[Bench] Bar bounces off chest?

[FiveKey]

Some guy was giving me a long lecture while I was benching today about how if the bar bounces off my chest when I bench, I'm doing it wrong. Is it true? I just can't help it.. my chest is elastic.

Of course, I was kidding about it being elastic, but isn't the bounce really caused by my own efforts but rather than somehow my flesh being rubbery enough to impart kinetic energy into the Olympic bar, thus lowering the amount of work that I do using my muscles?

[MercTime]

Some guy was giving me a long lecture while I was benching today about how if the bar bounces off my chest when I bench, I'm doing it wrong. Is it true? I just can't help it.. my chest is elastic.

Of course, I was kidding about it being elastic, but isn't the bounce really caused by my own efforts but rather than somehow my flesh being rubbery enough to impart kinetic energy into the Olympic bar, thus lowering the amount of work that I do using my muscles?

Why would you ever purposely lower the amount of work your muscles are doing?

[BenW22]

Don't let it bounce, that's cheating. It can also be dangerous. Do your best to touch your chest and push. If you're bouncing, lower the weight.

[basejester]

Some guy was giving me a long lecture while I was benching today about how if the bar bounces off my chest when I bench, I'm doing it wrong. Is it true? I just can't help it.. my chest is elastic.

You can help it by controlling the speed of the descent.

Of course, I was kidding about it being elastic, but isn't the bounce really caused by my own efforts but rather than somehow my flesh being rubbery enough to impart kinetic energy into the Olympic bar, thus lowering the amount of work that I do using my muscles?

I can't parse this sentence.

You can't bounce in powerlifting because it's against the rules.
You shouldn't bounce in bodybuilding or athletic training because it's dangerous and doesn't make you stronger or bigger.

[HawkLifter55]

Some guy was giving me a long lecture while I was benching today about how if the bar bounces off my chest when I bench, I'm doing it wrong. Is it true? I just can't help it.. my chest is elastic.

Of course, I was kidding about it being elastic, but isn't the bounce really caused by my own efforts but rather than somehow my flesh being rubbery enough to impart kinetic energy into the Olympic bar, thus lowering the amount of work that I do using my muscles?

You my friend are thinking to much. You are bouncing it because you are letting it drop freely to a point and then trying to "bounce" it off your chest with the energy it got from dropping quickly...yes it is cheating...but some people just do it that way...You will eventually be in pain and break something however...

[Farley1324]

Lower with control, touch shirt/chest, extend arms. Do this with your ass on the bench and nobody else touching the bar. That is a bench press

[nsiegel5]

The only one you are cheating is yourself.
#1 its just plain stupid
#2 it can be dangerous eventually youll bust a rib or blow out a shoulder
#3 your muscles arent working as hard

Lower the bar in a controlled manner touch your chest and explode up, try doing pin presses from the power rack or floor presses, it will change the way you look at benching.

[randyyle]

Bouncing the bar of the chest could lead to injuries and plus its cheating since your controlling the weight. You are also using the momemtum of the bounce.

[PeterGibbons316]

Just like when you squat, you want to let your muscles rebound at the bottom of the rep. Bouncing the bar off your chest though is bad and only cheats yourself. So as soon as the bar touches your chest, allow the stretch in your muscles to rebound and drive the weight back up. There is no need to pause at the bottom unless you are competing.

[chinesemuscle]

Some guy was giving me a long lecture while I was benching today about how if the bar bounces off my chest when I bench, I'm doing it wrong. Is it true? I just can't help it.. my chest is elastic.

Of course, I was kidding about it being elastic, but isn't the bounce really caused by my own efforts but rather than somehow my flesh being rubbery enough to impart kinetic energy into the Olympic bar, thus lowering the amount of work that I do using my muscles?

it's not your flesh that's rubbery, it's your rib cage, it's made to act like a spring otherwise every football player would have no ribs left. With that being said, a slight bounce is ok as long as you're not dropping the weight completely. I rather see someone bounce the bar off their chest a little bit than people who lower the bar 5 inches and then go back up.

[KelvinSwole]

Why would you ever purposely lower the amount of work your muscles are doing?

notsureifsrs

So many bad answers here. Let's take two extremes. You have zero bounce, and you have a lot of bounce. The problem with the first is that it's unnatural and if you want to start with 0 elastic energy, you should be doing floor presses. Even after waiting a second, 33% of the elastic energy is still there. Waiting any longer than that is going to fatigue you and negatively effect your workout. The problem with too much bounce is that you're going to gradually, without even knowing it, keep adding more bounce. When you use heavy enough weight, the bar can damage your chest if you descent too fast or if it's too heavy, or both. It also doesn't really work the muscles well if all you're doing is bouncing.

