Do you touch the bar to your chest on flat bench?

[spatts]

VG, for people that are prone to it, the BB style bench (high and wide) involves a great deal of shoulder rotation. Those who are prone to rotator cuff issues may find that they can't bench as much as they'd like in this form due to the amount of shoulder involvement. I used to bench 95 pounds high and wide, with my shoulder throbbing the whole time. Now I'm at about 190-200 pounds, elbows tucked close to the body, benching to the sternum, with a pause. Have you ever seen a powerlifter bench with their elbows out and down to the chest in competition? I haven't. There's a reason. Well, two actually...safety and strength.

 

[Tarheel]

I've heard a few folks say you shouldn't go lower than when your upper arm is parallel to the ground, as it puts undue stress on the rotator cuffs, although I do go a bit lower than that.

However, I dont lockout usually (on most any exercise). That takes the strain off of your muscles and puts it on your joints and bones. Instead I just sort of go almost to lockout and hold it there, torturing the muscles.

 

[spatts]

Wouldn't work for powerlifting, but if meets your goals, that's all that matters.

 

[SeekerOfKnowledge]

Doesn't the bringing the bench down to the sternum work more of your lower pecs instead of middle pecs like a flat bench press should do. I have the bar touch right at the middle of my pecs on flat, upper pecs on incline and lower pecs on decline. Is this right or will I not gain mass and strength this way. Thank

 

[spatts]

Let's put it this way....many powerlifters have benched well over 600 pounds with torn pecs. Why? They don't use them much to bench. The powerlifter's bench is triceps/lats/shoulders.

However, I have yet to see a powerlifter with a poorly developed chest.

 

[SeekerOfKnowledge]

So stronger lats and shoulders will increase my bench as well?

 

[bigdelt69]

strange.........but your right.

 

[RipDsel]

if you dont touch — it aint a bench!

no doubt..i fucking hate it when people, especially guys who think they're huge when they're half the size of me, dont go all the way down...girls i can understand not doing it, but guys that do it think they're strong cause they go half way down, but if they go all the way down they'd prolly do a lot less weight.

 

[babymonkey]

My initial thread read "an inch or so from my chest". I acually find it harder to stop just before touching my chest, but this is just me. Also after this thread I am going all the way down. I do know the guys you are speaking about that go half way down. I mostly just see that on DB press. I see more bouncing off the chest to help it up on flat bech.

 

[AMBB4L]

Yeah, I touch the bar to my sternum. I've found that point to be much better than using the nips as a guide for where to touch.