljay]

Touch.

[fitmom43]

All the way down. I was told in order to see results I have to have the full ROM. Am I doing it wrong?

[ntrllftr]

Anyway, I touch the bar to my chest. Probably explains why i dont bench that much or maybe not as much as people who only have half the range of motion I do.

Either your split is not good or your training in general is not what it should be to get stronger. Touching the chest should not be the reason why you can't lift heavier. Although I do notice your start date according to your profile says Aug 2009. Are you comparing yourself to someone who has been training for years?

<<<<< Touches chest!

[kneedragger85]

I stop when my arms are parallel to the floor. Feels better on my shoulders.

I love being the odd man out.

[GreenWave1]

I go to about an inch above my chest. Any lower and my shoulders suffer.

[Nikonguy]

You probably already knew I'd answer this way...

According to USA PL Raw rules, if it doesn't touch the chest, it doesn't count, so I touch the chest every time.

*ding*ding*ding*


inbeforehypertrophywhores.jpeg

[Nikonguy]

All the way down. I was told in order to see results I have to have the full ROM. Am I doing it wrong?

no....but I'd venture to say your ROM is shorter than many of us.

[mr_ben]

i dont touch because i go down to my natural resting position. ( when lying on bench, try to see how far ur elbow go down naturally, imagining ure having the barbell, without straining ur back) That is how far i go down with the bar.

[rejones1976]

I know someone asked the question recently in another thread how far they should bring the bar down when they do barbell bench press.

A lot of people answered that the bar should be brought down as far as possible without incurring pain/injury to the shoulders.

I rarely, and I seriously mean rarely see anyone bench press at my gym and bring the bar down all the way. And this seems like a new phenomenon to me.

Just wondering what everyone else is doing. Not hating. Just curious.

Poll is anonymous, so feel free to vote and not post if you don't want to comment.

But I would like to read comments. I am here to learn, after all.

-=FLEX=-

I think I may have been the other guy who posted as I to see alot of guys whose bar never go below 6 inches from their chest. I asked the question as being quite tall with long arms it occured to me the distance the bar travels up and down is quite alot more if you do have longer arms and the leverage is also not as strong hence why the best bench presses I see in the gym tend to be shorter. My form wasn't right but after watching Dave Tates tutorial on youtube it got alot better. I touch the bar down to the middle of my chest and using Dave's advice of arching your back slighty burying your lats into the bench it raises that point of your chest up an inch or two and also gives you more focused power.

[Braindrop]

All the way, baby, all the way.

[DanielBeauchamp]

All the way down to the chest. Doesn't count in a meet unless it touches.

[graybeard]

Relatively new lifter, old, long arms, with one worn out shoulder from pitching. So, I probably only get down to ~ 1'' of my chest. Should I feel bad?

[Mr. Someday]

Always touched, but am open to hearing a valid reason not too. I know for behind-the-neck shoulder pressees I only come down to where my arms are at a 90 degree bend, or better put, my upper arm is parallel with the floor. Going below that point applies more stress to the triceps and less to the shoulders. I would think the same applies to a bench as well, no? However, I believe my arms are right around parallel to the floor when touching my chest though. For some, that may not be the case.

[Pauly-Walnuts]

I go about an inch of the chest, try to hold for a second and then push all the way up. I see the "rest the chest" or "bounce the chest" guys thinking they are the man and chuckle personally. I used to touch the chest but seem to get a better pump using my technique, learned if from a guy who was simply ............Jizzzzzzzzzzzz- ACKED! I had this dude at work like 5 years ago claim he could bench 225 for set of 5. He looked weak to me so I was like huh that's impressive (smaller guy). Then we worked out together, the lulz started. He would bounce the weight off his chest so hard I thought he was going to collapse a lung. I said lets try to not bounce it, 175 lbs was his correct bench weight.



What's with dudes not locking the elbows out on a bench anyway when going up. Since we are on benching for a topic.

[bad4ego]

I know someone asked the question recently in another thread how far they should bring the bar down when they do barbell bench press.

A lot of people answered that the bar should be brought down as far as possible without incurring pain/injury to the shoulders.

I rarely, and I seriously mean rarely see anyone bench press at my gym and bring the bar down all the way. And this seems like a new phenomenon to me.

Just wondering what everyone else is doing. Not hating. Just curious.

Poll is anonymous, so feel free to vote and not post if you don't want to comment.

But I would like to read comments. I am here to learn, after all.

-=FLEX=-

I "slightly" touch the bar to my chest and push up... unless I feel some shoulder pain on the way down (rarely coz I warm up well)