Bench Pressing: Bar all the way to your chest?

Im sure this has been asked before, although a quick search didnt bring up specifically what i was looking for. Plus it would be nice to get some current opinions on this. Just wondering what the ethos was on bench pressing (flat) and bringing the bar right down to touch the chest? Up until now, i've always brought the bar down to my chest, and i've trained for years like that. I had about a month gap in my training (where i did not train at all). When i came to continue, i sensibly lowered the weight on the bench press from 100kg to 80kg and was feeling fine like that, until the last lift on the last set, where i strained really hard to get the bar back up. Subsequesntly i did some serious damage to my left shoulder and had to have 6 months off. With no left shoulder, there was pretty much no lifting i could do. I've just started training again now, as my injury is all but cured fully (still a bit iffy but the orthopaedic specialist has given the all clear). I was told that i had overstrained my shoulder doing that lift (obviously). When i searched on a Youtube for bench press i saw a couple of peeple saying never to come down lower than elbows parallel with the body otherwise it overstrians the shooulders, and i just wanst sure how accurate that was.
One example of this, although admitedly he's doing an incline press in this vid is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Awfd50qCFtc&feature=channel_page
(look at 1:20 into the vid) - I couldnt find the one with the guy doing a flat press when i looked for it just now.
 
As i've been a member here for a while, i kinda come to this place as a Mecca for this type of advice, so i just wanted to check whether i should continue going down to my chest with the bar or go only parallel with my body as adviced by that chap in the vid?
 
I know people might say "depends how big you are to start with" or "depends how long your arms are" etc, but individual differences asside, is there a rule of thumb on this? I train at home and dont go to any gym, and have until now never thought to ask anyone, yet this might be something so obvious that i overlooked it. Cheers.

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Fuzzi_Bear

The bar should always touch the chest. As you say, you trained for years like this with no problems, your problem came when you failed at one weight. As soon as it becomes clear that you are not going to make it the spotters should take it, and I mean take it, none of this fingertips assistance rubbish, get the bar off him !

As far as I know, forgiveness is for the benefit of the person doing the forgiving, not the one being forgiven

Its easier to touch the chest as you know every rep is the same but whether it better is arguable as your chest gets bigger your range of motion gets shorter and your ability to lift increases because of the shorter range. Do some partials occasionaly just to mix it up!

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Your chest isn't going to get that big that it will reduce your ROM significantly!

I think the key is squeezing your shoulder blades together (throughout the lift). Don't lie flat. That way even if you do touch your chest (I do) Your elbows shouldn't go below parallel.

All opinions and what works for you as normal though.

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 Agree with FP, touch your chest.  If you really do have trouble touching your chest then work on flexibility. But it should be enough that you warm up VERY thoroughly. Make sure you err on the side of caution and do several warm up sets on your way to your working sets. Make sure your reps are controlled on the way down and do not bounce the bar off chest (obviously!).

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I have to confess I haven't always kept my shoulder blades together when benching, and kinda lay with my soulders more (not completely) flat. This is a good tip that I had not come across before. Im going to tweak my posture to ensure they are closer together and see how that goes. See... I knew I wouldnt go wrong coming here for advice! Cheers.

Phil nosko, BTW my housemate (technically my lodger) bounces the bar off his chest when benching but i never saw the benefits in that. I have mentioned this to him, but his stubborn mind is sometimes an impenetrable fortress, so have left him to it. I think its cheating in a way as you'd tend to use the momentum that this 'bouncing' creates to get the bar back up. So personally i always control on the way up too.

Formally Known As:
Fuzzi_Bear

I'm not sure where this notion of 'elbows to 90 degrees' ever originated from. It's as outdated as squatting with knees bent at 90 degrees.

I can see benefits in lowering as far as your available ROM (i.e. as far as is possible as opposed to all the way to the chest) assuming the lack of ROM is due to injury rather than too heavy weight lifted.

Simply put, if it's uncomfortable or painful - don't do it!!

