Heres one im sure will have an argument

[TxFireRescue]

Ok been struggling with bench for awhile but I think I got something going cuz Im getting about 10lbs stronger every 2wks or so on it. But anyways...Im a big guy 6'3 320lbs about 25%bf...my max is around 360-375...my bench workout consists of 250lbs 3 sets of 6-8 with a warm-up set...total of 4sets...when I do these reps I never let the bar come to rest...it goes up moderately...never locking the arms and comes down moderately until my elbows are parrallel with my chest...never going below my chest....but this looks weird when i do it since my arms are pretty long...is this the correct way to it...and should I say f*** what everyone else thinks when they see me do this or should I go down all the way to my chest and all the way back up? Sorry if this is a stupid question...just wanted some opions. Thnx...guys

[stonecoldgt]

Well first off, don't look at what a lot of people do at the gym, because most of it is really wrong. I can't stand how some people bounce the bar off their chest like a spring. That can only lead to a potential injury. I always followed the book of full range of motion. I think this one just comes up to what you feel works for you. I also have long arms, but i dont really care about what weight i put up as long as i see my muscle developing and i'm using my full range of motion. I really concentrate on contracting my muscle while lifting. For one week i would try to lower the weight and try going to about half an inch above your chest and see how it feels. Even if you have to drop weight on your bench, you might find that in the long run you will see better gains from it. Hope this helps some and you figure out what works best for you.

[Mr Lee]

Lower the bar down all the way, you'll benefit better from the full range of motion.

[TxFireRescue]

Ok...so going all the way down with my elbows 6 to 8 in below my back would not cause other muscles to kick in when I lift the bar back up ie. front delts?

[R-bean]

I have the same problem. My arms are long and my bench sucks. Ive always brought the bar to my chest. But I tried something different two weeks ago. I brought the weight all the way down for the first rep, and then only half way (but enough to feel stimulation) for the next rep. My bench went up the following week. I cant wait to see what next week will be like.

[Defiant1]

First, "long arms" are only a disadvantage when it comes to weights used. They are an advantage when it comes to torso development. Short armed guys usually have a harder time hitting their torso muscles.

I would suggest going all the way down to chest level to work the chest. Not locking out is ok because the chest is most active in the lower 2/3 of the movement.

Working the muscle and moving the weights are two different things.

Example: If I said "My squats are not working so I stopped doing full squats and now do 1/4 squats and all my weights are going up YIPPEE!!" You would see the obvious error of my ways.

[W8isGR8]

First, "long arms" are only a disadvantage when it comes to weights used. They are an advantage when it comes to torso development. Short armed guys usually have a harder time hitting their torso muscles.

I would suggest going all the way down to chest level to work the chest. Not locking out is ok because the chest is most active in the lower 2/3 of the movement.

Working the muscle and moving the weights are two different things.

Example: If I said "My squats are not working so I stopped doing full squats and now do 1/4 squats and all my weights are going up YIPPEE!!" You would see the obvious error of my ways.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[Kane Fan]

something seems wrong
your max is 350 but you do sets of 250 for 6-8
that's only 70% of your 1RM
I think you'd be better off not doing the keep the bar moving constantly thing
do a rep as a full rep lockout and all

[HealthFreak]

full reps are the way to go! your not hitting all the possible fibers when you only go part way down.

[TxFireRescue]

Ok then let me ask the people who say full reps are the way to go...are you long armed or shorted armed? Because this is just in the past few months Ive noticed this, and this may be just working for me but, since I have started not going all the way down Ive had noticeable gains in my bench then before when I was going all the way down, before when I went all the way down my shoulders were sore, specifically my front delts, and my triceps seem to be getting more a workout then my chest.

[TxFireRescue]

something seems wrong
your max is 350 but you do sets of 250 for 6-8
that's only 70% of your 1RM
I think you'd be better off not doing the keep the bar moving constantly thing
do a rep as a full rep lockout and all

Is there something wrong with that? and I mean that in a serious question should I be doing more...because using 250lbs for 3 sets of 8 is about all I can do...I cant do much more.

[TxFireRescue]

First, "long arms" are only a disadvantage when it comes to weights used. They are an advantage when it comes to torso development. Short armed guys usually have a harder time hitting their torso muscles.

I would suggest going all the way down to chest level to work the chest. Not locking out is ok because the chest is most active in the lower 2/3 of the movement.

Working the muscle and moving the weights are two different things.

Example: If I said "My squats are not working so I stopped doing full squats and now do 1/4 squats and all my weights are going up YIPPEE!!" You would see the obvious error of my ways.

Appreciate it...that actually clears up some of it...well most of it. The reason I brought this question up was because Im not making any gains on bench, Ive had some but not anywhere near the punishment I have put my self through for the gains, and someone had mentioned that its possible the farther I go down especially with long arms the more possible it is that Im using excessory muscles. But reps for you bro

[Dibatista]

I realy dont ever understand the theory behind a guy with a torso 15 inchs off the mat having to go down as far as a guy with a 30 inch torso?

I dunno personaly i have always been able to lift more and get better gains in bench by coming down about an inch before touching my chest. I know full range of motion=full devolopment, but im not so sure thats the case when it comes to bench...

[AssToGrass]

http://www.hardgainer.com/articles/insidersnumber3.html

I think you'll like this.

You should pick up the book:

http://www.hardgainer.com/insiders.html

or at Amazon.

[R-bean]

http://www.hardgainer.com/articles/insidersnumber3.html

I think you'll like this.

You should pick up the book:

http://www.hardgainer.com/insiders.html

or at Amazon.

Notice how low his elbows go down. My elbows go about 3 inches farther, which puts strain on my shoulders. If I were to bring the bar to the point where my elbows were as parallel as his, I can bench more weight, more easily, and still feel the stimulation. Long arms suck.

[TxFireRescue]

http://www.hardgainer.com/articles/insidersnumber3.html

I think you'll like this.

You should pick up the book:

http://www.hardgainer.com/insiders.html

or at Amazon.

Bout to say that doesnt prove anything other then my point...he is going to where his arms are parrallel with his chest...but like I said this was going to start an argument...and I think Ill just try different things out and figure out what works best for me.