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Do you touch the bar to your chest when you bench?

PozzSka

PozzSka

Senior Member
Sep 15, 2010
189
0
It's illegal not to touch the chest in PL competition. So unless I am purposefully training lock out strength, I always touch. On heavy singles or doubles, I'll actually pause like in PL comp.
 
cyto33

cyto33

MuscleHead
Sep 15, 2010
346
2
i need to keep the elbows at 90 if i pass it down past to make the chest i have to much pain.
 
I

IBT

Member
Sep 15, 2010
39
4
Always touch, I tried keeping it an inch or so off but felt weird and actually put more strain on my elbows and shoulders.
 
R

ragamuffin

Member
Sep 10, 2010
64
3
As said, an old PLer myself, I always touch. No bounce, just a slight pause.
 
niko

niko

Member
Sep 16, 2010
10
0
Been lifting for 20+yrs have always touched my chest but with strong firm control. Never bounce did that once when i was 16 thought i broke my sternum. To those of you that have pain did you try a closer grip (shoulder width)? I will not go any wider than this for obvious risk of injury. 20 years and counting so far so good.
 
cahemdue

cahemdue

Member
Sep 17, 2010
29
0
I make my elbows at 90 degrees and then go back up. on flat benching i watch it closely that's where most shoulder injuries happen I've read in relation to the bench. I don't incline much, I use dumbbells there. on decline it's the same thing with my 90 elbows. I feel my chest the most without a lockout or pause at the bottom and that's what is important to me.
 
pux888

pux888

MuscleHead
Oct 1, 2010
1,256
65
Thought Id bump this back up for some more discussion...
 
jdjack

jdjack

MuscleHead
Sep 22, 2010
568
33
I touch, but KEEP elbow IN. Flaring your elbows out is a good way to destroy your shoulders, which are the most unstable joint in the entire body.
 
MAYO

MAYO

Bad Mother
Sep 27, 2010
2,159
675
Shoulder injuries on bench are not a result of depth, rather the angle of the humerus in relation to the body. If your humerus is 90 degrees with your rib cage, the shoulder joint is compressed and more prone to injury. For a BB, about 45 degrees is optimal and for most PL's the humerus stays adjacent to the rib cage for minimal strain on the shoulder joint. With that said, I always touch my chest. Touch, never bounce. If you have an injury, then train how you must. But off the chest is the full measure of bench strength. That's why I fucking hate listening to guys talk about how much they bench and then they pull some "elbows at 90" horseshit. Maybe we should only squat to 45 too. My 2c
 
Rein

Rein

MuscleHead
Sep 10, 2010
1,241
128
I go all the way down but i never lock my elbows on the top of the movement to a) keep the tension on my chest and b) to avoid elbow tendon and ligament problems.
 
JackD

JackD

Senior Moderators
Staff Member
Sep 16, 2010
6,406
1,608
With chest, before i even pull the bar off, I make sure my shoulders a back, then i always move the bar slow and controlled coming down to about 1/2 in above my chest. I find if i bring it all the way down, i relax the muscles, then use to much shoulder for the push back up.
 
B

bigscott

Member
Oct 22, 2010
48
2
i touch in the beginning and at the end to get a good stretch --once the weight climbs i stop short as i feel it puts to much emphasis on the shoulders and takes it away from the chest ... i dont bench very often i mainly stick to incline movements but do the same for them aswell -- first couple sets i touch to get a good stretch .. go heavy then pull for one more stretch set
 
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