On a bench press you are expected to lower to the chest each rep. There's some debate over how far the bar should be lifted (arms fully extended vs arms still partially bent to maximise Time Under Tension) but the general consensus is - injury notwhithstanding, lower to the chest.

A reduced ROM will result in reduced pectoral activity. Sure, your triceps will get a great workout by stopping short of the chest, but it's predominantly a chest exercise so full ROM at the bottom of the movement should be employed to make the most of the pectoral involvement.

If it's too painful, try widening the grip or doing Bench Press later in the routine when your upper body is fully warmed up and less weight can be used for a similar result.

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Cheers LMC. I've always been going low so that the bar meets my chest. It was just recntly following my injury, when looking up some form on Youtube that the few comments i'd seen had me start to doubt myself a little bit. Cheers to everyone for confirming that what i had origionally been doing was right. Shoulder blades closer together though, must remember that.

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Fuzzi_Bear

I had some 'advice' from some guys today at the gym.  They thought I shouldn't lower the bar to the chest.  They said I was 'bouncing'.  Though I believe as I lowered the bar I pulled my shoulders back and arched my lower back.  Though I'm sure this is proper technique.  The bar was touching my chest and I was using the lat drive to push the bar back up.  I didn't think I was 'bouncing'.

They then proceeded to bench with 100 kg with fingertip assistance.  Which to me looked like they were benching with too much assistance and short ROM.

I was benching 5x5 with 92.5 kg.  I tried benching their way (100 kg) and it felt like they were doing all the work.

They also said that they could lift more but had taken too many drugs at the weekend lol....

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If it hurts to go too low then don't do it. By the sound of your past being problem free it appears to be caused by the injury which came from struggling on a rep and forcing it up wrong with no spotter.

Work on your range of motion and rehab your shoulder until it is suitable for benching.

If you want to bench and it doesn't hurt but you cant quite make the chest, bench to where you can. Its still an exercise, just different. It will still give you results if done correctly.

BUT your shoulder blades must always be pinched together to protect your shoulders and to make sure that your pecs do the work. Don't lift it with ancillary muscles.
If your shoulder blades are together, your feet are firmly planted and driven into the ground, you drive from your feet right through your legs, tensed glutes and out through your arms with pecs and slight assistance from lats as well as delts and tris of course, and you control it and its not too heavy. AND you lower it to your nipple area and don't stick your elbows out too wide, you keep your chest nice and lifted with everything firm...you will be fine and you will bench safely.

I took my 8-rep-max on bench press naturally from 100kg to 130kg through 3 x 8-week strength programs with a month in between each, injury free by adopting these technique tips and using a very good strength program I call 8-6 which I can explain in more detail if you wish.

Bench strength, safety and effectiveness is so dependent on technique.

I lower the bar so that pretty much everytime it touches my chest.
 
I don't like the thing of 'finger tip assitance' and all that. Do the lift yourself! ...unless you are actually stuck under the bar of course.
 
 
 

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Unless there is a very good reason that you cant get the bar to your chest (you have one arm, a real shoulder injury, etc) then you should touch the bar to your chest.

20kg to go.

yungdest81


I think the key is squeezing your shoulder blades together (throughout the lift). Don't lie flat. That way even if you do touch your chest (I do) Your elbows shouldn't go below parallel.

All opinions and what works for you as normal though.

that depends on how long your arms are.

Jazz


I had some 'advice' from some guys today at the gym.  They thought I shouldn't lower the bar to the chest.  They said I was 'bouncing'.  Though I believe as I lowered the bar I pulled my shoulders back and arched my lower back.  Though I'm sure this is proper technique.  The bar was touching my chest and I was using the lat drive to push the bar back up.  I didn't think I was 'bouncing'.

They then proceeded to bench with 100 kg with fingertip assistance.  Which to me looked like they were benching with too much assistance and short ROM.

I was benching 5x5 with 92.5 kg.  I tried benching their way (100 kg) and it felt like they were doing all the work.

