Touch chest during bench? Necessary?

[apsizzle2]

I touch chest everytime.
At the gym I go to though, there's a few people who hover ~2 inches above, but I don't dare say anything because they're well over 400+ bench and are bigger.

Then there's one guy who maxes like 220 but barely goes halfway down, who I just laugh at.

Is 1-2 inches above acceptable? As for me, touch every rep.

[LightingBrah94]

I dont like to come all the way down and touch I get shoulder pains.

[NYG]

I stop 2-3 inches short of touching my chest. hurts my shoulders to go any farther.

[BACCuS91]

Not even once

Chit range of motion on everything

[mrmk5110]

If you get shoulder pains while bench pressing you should be incorporating some rotator cuff training to help you out there.

[ibby1995]

always bounce bar off chest crew

[JBisGod]

If you get shoulder pains while bench pressing you should be incorporating some rotator cuff training to help you out there.

You should also learn how to bench properly.

[Parsons7]

hit chest when benching because i dont have a vagina crew

[Starkdragon]

basically what's been said. hurts some people's shoulders. i think it may be something to do with some people having longer limbs? might not be true though, in for responses also

[straightflexing]

I touch chest every time for last 10 years and i got a better chest than most...

[inb4mods]

You should also learn how to bench properly.

any tips on how to bench properly? my rotors cuffs and should blade would always hurt when doing decline

[mrmk5110]

You should also learn how to bench properly.

Fast assumption that they have chit bench form

[Crash49]

the bench you described is the equivalent of a quarter squat, but if it make your chest look better, and are not competing in powerlifting, who cares.

[Lewis345]

*Always pause on chest for 1-3 seconds then explode up crew checking in*

[LifeSurge]

My arms go to parallel and no lower.

[LightingBrah94]

Only manlets arms wont hurt if they touch their chest on bench.

*shoulders not arms

[4ea]

I touch chest everytime.
At the gym I go to though, there's a few people who hover ~2 inches above, but I don't dare say anything because they're well over 400+ bench and are bigger.

Then there's one guy who maxes like 220 but barely goes halfway down, who I just laugh at.

Is 1-2 inches above acceptable? As for me, touch every rep.

i agree, always, 100% down on every rep. same for incline and decline. i even try to go as low as possible on barbell military press.

[syth1230]

if you dont touch your chest during bench then youre not doing a bench press. Your just doing some sort of pressing movement instead.

Only manlets arms wont hurt if they touch their chest on bench.

no

[NYG]

hit chest when benching because i dont have a vagina crew

good luck with your fractured sternum goals of 2014.

[TheMeier]

Fast assumption that they have chit bench form

They probably do. Most people flare their elbows instead of tucking them. If you can't bench pain free you either have chit form or a serious prior injury.

[Airror]

Don't be a half repper. Just don't.

[ShadowBarkley]

Slow on the way down, barely touch chest, pop up.

numbers look bad 225x5 can barely get that 5th up if I even get it up.

[natypes]

I could be wrong, but I imagine the people with shoulder pain aren't pinching their shoulder blades together. Had shoulder problems forever and still do, but pinching my shoulder blades together helped me a lot. Also have recently switched to dumbbells and have had many more successful sessions without pain.

[JBisGod]

any tips on how to bench properly? my rotors cuffs and should blade would always hurt when doing decline

Check out the "so you can think you can bench" YouTube videos.

The way I think of it: retract your shoulder blades, arch your back, brace your whole body with your legs, externally rotate your elbows and shoulders ("bend the bar"). Your head, upper traps and butt should be the only points of contact with the bench. The bar should touch low or below your chest.

You want to avoid shoulder impingement and flaring elbows, which is where the rotator cuff pain comes from for most people.

[syth1230]

I could be wrong, but I imagine the people with shoulder pain aren't pinching their shoulder blades together. Had shoulder problems forever and still do, but pinching my shoulder blades together helped me a lot. Also have recently switched to dumbbells and have had many more successful sessions without pain.

pinch shoulder blades, arch the back, position the legs in a way to create tension = profit

[natypes]

pinch shoulder blades, arch the back, position the legs in a way to create tension = profit

coiled like a fuking cobra......bra

[Parsons7]

good luck with your fractured sternum goals of 2014.

yep okay you got me, everyone breaks their sternum when benching to their chest so no one should do it.


i only weight 95kg and bench 120kg for 4 reps (current PR) and have never suffered from any sternum pain, why is that? because i dont drop the bar on my chest like a moron

[Kev1972]

TFW extremely large breasted women have a huge advantage on the flat barbell bench press.

[Blowmahheadoff]

I touch with BB and DB's.

[Starkdragon]

i only use dumbbells but the dumbbells come down basically to nipple height either side of my chest, and i make sure my arms aren't flared out to side completely.

my gym buddy flares his arms out pretty much at right angle with his body when dumbbell pressing though, i've explained to him that he's doing it and he believes me but doesn't seem to be able to stop himself doing it, he thinks he's corrected it :S not much i can do short of moving his elbows around for him mid set and holding them in place though