confused about bench press grip

[porky little keg]

Not asking too much at all tanker... I'm always happy to help.

Here at 1:00 and 1:30 you can see Dave Hoff setting up in a high arch: Dave Hoff SPF Luke Edwards Benefit - YouTube

This really breaks it down. The only part he does that not everyone should do is tucking his feet back under him when he sets up.... most guys do better with their feet out wide because 1-it's more stable and 2- most guys aren't that flexible.... Monster Garage Gym: Bench Press Set-Up Tutorial - YouTube

And for the raw guys... here is one of the best raw lifters I know setting up the same..... want to talk about freak genetics, that's his dad lifting off for him..... Eric Lilliebridge- 530lbs raw bench, 19 y/o @ 260lbs - YouTube


The last video is probably the best place to start because he is lifting shirtless you can see how he's setting up better.....

 

[tanker_67]

Ok. I mean I have my bench to 400, but my back is practically flat on the bench, my feet flat out from my body. So basically you want to arch your back like crazy, but still have your shoulders and your butt touching? then you want to have your legs tucked under your body a bit, but your toes still flatish on the ground? Is that a fairly accurate description as to what I should take?

OH and question. In that setup, is that a legal lift in powerlifting?

 

[Vick]

For me when the bar touches my chest I like my forearms straight up, not in or out.

 

[porky little keg]

Ok. I mean I have my bench to 400, but my back is practically flat on the bench, my feet flat out from my body. So basically you want to arch your back like crazy, but still have your shoulders and your butt touching? then you want to have your legs tucked under your body a bit, but your toes still flatish on the ground? Is that a fairly accurate description as to what I should take?

OH and question. In that setup, is that a legal lift in powerlifting?

That's pretty close. You want your shoulders tucked back and down ( like pinching your scapulae together), traps and butt on the bench, as big of an arch as you can get, and your belly blown out as far as you can. The idea is to tuck your shoulders ( pulling arms back which shortens ROM and keeps shoulders healthy) and do everything else for a reduced ROM..... this is perfectly legal in all powerlifting federations, the only difference being in the IPF you must bench to your sternum or chest and in the other feds you can touch the bar to the highest point on your belly.
As for the position of your feet.... some guys tuck them back and under to help them arch more, some guys set up with their feet out wide and in front of them ( knees a few degrees straighter than 90* from the floor).... which one you pick depends on 2 things.
1- if you are even flexible enough to tuck back under ( I'm not)
2 - which one gives you better leg drive.
2a- from the point you take the bar out of the racks you should be driving your legs. If you have your feet back, your toes will be on the floor and you will be trying to drive your heels down. If you set up with your feet out you'll have your feet flat and will be trying to push your feet straight through the toes of your shoes.

 

[tanker_67]

Ok sweeeeetness. I have chest day today, so imma experiment some with a lower weight to see what I like, and then move heavier. Thanks! I'll update you with which foot position I go with! Thanks a ton man! I really wanna get my bench over 500 and I think this will really help!

 

[tanker_67]

Ok, First thing I noticed is that I have been naturally (perhaps taught early on) doing almost everything that you said, but not quite as specific, if that makes sense? Its almost like early on in my lifting someone taught me how to lift right, but over the years I've let my form slip. Thats the best way I can explain it. So I made sure to precisely get everything like you said. I like tucking my feet back, but at a point where my feet are flat. I don't like them out straight because I tend to completely lift my butt off the bench, but with them tucked back but not quite on the tip toes completely, I keep my butt on the bench, but I can get that kind of flex through my back, butt, and shoulders that it takes to get the good motion. I had the best lift of the summer today. So lets just say I'm stoked! Thank you so much Porky, you helped out a TON man. Props!

 

[porky little keg]

glad to hear it, man.... congrats on the PR

 

[newbie]

the grip is ok now - :apopcorn-pops:my none impressing 215 bench @ 227 today - after I continued with smaller weight on the machine
sometimes I want to grip the light on the celing with my eyes - even in the tanning bed sometimes. :261:

 

[tanker_67]

I have no idea what you are saying....... But ok man. lol.

 

[newbie]

I eat too much, I hope I can sleep with a hunger now.
In my gym they told me the bar's weight is 17.5 kilo and I had 80 kilo weights on it - that was working fine one time. After that I changed to a machine (where you have the trizeps exercises? and) you sit infront of the grip. You push horizontally - it looks like this

i think I made 80 with 30 kilos - I always count up to 20 - sometimes I stop at 19, here I added some:
25 / 44 / 22

yes, and the light on the ceiling is attracting my eyes in a strange way - I look into the neon light above when doing bench presses - but it's getting less annoying - I can look somewhere else

 

[SFGiants]

You don't count the bar weight on a machine like that just the pin plates.

 

[tanker_67]

why are your reps so high?