They also said that they could lift more but had taken too many drugs at the weekend lol....

they are obviously a bunch of clowns.
have nothing to do with them.

over the years(fourty-nine) that i have done bench press, my range of movement has shortened to the point where i can only lower to about four inches from the chest. ( i don`t have a big chest)
just last night i benched with the bar only, to see just how low i could get.
it was still about four inches.
what`s the answer? you tell me, but i don`t find any loss of growth or strength in doing it, though i do feel as if i am cheating.
,

i bench till my elbows and shoulders are parallel
 
i think too deep and you start taking the presure off the chest area and on to secondary muscle groups i also think touching your chest with the bar is fine for some, for others its over extending the shoulder and leads to injuries.  
  
IMO it's personal prefernce if you have benched this way for years and are fine then carry on.
 

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Every healthy and inury free person can touch easily if they bench with even half decent technique. 

20kg to go.

Ditto.
 

i disagree with the bar touching your chest, i have always done an inch from it. i always see guys down the gym who bounce it off there chest with out realising, aiding the bar on the concentric phase

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adam_5kids


i disagree with the bar touching your chest, i have always done an inch from it. i always see guys down the gym who bounce it off there chest with out realising, aiding the bar on the concentric phase

That is a reason not to bounce the bar of the chest, not a reason not to do full ROM.

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adam_5kids


i disagree with the bar touching your chest, i have always done an inch from it. i always see guys down the gym who bounce it off there chest with out realising, aiding the bar on the concentric phase

Why do you disagree with touching? A touch is not the same thing as a bounce.

Its all about the touch n go :)

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A touch is not the same thing as a bounce.

I'm not sure if I touch or bounce.  I've started to lower the weight much faster than before, pulling and arching to bring my chest to the bar.  Maybe I should pause on the chest though ?

Does everyone else lower the bar fast  ?

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LMC

I can see benefits in lowering as far as your available ROM (i.e. as far as is possible as opposed to all the way to the chest) assuming the lack of ROM is due to injury rather than too heavy weight lifted.

Simply put, if it's uncomfortable or painful - don't do it!!

^^^2nd that. The best range of movement is the one that allows you to do the most work over a long period of time. (work=adaption=muscle)

LMC

A reduced ROM will result in reduced pectoral activity. Sure, your triceps will get a great workout by stopping short of the chest, but it's predominantly a chest exercise so full ROM at the bottom of the movement should be employed to make the most of the pectoral involvement.

If it's too painful, try widening the grip or doing Bench Press later in the routine when your upper body is fully warmed up and less weight can be used for a similar result.

The problem is this; it's actually the shoulder blades that control a lot of what happens on your shoulder, unfortunately when bench pressing you're lying on them so their movement is minimised unless you fix it down and away. Most benches don't make it that easy.

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just that i have been taught to do an inch from my chest,suppose its due to the injury factor.all that weight bearing on your chest. but its personal preference i suppose. an like i said sum people do tend to bounce it off their chest without realising,or even take a slight rest. didnt say everyone does.

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touching the bar on your chest in a controlled manner is not weight bearing in on it.
even pausing in powerlifting. Its still not bearing in on your chest.
Push press will have a bigger bearing affect.

Technically you shouldnt touch your chest with the bar. First of all you can damage your sternum/thorax.  Ive actually seen guys slamming the bar off their chest giving them a slight advantage on the way back up. The only instance in which you should be touching your chest is will a spotter to make sure you arent hitting your ribs hard

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red_devil_2007


Technically you shouldnt touch your chest with the bar. First of all you can damage your sternum/thorax.  Ive actually seen guys slamming the bar off their chest giving them a slight advantage on the way back up. The only instance in which you should be touching your chest is will a spotter to make sure you arent hitting your ribs hard

Totally wrong. Dont smash the bar off your chest (obviously), touch/pause in a controlled manner, but still TOUCH IT! Otherwise its not a bench press!

