How should I be setting up my safety straps and J-cups for the bench press?

[DeusPrime]

I can't figure out a few things:

1. When I am laying down on the bench, how high up should the bar / Jcups be above me?

2. How should I arrange my safety straps? (for when I fail a rep and need to bring the bar down safely) They have a bit of a dip in the middle so I am not sure where I am supposed to align what.

[mtownballer20]

If you're talking about the adjustable sides that are there in case you fail and can hold the weight for you. Put it just below your chest. So if you fail you barely have to roll it off.

[DeusPrime]

I use these:

roguefitness.com/rogue-monster-lite-safety-strap-hanger-sets

[mtownballer20]

Just set them up so if you fail, it'll catch the weight for you.

[DeusPrime]

Right but my question is how I am supposed to do this? When I set it up so it'll catch the weight, it also seems to be in the way if I do the normal bench. This makes me feel like I am setting up the straps improperly, or maybe I have bad straps? They "dip" in the middle.

[PeterGibbons316]

Set them up so that the bar hits the straps before it hits your stomach/neck, but when you arch your back to bench the bar hits your chest before it hits the straps.

There is typically a pretty small window where the works well, so you will need to play with it to get it just right.

[DeusPrime]

Set them up so that the bar hits the straps before it hits your stomach/neck, but when you arch your back to bench the bar hits your chest before it hits the straps.

There is typically a pretty small window where the works well, so you will need to play with it to get it just right.

Should I be "slanting" the straps at all? Putting the straps at my head higher than the straps on the foot-side?

[DeusPrime]

Can anyone tell me if the important distance to consider is the middle dip?

[nevergain]

You shold have an arch in your back as you bench, so your chest will be higher. When you fail a rep, flatten out and the straps should be there to catch the weight. Just use the bar and adjust till you find the right spot.