A healthy medium is best. If you're not training to be a powerlifter, you shouldn't be concerned about some bouncing. It will help with the rebound and build explosive energy. Touch your shirt/chest just barely and immediately push the bar upwards.

[KelvinSwole]

it's not your flesh that's rubbery, it's your rib cage, it's made to act like a spring otherwise every football player would have no ribs left.

Who told you this? Did you come up with this yourself? What you just said is plain ridiculous. The reason there is a bounce is that is a natural movement that makes lifting easier. The squat and overhead press have a bounce as well. It's caused by a stretch reflex in your muscles that stores potential energy as you lower the bar.

[My_Legacy]

It shouldn't be bouncing...but it should touch lightly

[Jrahe42]

if you aren't competing for a sport, do whatever you want.

[BrianLy]

I have experience this before and I left myself a red line.

[Ironlife]

Nothing wrong with a good bounce.

It is personal preference really.

[chrisboudreaux]

if you aren't competing for a sport, do whatever you want.

Nothing wrong with a good bounce.

It is personal preference really.

^these dudes is correct. listen to them.

[FiveKey]

Whoa whoa! I just got back from work and I see so many responses. I don't want it to bounce, but for some reason it seems to do so. I'm guessing that I'm not lowering it slowly enough right before it touches my chest? Thanks for all the replies guys! I was mainly wondering whether a slight bounce truly taxes from the total workout that I could be getting or if a little bounce is nothing to worry about.

[foxreaper318]

You should be fine as long as you aren't using your chest as a trampoline for the weights...

I try to lower it slowly and control it, touch the bar to my chest, then explode up as fast as possible.
It may not be the best for trying to impress someone with the amount of weight you have on the bar, but it gives me the best workout I have had and I've noticed an increase in muscle strength, size, and endurance in a very short amount of time.

[Ironlife]

You should be fine as long as you aren't using your chest as a trampoline for the weights...

Lulz

[JOHN GARGANI]

I am always in control of the weight as it lowers, so, although it TOUCHES the chest, it does not forcibly bounce....letting the weight drop fast in benching is a scary practice, for sure and could mean you are using too much weight or simply not concentrating and focusing on the movement....

when you are in control in a bench press, the weight should NEVER fly down at any significant rate of speed....

[boroboy]

as long as you're going down to your chest and raising it, you are training your chest still. Even if you raised your @rse off the bench to lift it you are still hitting your chest.

The problem i have with bouncing and other techniques though is that they are a safety risk. When you are hitting heavier weights and bouncing it (i mean almost using momentum in the chest to get it up) then it poses a safety risk; it is going to hurt over time. The weights i'm using for presses i wouldn't dare smack of my chest in fear of injury (even when i'm in a plateau).

as i said, you are still working your chest when you bounce it. However i wouldn't recommend you continue to do it if you wish to come out of the exercise pain free over time

[BombDonald]

as long as you're going down to your chest and raising it, you are training your chest still. Even if you raised your @rse off the bench to lift it you are still hitting your chest.

The problem i have with bouncing and other techniques though is that they are a safety risk. When you are hitting heavier weights and bouncing it (i mean almost using momentum in the chest to get it up) then it poses a safety risk; it is going to hurt over time. The weights i'm using for presses i wouldn't dare smack of my chest in fear of injury (even when i'm in a plateau).

as i said, you are still working your chest when you bounce it. However i wouldn't recommend you continue to do it if you wish to come out of the exercise pain free over time

Had to read it a couple times, but good post.

[PeterGibbons316]

How about this - you can let the bar bounce a little, but there should never be a point where the force being applied to the bar by your hands is zero.

[400Lb Gorilla]

I am always in control of the weight as it lowers, so, although it TOUCHES the chest, it does not forcibly bounce....letting the weight drop fast in benching is a scary practice, for sure and could mean you are using too much weight or simply not concentrating and focusing on the movement....

when you are in control in a bench press, the weight should NEVER fly down at any significant rate of speed....

no surprise here but John has pretty much nailed it. touch and go is the preferred way for most people. helps keep tension where it should be anyway. a pause at the bottom is more of a powerlifting technique since in a PL meet a slight pause is required