Bench Press Question

[Headholio]

Always keep your back flat on the bench (no arch), and feet flat on the floor. This is the correct form for bench and how it is supposed to be done. If at heavier weights you begin to arch your back, you need to either do less reps or less weight. Good form is crucial and also lessens the risk of injury

Butt on the bench is the usual guideline. Some people can make a pretty good arch while still keeping the butt down, but in general, if your butt is on the bench, the arch isn't going to be excessive. Powerlifters try to maximize arch while keeping their butt on the bench because this gives a mechanical advantage and is what is legal in competition. I agree that normal lordosis is a good and safe position.

Also, keep your feet flat on the ground. As you guessed, some gyms won't allow feet on the bench because if you start to tip to the side, you can't stop yourself.
A good solid base for bench is what you want. No wiggly squirlyness. If you watch a powerlifer bench, you see his legs and butt contract, and force is transfered from his legs to the contact point of his back with the bench. The whole body should be tense and solid and the back of the head should remain down keeping contact with the bench.

 

[stevesmi]

what fed are you a judge in?.... just curious...

I volunteer for high schools in a county in FL, also I go to state once a year and judge there.. its pretty fun.

if i had more time i would like to coach as well

 

[jdl508]

thank God for wiki Lordosis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I have my butt on the bench but with short legs and a big butt I guess I just naturally have an arch even when not pushing up heavy weight. It almost feels unnatural for me to flatten my back out on bench.

 

[shirlene29]

you have to keep in mind moya there are different positions for different things....powerlifiting you're going for maximum push...where driving your shoulders in and arching gives you that maximum push with your chest
for regular bodybuilding and building for mass a neutral spine is the best method...

different things for different outcomes/more than one way to skin a cat

my humble .02 is based on practical experience and my bookwormishness..take it for what its worth

 

[wallcrawler]

I am a former competitive weightlifter and also now I judge PL comps and the feet must be on the floor, your head must be on the bench, and your ass must be on the bench or your lift doesn't count.

if you are a short dude then i recommend throwing a 10 pound weight on each side on the ground, and putting your feet on them to give you better stability. this is legal and the shorter dudes under 5 8 will do this.

Yeah, one of the guys I was talking to was in a competition and he said one guy was straining in a press and his heel came off the floor like a fraction of an inch - DQ! He said the judges hunch down and really look for that and the butt thing. Very strict. I just know it feels better when I lift with my feet on the bench and I laways go slow deliberate movement so as not to destabilize. It just feels better that way. I just wanted to make sure there was no issue with it being inproper form that might lead to some injury over time (not to do with side to side stabilization and tipping over)but just with the actual position itself.

Thanks for all the replies!

 

[moya]

then we can agree to disagree

imo, powerlifters sole purpose is to master a lift vs. bodybuilding where the lift is just a small part of the equation, bench not even being a necessary...

 

[moya]

Yeah, one of the guys I was talking to was in a competition and he said one guy was straining in a press and his heel came off the floor like a fraction of an inch - DQ! He said the judges hunch down and really look for that and the butt thing. Very strict. I just know it feels better when I lift with my feet on the bench and I laways go slow deliberate movement so as not to destabilize. It just feels better that way. I just wanted to make sure there was no issue with it being inproper form that might lead to some injury over time (not to do with side to side stabilization and tipping over)but just with the actual position itself.

Thanks for all the replies!

as long as you are not going as heavy to cause those stability issues it should be fine... it might not be considered 'proper' or even technically sound, but if it works for your goal that is fine...

 

[Headholio]

you have to keep in mind moya there are different positions for different things....powerlifiting you're going for maximum push...where driving your shoulders in and arching gives you that maximum push with your chest
for regular bodybuilding and building for mass a neutral spine is the best method...

different things for different outcomes/more than one way to skin a cat

my humble .02 is based on practical experience and my bookwormishness..take it for what its worth

I agree with this. The more you arch, the more you approach the position of a decline bench, which most people are stronger with. You get more engagement of the belly of the pec muscle which is lower pec. For bodybuilding you would want more overall pec development, which usually means a more strict neutral form, and multiple exercises at different angles.

It's the same deal with squats. Bodybuilders don't usually squat the same as powerlifters. Powerlifting technique is best for 1RM. Powerlifters aren't concerned about balance of muscle size and development, or overall shape. That's why powerlifters don't look like bodybuilders.

 

[moya]

^some do...
we make the lift as efficient as possible, that is fact...
the 'decline' we create shits the power to the stronger muscles... the lats end up assisting a great deal...

 

[more steel]

I've actually been reading about bench form the past couple days because I wanted to be sure I was spot on with form. There are lots of details you could look at but when it comes to injury prevention and peck isolation it is best to have a slight arch in your back with wide feet on the floor and butt touching the bench. Before the lift, squeeze your traps which will arch you chest, and then engage your glutes. During the lift, keep your elbows in (at least about 45 degrees to your body) and touch the bar to your lower peck/upper ab area. If you do all this it takes the pressure off of your shoulders and the slight arch more effectively engages the pecks and disengages the anterior delts. Thus protecting your shoulders and isolating your pecks...

Thats what I picked up from CrossFit