Lifting butt off the bench on bench press max?

[tjones21]

I look like I should be really strong, yet I am 180 pounds and my bench press max is 185. Normally when I bench I try to use all chest, but when I max I just push as hard as I can. I saw a pretty small guy today doing ~250 with ease today and he was pushing really hard with his legs and his butt was off the bench a few inches. Is this the way I should be doing it when I MAX? I know your suppose to push with your legs, but does this mean your butt should be airborne? I couldn't find this in any of the articles... thanks in advance.

[bignpisst]

No keep yer ass down

[adidamps2]

ass down but you can arch back

[dbcb314]

pushing your butt off the bench is a good way to hurt your back. it is also illegal in competition. people do it because they can lift more weight and make themselves feel better about themselves. dont be one of those dousches

[AHTTG]

pushing your butt off the bench is a good way to hurt your back. it is also illegal in competition. people do it because they can lift more weight and make themselves feel better about themselves. dont be one of those dousches

Yea STFU whatever.

I had an awesome day benching yesterday... pulled a hammie but it's all good.

[tjones21]

I'm not doing any competitions and I just want to hit 200 (15 pounds to go) and I'll be satisfied.

[Stu Pidasso]

Picking your ass up off the bench during a benchpress is like leaning back during a barbell curl or kicking your legs and swinging during a pullup. If you do not do the weight clean during an excercise then you do not do it. There is not grey area. You are either right or wrong. If you are going to cheat you might as well do a deadlift while standing on the flat bench and call that a bench press.

[Dominik]

I'm not doing any competitions and I just want to hit 200 (15 pounds to go) and I'll be satisfied.

Not only does it look totally f'd up, is dangerous, and cheating in PL, but you're training yourself to use bad form to lift more weight which is a road to nowhere because you won't be lifting more when you're injured.

Learn to lift properly and be more patient. Aside from a few clueless morons, nobody is going to respect your "200" with garbage form and in case you haven't noticed, more people hurt themselves doing bench than on any other exercise.

[jmonty]

^ what dominik said.

if you listen to your ego your body will most likely suffer. good form > than 'big' weight. with attention to detail, soon you'll be lifting way more than 200 for reps.

to help tame your ego i suggest doing incline bb and dips, weighted if necessary, on chest day.

[HoosierBoy]

Why would you max out with different form than you usually lift with, unless you're competing? If you're trying to guage your strength in a movement to determine your working weights, it makes no sense to transform it into another exercise.

(Personally I don't see the point in maxing out unless you're a competitive weightlifter or powerlifter, but whatever.)

[powerlifter70]

You can still use the leg drive and keep you ass on the bench...just put your feet out a little further and you should be able to keep it on the bench.

[$AJ]

bum ALWAYS remains fixed on bench, regalrdess of maxing or not

[Stu Pidasso]

Scope this out...

When you arch your back and buck your hips, (lift butt off of bench) you change the angle of your torso allowing most of the weight to go to the lower pecs. Try taking a piece of 4" diameter PVC pipe that is as long as your lower back is wide. Lay it on the bench then get in the bench press position with it under your back. Practice with the bar only and get used to this feel. Once you get your back muscles accustomed to this you will have no problem arching your back and keeping your butt on the bench. Also if you are short like me you may need to place some 45's or what ever under your feet when pressing. You are allowed to arch the back all you want as long as the but and feet stay in contact with the bench and floor.

[A-rod]

Why would you max out with different form than you usually lift with, unless you're competing? If you're trying to guage your strength in a movement to determine your working weights, it makes no sense to transform it into another exercise.

(Personally I don't see the point in maxing out unless you're a competitive weightlifter or powerlifter, but whatever.)

He is maxing out prolly because he feels weak and wants to gain strength as well as size , it does make sense but people shoulnt be maxing out too often on the same exercise .

[DieHollywoodDie]

just go to a damn weight that you feel is right. numbers don't matter, since i think you're not a powerlifter. get over it, there's always going to be someone smaller than you benching more than you can, doing most any exercise you can with more weight than you can.


orrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...in addition bench press isn't all about chest. the top portion uses a ton of tricep.

i stopped doing barbell bench. my chest is my weak area and i bench about 240, however i decided i'm doing dumbell press only from now on. it allows you to notice any difference in strength in your pectoral region or in your tricep (duh some tricep is involved) and makes it so you're not pushing with one side more than the other.

[RollTide1]

keep the butt down and hold your form. If you are into bodybuilding then hold your form and think about the muscle. Too much emphasis put on weight....

[MoGeaYuglay]

just go to a damn weight that you feel is right. numbers don't matter, since i think you're not a powerlifter. get over it, there's always going to be someone smaller than you benching more than you can, doing most any exercise you can with more weight than you can.


orrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...in addition bench press isn't all about chest. the top portion uses a ton of tricep.

i stopped doing barbell bench. my chest is my weak area and i bench about 240, however i decided i'm doing dumbell press only from now on. it allows you to notice any difference in strength in your pectoral region or in your tricep (duh some tricep is involved) and makes it so you're not pushing with one side more than the other.

Bodybuilding is a catch 22: Numbers shouldn't matter, but you need to progress frequently to make your workouts workwhile to make you grow larger than last time's workout.

[DieHollywoodDie]

Bodybuilding is a catch 22: Numbers shouldn't matter, but you need to progress frequently to make your workouts workwhile to make you grow larger than last time's workout.

indeed, however, you don't need to progress in weight lifting. if your arms go from 16 1/4" to 16 1/2" then those are numbers you can pay attention to, otherwise go to the PL section besides, if you're lifting heavy enough, you should be getting bigger if you do everything else right, and as you get bigger you will get at least SOME strength gain, and thus weight being lifted doesnt really matter as long as its heavy enough but not too heavy.

[MoGeaYuglay]

indeed, however, you don't need to progress in weight lifting. if your arms go from 16 1/4" to 16 1/2" then those are numbers you can pay attention to, otherwise go to the PL section besides, if you're lifting heavy enough, you should be getting bigger if you do everything else right, and as you get bigger you will get at least SOME strength gain, and thus weight being lifted doesnt really matter as long as its heavy enough but not too heavy.

Well, one can eat so much and so well, and lift so much weight before they stagnate. You need to challenge the body in order to grow larger. Powerlifters are proof of this, yes they are numbers chasers, but they have alot of muscle to show for this. I've seen powerlifters diet down and blow away guys at bodybuilding competitions. You can curl 25lbs for a given rep range, but if you are still curling 25lbs same time next year with that same rep range, your arms are not going to be any bigger unless you've increased the weight to some degree.

[$AJ]

weeeeeeeeeeeee

[Vietgoboi]

AHHH find ur Max. Get a Spotter. AND USE aLL U CAN!!! GO CRazy ! find ur max and then do 10 8 6 4 2 =p every week and increase bit by bit.

[TN_WORKOUT]

AHHH find ur Max. Get a Spotter. AND USE aLL U CAN!!! GO CRazy ! find ur max and then do 10 8 6 4 2 =p every week and increase bit by bit.

Yeah, I busted through a recent platuea by going real heavy for just a few reps. I did 4 to 5 sets of 2 to 3 reps.