How low do you bring the bar when pressing?

[ConstantChange]

How low do you bring the bar down when doing flat barbell bench and incline BB bench?

I've always brought the down all the way and touched my chest. The PT at my gym always has all of his clients bring the bar down until their upper arms are parallel to the floor and then back up. So their is still 3-4+ inches between the chest and the bar.

Another guy that works at the gym was showing some younger guys this at the gym the other day too. He was saying after your arms go past parallel to the floor you're no longer targeting the chest. He had them feel their chest muscle while they brought their arm down and notice how it no longer has pressure past parallel.

I'm just curious what everyone here has to say about it.

 

[spatts]

All the way to my belly button.

 

[ConstantChange]

This is referring to the bodybuilding/conventional style press.

 

[Mike_Rojas]

Those PT's are smoking something.

 

[Thaibox]

I always tap just slightly then launch

 

[louden_swain]

I bring the bar lower than my sternum. . . . into my lungs and heart.

 

[jackangel]

So you don't need your chest off the bottom?

A bench press is defined by a full ROM, imo. If I'm not hitting the chest, I'm not doing a bench. I like doing the bench as I understand it, and even if I do it primarily for chest development, I'll take whatever else I can get. There's no good reason not to use a full ROM, unless it's not possible without pain.

 

[ffknight84]

i TOUCH about 1/2 inch below my nips

 

[sinjinsmythe33]

i cant take my eyes off you pic

to the nipple on flat, clavicle on incline.

 

[Devastation]

roughly half way between nipples and belly button