20kg to go.

red_devil_2007


Technically you shouldnt touch your chest with the bar. First of all you can damage your sternum/thorax.  Ive actually seen guys slamming the bar off their chest giving them a slight advantage on the way back up. The only instance in which you should be touching your chest is will a spotter to make sure you arent hitting your ribs hard

As long as its controlled and not resting on your neck you will be fine. Even resting a barbell on your ribs and there be fine.
slamming is totaly different.

Absolutely!
 
Injuries are obviously more important so if you cant, dont.
 
But if you can, shoulder blades back, chest up, legs and glutes tensed, lower slowly to chest, TOUCH IT, and press back up.
 
I can put a mug down on a glass table without damaging it. Its the same with the bench.
 
If you cant control it its too heavy.

Look at the generic raw bench press, if your technique is 100% spot on and you have problem with depth then try the dumbbell game. If your technique is off i.e lifting your ass off the bench, shoulders not in contact with the bench, bouncing the bar off the chest then deload and get your technique right.

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red_devil_2007


Technically you shouldnt touch your chest with the bar. First of all you can damage your sternum/thorax.  Ive actually seen guys slamming the bar off their chest giving them a slight advantage on the way back up. The only instance in which you should be touching your chest is will a spotter to make sure you arent hitting your ribs hard

lol
 
 

Stonehenge
 
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red_devil_2007


Technically you shouldnt touch your chest with the bar. First of all you can damage your sternum/thorax.  Ive actually seen guys slamming the bar off their chest giving them a slight advantage on the way back up. The only instance in which you should be touching your chest is will a spotter to make sure you arent hitting your ribs hard

And technically, you just gave completely wrong advice. Good job.

Technically you shouldnt touch your chest with the bar. First of all you can damage your sternum/thorax.

Ha ha ha ha .... what rubbish..

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How slowly do you guys lower the weight ?  I find that I can probably lift more if the negative is not too prolonged.

The problem I can see is the faster you lower the weight the faster you have to change direction which could lead to a bounce or percieved as one.

I had this discussion at the gym.  It was suggested that I lower the weight faster since too much of a prolonged eccentric muscle can tire the muscle out.

Then a couple of weeks ago I had the old you're bouncing the weight of your chest.

The other thing is it's very hard to set yourself up correctly without a 'hand off' ?

Does anyone successfully bench 'heavy' without a spotter or hand-off ?

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my negative phase on the movements is controlled.

Controlling the wieght is more important than worrying about tempo.
If I actively slow the negative down I end up doing less reps and less work.

red_devil_2007


Technically you shouldnt touch your chest with the bar. First of all you can damage your sternum/thorax.  Ive actually seen guys slamming the bar off their chest giving them a slight advantage on the way back up. The only instance in which you should be touching your chest is will a spotter to make sure you arent hitting your ribs hard

To make sure you aren't smashing your ribs hard??... i've never seen anyone bench press with the bar that much forward that it would come down onto their ribs. Sounds like a very weird thing to say. When i bring the bar down (and im sure its the same for most people) it comes down onto my chest, not ribs. Unless i've misunderstood you?

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Fuzzi_Bear

I gotta agree with Adam, i go to an inch from the chest. I have had injuries especially in and around the shoulder (Rotator Cuff) by going all the way to the chest.

Bigger, Must Be Bigger.

Jazz


How slowly do you guys lower the weight ?  I find that I can probably lift more if the negative is not too prolonged.
I do a controlled negative but I don't deliberately slow it down because I, like you, am affected if I prolong the negative.

The problem I can see is the faster you lower the weight the faster you have to change direction which could lead to a bounce or percieved as one.

I had this discussion at the gym.  It was suggested that I lower the weight faster since too much of a prolonged eccentric muscle can tire the muscle out.

Then a couple of weeks ago I had the old you're bouncing the weight of your chest.

The other thing is it's very hard to set yourself up correctly without a 'hand off' ?
Yes, I hate not having a "hand off" for the heavier sets because I lose my set-up and my back arch.

Does anyone successfully bench 'heavy' without a spotter or hand-off ? 
I don't bench "heavy" with a spotter or hand-off but I still do sets using 100 for reps without both.

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