Pause bench vs. TnG

[Ironface]

I’ve been developing sternum pain from hitting the same area on my chest over and over again on bench. I’m pretty sure it’s from bringing the bar down too fast (divebombing).

However, that form has always allowed me to make the best progress. Recently I’ve stopped doing it and instead started doing pause bench. I just can’t progress anywhere near as fast on it compared to TnG with a bit of a bounce. I’m also way weaker. I lose 20-30lbs on my work sets when I switch to paused.

I also don’t get as much of a pump with pause. What’s your guys’ experience with the two? I don’t compete in powerlifting, I just want to get bigger and stronger

[MyEgoProblem]

1-3ct Paused tshirt bench is (quite likely) the king in this situation.

Very little will build the same strength out of the bottom than this for most people. Especially for people who sink or bounce the bar.

It WILL be much lighter to start with, as you have no bottom rom control or real horsepower.

Bring the bar down under control
Hold the pause on the fibres of your tshirt
Count one - two
Explode up as hard as possible
Lockout
Repeat

Do this on a second day. Keep the tng in on another.

I will say a control light touch and go without the bounce is MUCH preferable to an ego sternum trampoline seen in most commercial gyms tho.. Ill add that "progressing faster" because you bounce it harder, isn't actually progression of strength or hyp, its just bouncing harder to lift more

[EiFit91]

I’ve been developing sternum pain from hitting the same area on my chest over and over again on bench. I’m pretty sure it’s from bringing the bar down too fast (divebombing).

However, that form has always allowed me to make the best progress. Recently I’ve stopped doing it and instead started doing pause bench. I just can’t progress anywhere near as fast on it compared to TnG with a bit of a bounce. I’m also way weaker. I lose 20-30lbs on my work sets when I switch to paused.

I also don’t get as much of a pump with pause. What’s your guys’ experience with the two? I don’t compete in powerlifting, I just want to get bigger and stronger

Does the sternum pain still occur or does it just happen when you do the conventional bench?

In my teens sternum pain from dips was the reason I stopped lifting, it can be so painful... I didn't take a break but tried to work around it and the pain would eventually be there for other movements as well. In retrospect I would have taken a full week off first, and then gradually started increasing my volume again while avoiding the movement that caused the pain.

I think I've read somewhere that a weak serratus anterior can be what leads to sternum pain during various pressing movements (dips being a common movement but can happen from bench press too). Don't know if that's relevant to you. I never get sternum pain anymore, but I train my serratus - and I never do dips anymore lol. I think in some cases (depending on the invididual body) overreliance on bench press may lead to underdeveloped serratus muscles which in turn can lead to sternum pain but I am mostly speculating...

[Ironface]

Does the sternum pain still occur or does it just happen when you do the conventional bench?

In my teens sternum pain from dips was the reason I stopped lifting, it can be so painful... I didn't take a break but tried to work around it and the pain would eventually be there for other movements as well. In retrospect I would have taken a full week off first, and then gradually started increasing my volume again while avoiding the movement that caused the pain.

I think I've read somewhere that a weak serratus anterior can be what leads to sternum pain during various pressing movements (dips being a common movement but can happen from bench press too). Don't know if that's relevant to you. I never get sternum pain anymore, but I train my serratus - and I never do dips anymore lol. I think in some cases (depending on the invididual body) overreliance on bench press may lead to underdeveloped serratus muscles which in turn can lead to sternum pain but I am mostly speculating...

The pain is superficial. It only happens when the bar makes contact with my chest. I’m pretty sure it’s bruised. Been benching for nearly a decade and it has only recently become an issue.

I’ve heard of the dips thing but I’m pretty sure that’s because some people aren’t anatomically built for dips.

[WolfRose7]

I would pause for a few blocks. And then go back and do better TnG without crashing the bar down from then. Possibly always keeping a 2 or 3ct in.

Personally I don't think I ever have a training block without at least a pause or pin variation and a TnG variation. At minimum. Often 2 of each, and I wouldn't change that for hype vs powerlifting goals.

Also for arguments sake and mindset. You're not that much weaker with a pause, you are fighting more tension rather than assisting the lfit with a bounce.
It's kind of like saying "I'm way weaker with a bench when I don't wear a bench shirt" like.. Yeah.. Because it's a harder lift without the extra assistance.

[air2fakie]

The pain is superficial. It only happens when the bar makes contact with my chest. I’m pretty sure it’s bruised. Been benching for nearly a decade and it has only recently become an issue.

You're prob whacking your sternum with a much heavier weight then you were years ago.

[GeneralSerpant]

20-30 lbs doesn't sound like too much.