BB Bench Press

[ZeroWeiss]

Hi guys i have this doubt, i'm doing bench press and incline bench press at the GYM, and i see people driving their hips up and using their legs also, and then i see people doing withouth this hips and legs technique thing.


I wanna know which one is correct form, i have triend both, and what i notice is when i push my hips up and my legs, i get significantly during that lift in comparison if i wouldn't do it.



So what is correct form after all?

[sstein01]

Some people keep their legs up to isolate their chest. Whatever works for you

[k9pit]

It depends on your goals. There are 2 basic forms, powerlifting style and bodybuilding style.

Powerlifting style uses just about the whole body to help get the most amount of weight up (leg drive, excessive back arch, etc). You'll likely be able to move more weight doing PL style.
When you do Bodybuilding style the main point is to use the weight/load to grow your chest. You don't use leg drive or excessive back arch. You pinch your shoulders back slightly to put your chest at a mechanic advantage to be emphasized by the ROM of the lift however. You'll likely be able to move less weight BB style, but you'll be using your chest as the primary mover of the weight.

I do bodybuilding style as my main goal is to development my chest muscles.

[davisj3537]

I think OP is talking about people pulling their butt off the bench way up in the air to get more of a decline press. As long as your butt is ON the bench you are fine.

[Xuaxace]

It depends on your goals. There are 2 basic forms, powerlifting style and bodybuilding style.

Powerlifting style uses just about the whole body to help get the most amount of weight up (leg drive, excessive back arch, etc). You'll likely be able to move more weight doing PL style.
When you do Bodybuilding style the main point is to use the weight/load to grow your chest. You don't use leg drive or excessive back arch. You pinch your shoulders back slightly to put your chest at a mechanic advantage to be emphasized by the ROM of the lift however. You'll likely be able to move less weight BB style, but you'll be using your chest as the primary mover of the weight.

I do bodybuilding style as my main goal is to development my chest muscles.

I find it funny that people think that "excessive" arching is bad for chest development. I will give you leg drive, but thoracic arching is a godsend for bodybuilders.

Here is my reason, when you arch you back (properly), you will be able to to 1) pinch the shoulder blades even more 2), actually increase tension throughout the chest by increasing the distance betwee origin (abdominal/ sternal/ clavicular) and insertion (humerous) which is now further down by the greater retraction of the scapula. Combined, with the shorter ROM (which takes emphasis off the front delt, the chest becomes the absolute primary mover for the movement.

The main variable for weather you want to engage the lower fibers (abdominal head), sternal (middle), clavicular (upper) comes down to where in the chest you bring the bar, plain and simple.

I use my similar PL set up when I do my guilotine press, I put myself in a much safer position and emphasis is amazing. I barely incline nowdays.

[Chaosvash]

The main variable for weather you want to engage the lower fibers (abdominal head), sternal (middle), clavicular (upper) comes down to where in the chest you bring the bar, plain and simple.

Can you break this down, I'm a bit skeptical about this part.

[k9pit]

Here is my reason, when you arch you back (properly), you will be able to to 1) pinch the shoulder blades even more 2), actually increase tension throughout the chest by increasing the distance betwee origin (abdominal/ sternal/ clavicular) and insertion (humerous) which is now further down by the greater retraction of the scapula. Combined, with the shorter ROM (which takes emphasis off the front delt, the chest becomes the absolute primary mover for the movement.

The main variable for weather you want to engage the lower fibers (abdominal head), sternal (middle), clavicular (upper) comes down to where in the chest you bring the bar, plain and simple.

Duly noted, however when you're laying flat on the bench and you retract your scapula and pin your shoulder blades back (bb style), the back archs slightly naturally (at least mine does). To me proactively arching it anymore than that does allow for a shorter ROM and puts the chest at a more advantageous position (taking the shoulders out more), but for what it's worth I'd just do decline. Personally I try bringing the bar down using textbook form (nipple level) as far as bar path instead of placing it somewhere else as it can be rough on the shoulder joint IMO, but ymmv there.

As far as BB benching, it's all good either way if you are getting the most out of your training and keeping good shoulder health. We get used to how we do things that we feel are optimal to our training.

[magician27]

they are diffrent style, if you use your entire body you will be able to use more wweight if thats your goal. that doesnt mean your chest will get more load though. just please dont be one of those morons who do flat press on incline bench.

[OptimalHealth13]

it just depends on weather or not you want to be a powerlifter or a bodybuilder

[i666]

nice op.