Bench Press height issue.....feet can't touch floor.

[Sfatalis]

I'm really short. 5'2.5"

Everyone tells me to plant the feet flat on the floor, but surprisingly (or perhaps not), my heels can't completely touch the floor!

Is it really a big issue? I was just afraid I'd lose any kind of leverage from planting the feet flat and It'd become some kind of core exercise.

[mille695]

Does your gym have those aerobics platform things?

[XtremeOCD]

Are you in it for hypertrophy or in it to be a powerlifter? From what I've gathered, it seems powerlifters bench slightly differently than those in it for hypertrophy. If you take a look at Dave Tate's bench pressing video's on youtube which seems geared more towards powerlifting, you can go with either a flat foot bench press or on your tippy toes which seems emphasized more than the former as the object is to try and press your heels into the ground which subsequently kinda forces you to use legs more in the exercise to help push the weight so if you can tippy toe, then watch the video (which I can locate for you if you like) and use that method. Otherwise you could use some plates (barbel plates) and stack them under your feet to elevate. I've actually read that the less you use your legs to drive the bar, the more your muscles get worked that you are actually targeting in the lift, but not sure if that is 100% accurate.

GL!

[XtremeOCD]

Darn it...Either it was @ 4:50 or 5:50 in the clip he mentions on the toes and trying to dig your heel in that I just mentioned. Either way, here is the video. Hope it helps some http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QnwAoesJvQ

[St1tcher]

If you want your feet planted on the floor I would suggest getting box platforms that you can put at the ends of the bench so that your feet can remain flat.

[CanadianEric]

Your feet need to be firmly planted. I am 5'6"" and what I do is put 45lb plates on the ground and that's just enough to give me a firm platform. You might need to put a stack of two plates. Try it, it makes a huge difference to have a firm ground.

[Sfatalis]

OCD, I'm going for hypertrophy, mostly visible gains right now.

And the idea of putting plates on the floor sounds fantastic. I'll try it.

Just to clarify to everyone though, my heels do touch the floor, just not as flat-firm as a person 5'4" or taller.

[XtremeOCD]

OCD, I'm going for hypertrophy, mostly visible gains right now.

And the idea of putting plates on the floor sounds fantastic. I'll try it.

Just to clarify to everyone though, my heels do touch the floor, just not as flat-firm as a person 5'4" or taller.

I'm 5ft 6 in and have to tippy toe to reach the floor when benching. My bench is a little high for me as well for flat bench. If I'm doing incline's, my foot is flat.

[SportzBrah]

Plyo boxes are ideal.

My feet can reach the floor but I prefer to have my feet slightly elevated and on a flat surface, I feel it keeps my back in a better position.

[CanadianEric]

OCD, I'm going for hypertrophy, mostly visible gains right now.

And the idea of putting plates on the floor sounds fantastic. I'll try it.

Just to clarify to everyone though, my heels do touch the floor, just not as flat-firm as a person 5'4" or taller.

Even if your heels touch, your entire leg needs to be firmly planted. In a weird way BB is a total body exercise in that the legs, back and abs all act as stabilizers and the chest, arms and shoulders do the lifting. Your lifts will suffer if you take the lower body stabilization out of the equation.

[ZoranM]

Your lifts will suffer if you take the lower body stabilization out of the equation.

But your chest may benefit. Another weirdness ey?

[JOHN GARGANI]

ummmmmm.....use a lower bench?.............nobody suggested this? lol....