Got a bench press question.....

[Toph]

First of all, being a new guy, I want to say that this board is great! I just signed up, but I've been reading for a little while. Lot's of good info.

Anyway, on to the question.... When I'm doing flat bench, I barely feel it in my chest, but I feel it a whole lot more in my arms. Is this simply because my arms aren't strong enough yet, or is there something else to it? When I'm doing my incline bench, I can start to feel it towards the outside of my chest.

 

[blood_drinker]

Bench presses involve triceps work, front delt work, and chest work. It is the king of bench exercises - and
1) you may not be going all the way down. Go steady, and go as low as you can to get a nice stretch (i touch the bar on my chest).

2) Your arms may not be strong enough, but as long as you are doing the exercise right, your chest will get worked on.

Flat, Incline, and weighted dips is my routine.
3 sets for flat, 3 sets for inclnie, 2 for dips. All for 4-6 reps. Warm up properly though - it also might be your problem.

 

[bigmag]

another thing you might be doing wrong (not to say that you are, I just don't know) is that your grip might not be wide enough....try widening your grip and see how that helps. I personally don't like the bar-bell bench, but that's just because it got old to me after a while. One thing I found that works great for chest strength and size is when doing dumb-bell bench (flat, incline, or decline) is to turn the weights side-ways so my palms are facing me at the bottom of the lift, then at the top of the lift turn your palms so that they are pointed towards your head....this gives you a really good stretch and squeaze. I wouldn't use the normal weight first, start out with something light so you can get used to the motion. Then work your way up.

 

[gymtime]

One more suggestion. If you're feeling it more in your arms, it might be because your keeping your elbows in close to your body when you lower the weight to your chest. This tends to hit the tris as much or more than the chest.

When benching, make sure your elbows are pointing outward when lowering the weight.

 

[The mann]

bigmag has it dead on.......dude bring your hands out to the rings on the bar,try middle finger on line,i guarentee you will feel it in the chest ,anotherthing is d/b bench press ,i feel those mostly in my chest.

 

[Liberator]

dude I had the same problem

if you dont listen to anybody else, listen to this

the problem with me was i was going too wide with my grip and not keeping my elbows out, away from my body as bigmag says

so keep your elbows out and grip wise keep it slightly more than shoulder width, dont go too wide or too narrow, i have done this and it fries my entire chest, i barely feel it in the delts now

also it maybe where you are bringing the bar down on your chest, make sure its right at tit level on flat and about 1 inch or so above on incline

finally, make sure you keep your shoulder blades back on the bench, keep them there the whole movement, dont let them come off the bench, imagine your trying to hold asomething between your shoulder blades and push through your chest, dont push with your shoulders and dont lock out!!!

this was the advice given to me and it works

 

[flex4life]

finally, make sure you keep your shoulder blades back on the bench, keep them there the whole movement, dont let them come off the bench, imagine your trying to hold asomething between your shoulder blades and push through your chest, dont push with your shoulders and dont lock out!!!

this was the advice given to me and it works [/B]

So true... really hard to get a pump in the pecs if they drop in and the shoulders push forward... hardly ever see proper bench form in the gym... see a lot of great anterior delts, though.

 

[Hannibal]

Toph....are you looking for a stronger bench? Or are you using the bench to build your pecs.

If you want a BIG BENCH you are getting some horible advice on this thread...IMO

If you don't tuck your elbows as has been suggested. You increase the amount of shoulder rotation required...which when handling heavy weight can be dangerous...only as strong as your weakest link. Plus benching with your elbows out increases the range of motion and reduces the amount of lat and tri involvement...a good thing for chest developement...bad for a strong bench.

As the suggestion that you NEVER lock out the weight is confusing to me as well....not sure why you wouldn't want to lockout...of course I guess that is to "feel the burn".

I guess being a powerlifter I have a totally different approach to training. It all depends on why you are doing the bench in the first place though. Good Luck.

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Strength and Honor

 

[buffal2001]

One more suggestion. If you're feeling it more in your arms, it might be because your keeping your elbows in close to your body when you lower the weight to your chest. This tends to hit the tris as much or more than the chest.

When benching, make sure your elbows are pointing outward when lowering the weight.

Got it spot on.....also u may want to higher the reps to begin with.........i really feet it workin my chest more when i do higher reps.......get the feel then return to your regular rep range

 

[Welsh power house]

i find incline flyes hit my chest the hardest, but i do them after falt bench press.
you are all missing a very important point here.
The best exercises are not the ones that you ''feel'' the most in the target muscle, if that were the case, everyone would be doing kickbacks instead of closegrip bench presses as their tricep mass builders, or leg extensions instead of sqauts...isolation movements are not an issue for you as you have only just started by the sounds of things, believe me, stick to those compound basics......the bench press is a compound lift, it hits the chest, tris and front delts hard!
yes, you will feel it in your arms, but rest asure, as long as your form is good, it is hitting those pecs.
nothing adds size to a chest like a good bench press!