Benchpressing bar form frusteration

[xXGreenXx90]

Hey,

It's my second day at the gym bench pressing. I can't figure out if I have proper form. I mostly feel it in my back, shoulders and abs. It's very difficult for me to keep abs flexed the whole time while keeping shoulder blades tight and pulled back. It seems like no matter how much I focus on keeping shoulders back I end up forgetting to keep them pressed together. I also have a habit of raising/tensing shoulders up., perhaps from bad posture.



I met this really cool guy that seems like he knows what he is doing, who is helping me on form. He says my form is good and had me add 20lbs. It felt fine but again I didn't feel it in my chest, when I got home my back was just really sore.

He told me I didn't need to flex abs and to focus on chest w/ shoulders back and relax everything else.

Everyone online is telling me to flex abs, push into ground with feet.

Can anyone clear this up. Really want to get more confident with my form so I can add more weight.

[TolerantLactose]

I met this really cool guy that seems like he knows what he is doing, who is helping me on form.

...

He told me I didn't need to flex abs and to focus on chest w/ shoulders back and relax everything else.

He doesn't know what he's talking about. It's only your second day at the gym benching. It took me 2 weeks at my gym before I figured out where the 2.5lb plates were.

[jademonkey]

I've never tried to flex my abs in any exercise except direct abs work.

Imo you can relax everything else for a while while you learn the movement and don't have much weight on the bar. You'll probably have your back tight but shouldn't have to think about it much unless you are really bad with muscular coordination. Eventually you'll probably want to use legs also to hold an arch (really they just keep you in place) and everything has to get really tight for a stable base. Not like flexing abs though.

[WolfRose7]

need a video, but great benching will always hammer your upper back from tightening it throughout all the sets

sounds like you are doing well

And I don't agree with relaxing anything, thats not how we lift, no point learning it the wrong way and having to relearn it later

[xXGreenXx90]

need a video, but great benching will always hammer your upper back from tightening it throughout all the sets

sounds like you are doing well

And I don't agree with relaxing anything, thats not how we lift, no point learning it the wrong way and having to relearn it later

Thanks! That solves why I'm feeling it in my back.

I didn't explain this too well above but found this comment on Youtube which is exactly what I'm struggling with.

"When I press with retracted scapula I cannot stretch out my arms fully. Meaning my range of motion is very limited if I keep my scapula retracted till the very end. My shoulder will move up/forward eventually till the end, there is no stopping. Only if I stop the movement very early and my arms are still bend in mid pressing"

Any ideas?

[air2fakie]

Any ideas?

Retracting your scapula doesn't prevent you from fully extending your arms. Go lighter and practice until you get the form down.

[xXGreenXx90]

Retracting your scapula doesn't prevent you from fully extending your arms. Go lighter and practice until you get the form down.

What I'm feeling then is probably normal. Squeezing my shoulders even with no weight, I feel that my back is not as tight when I extend my arms, even though my shoulders remain pulled back.

Thanks for the response.

[air2fakie]

What I'm feeling then is probably normal. Squeezing my shoulders even with no weight, I feel that my back is not as tight when I extend my arms, even though my shoulders remain pulled back.

You're probably overthinking the whole scapular retraction thing - while some ppl prefer to do so, you really don't have to squeeze your shoulder blades together like a madman.

Just think about retracting them a bit but more driving/pressing them into the bench, forming a slight arch. That might help w/ the whole arms fully extended thing.

[TolerantLactose]

Thanks! That solves why I'm feeling it in my back.

I didn't explain this too well above but found this comment on Youtube which is exactly what I'm struggling with.

"When I press with retracted scapula I cannot stretch out my arms fully. Meaning my range of motion is very limited if I keep my scapula retracted till the very end. My shoulder will move up/forward eventually till the end, there is no stopping. Only if I stop the movement very early and my arms are still bend in mid pressing"

Any ideas?

You're trying to move the bar through your arms' range of motion. You're not trying to move the bar through your arms plus shoulders' range of motion.

[PurmaBulker1984]

I've been benching since 8th grade. Still have things to work on. See if you can get some in person coaching as well as watch some good videos. And practice 2-3 times a week.

[xXGreenXx90]

I've been benching since 8th grade. Still have things to work on. See if you can get some in person coaching as well as watch some good videos. And practice 2-3 times a week.

Always stuff to learn/work on! Will do. Thanks bro

This video is great: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Mbr55h3BeQ

Could you give me some advice on something you learned more recently?

[WolfRose7]

Will do you one better for videos.

https://youtu.be/EHx1gYTA-Rw

Series is gold

[xXGreenXx90]

Will do you one better for videos.

https://youtu.be/EHx1gYTA-Rw

Series is gold

Watched them all, Great videos!