Please Scroll Down to See Forums Below Hey, I'm new to these forums, VERY new, I was sent here by FAngel(very jacked dude). Anyway, I frequent wannabebigforums.com sometimes and get advice from them. They're a bodybuilding/powerlifting forum. However, this site seems more centred around powerlifting, which I LOVE. I eat fairly clean, using a low carb diet with some carb up days, i find this helps me stay very strong(well i thought i was strong, until i came here, you guys ARE MEGA JACKED, its awesome how much weight you dudes move) but also fit(which is my goal, I also plan to never use steroids or similar drugs, but I respect those who choose too). I frequently test my Bench(which is 250, done raw) and my squat (which is 350, done raw, i don't compete in meets..... yet). I use a customized Westside program which has a bit lower volume, and light GPP training. This seems to be working, and i feel its something i can use for years. Anyway, I've been training seriously since i was 15, and right now im 16. I'm 5'2', and 165 lbs. Just had a quick question (I have lots of questions, so lol, get ready to see lots of posts by me) on bench form, jsut to start things off. I keep my elbows tucked, and keep the weight above my upper abs and lower it down to my lower abs, till it touches briefly. Then push it back up. Using lats, chest and tri's. However, sometimes the weight falls back, bending back my wrists, which really hurts like a biatch, and when i try to use my forearms to force it back up, it takes a lot of forearm strength and near the end of my workout i can't stop it. This happens on my speed day, so im not even sure what will happen when i try to max. Any advice on my form? hehe, sorry for long post, but the others i make won't be this long.
new dude on deck
- Thread starter nejar462
- Start date
Screwball
New member
Welcome to the board, nejar462. It sounds like you are on the right track with your training. I wish I was a young as you when I started. If you remain consistant with your training and lift smart you go far. I respect your view on the use of anabolic steroids. Go as far as you can go naturally and if, at that point, you decide you want to push your limits you can make that decision then. It sounds like your benching form is solid. I have a couple of suggestions for you:
#1 - Check your grip on the bar. You want the bar as close to your wrists as possible (NOT up in your fingers). This will place your forearms directly under the bar which is the ideal placement and will allow you to direct all your pressing power directly to the bar. This is one reason that a false grip (thumbless grip) is very effective and many believe it allows the triceps to be activated maximally.
#2 - At the bottom of the press when the bar is touching your chest you want the angle between your upper and lower arm to be close to 90*. You also want the bar directly over your forearms and in line with your elbows. If there is any variation then a loss of power occurs.
It sounds as if your elbows are in front of the bar (i.e. elbows closer to your feet than the bar and hands. This, in effect, turns the movement in to a bastardized extension putting a lot of stress on the wrists and forearms. Practice "setting" the bar low before you actually take the weight down, set the bar as low as possible on your upper abs and when you press, push the weight toward your feet.
A few exercises that may bring up your wrist and forearm strength are:
Hammer Curls
Reverse Curls
Wrist Curls
Reverse Wrist Curls
Grip Work (Farmer's Walk, Static Holds, 1-Arm Deadlifts, etc...)
I hope these suggestions help you and I look forward to your positive input on the board. Good luck and train hard!
#1 - Check your grip on the bar. You want the bar as close to your wrists as possible (NOT up in your fingers). This will place your forearms directly under the bar which is the ideal placement and will allow you to direct all your pressing power directly to the bar. This is one reason that a false grip (thumbless grip) is very effective and many believe it allows the triceps to be activated maximally.
#2 - At the bottom of the press when the bar is touching your chest you want the angle between your upper and lower arm to be close to 90*. You also want the bar directly over your forearms and in line with your elbows. If there is any variation then a loss of power occurs.
It sounds as if your elbows are in front of the bar (i.e. elbows closer to your feet than the bar and hands. This, in effect, turns the movement in to a bastardized extension putting a lot of stress on the wrists and forearms. Practice "setting" the bar low before you actually take the weight down, set the bar as low as possible on your upper abs and when you press, push the weight toward your feet.
A few exercises that may bring up your wrist and forearm strength are:
Hammer Curls
Reverse Curls
Wrist Curls
Reverse Wrist Curls
Grip Work (Farmer's Walk, Static Holds, 1-Arm Deadlifts, etc...)
I hope these suggestions help you and I look forward to your positive input on the board. Good luck and train hard!
powerlifterjay
New member
Welcome. This board is one of the best in my opinion. It is all about powerlfitng.
What grip do you use. Suicide or conventional? Also dont bring the bar so low if its not nturally comforatble. It works great to keep it low but everyone is built different. I bring mine right where the bottom of my chest is. I have a cliff and it goes right under my chest. Any lower would be too much. But i have a 54 inch chest. If it was 45 it might be the same or a hair higher.
My advice is use a conventional grip , wrap your wrists tight, and pull the bar apart. Your pointy fingers will point to each other. Kinda!
What grip do you use. Suicide or conventional? Also dont bring the bar so low if its not nturally comforatble. It works great to keep it low but everyone is built different. I bring mine right where the bottom of my chest is. I have a cliff and it goes right under my chest. Any lower would be too much. But i have a 54 inch chest. If it was 45 it might be the same or a hair higher.
My advice is use a conventional grip , wrap your wrists tight, and pull the bar apart. Your pointy fingers will point to each other. Kinda!
nejar462 said:
Try some wrist wraps. My training partners and I wear wrist wraps on DE and ME day to protect our wrists from bending our wrists back. A new guy was having his wrists bend back all the time during DE and ME and we told him to get wrist wraps and the problem was solved. Inzer sells great wrist wraps.
