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Why should you not lockout on benchpress ?

If you have really crap triceps you can avoid making them ache by skipping the top third of the movement.

I still remember the first time I saw someone hammering out a set of these two-thirds rep presses and wondering what the point was. Maybe it just allows guys to claim a higher number of reps on a set when their mates are around.

The only valid reason I can think of is the pursuit of continuous tension.
 
I agree with blut and power, maximum time under tension is the goal. I don't agree with the idea of doing it all the time, though it has it's place. I've seen alot of guys, while warming up on the bench, knock out 2/3 reps. I should mention, I personally do full range of motion everytime. I think it result in more complete pectoral contraction.
 
the lockout is mainly a triceps function.
and yes, the point of not locking out is to keep tension on the muscle. if you lock out...each rep you lock out on...you are slightly taking some tension off the pectorals.
this goes for other exercises too...such as the shoulder press.
 
If you lock your elbows you stand a chance of busting them under the weight. Not very good, I've seen it happen. Very sick and painful.
 
msam76 said:
If you lock your elbows you stand a chance of busting them under the weight. Not very good, I've seen it happen. Very sick and painful.
Click to expand...

Board presses are common in powerlifting. I've never heard of this happening before. (Not saying it hasnt', I've just never heard of it before.)



:cow:
 
blut wump said:
If you have really crap triceps you can avoid making them ache by skipping the top third of the movement.

I still remember the first time I saw someone hammering out a set of these two-thirds rep presses and wondering what the point was. Maybe it just allows guys to claim a higher number of reps on a set when their mates are around.

The only valid reason I can think of is the pursuit of continuous tension.
Click to expand...

I actually hit far less weight/reps if I avoid lockout...the continuous tension kills me.


I usually lock out tho
 
what about using the smith machine over a regular bench? I do it cause I dont wanna bother people to spot me. is thier a big difference?
 
Smith machine makes my elbows hurt. Barbell makes my muscles big.

I just ask the people that I would return the favor for. And I only ask that they watch over me, not lift the weight for me. If I fail, then they can jump in. But I just save the train-to-failure for the dumbells cause I can drop them easily.
 
samoth said:
Board presses are common in powerlifting. I've never heard of this happening before. (Not saying it hasnt', I've just never heard of it before.)



:cow:
Click to expand...

It is hard to believe until you see it. I worked at a health club 5 years ago and that is where it happened. Guy was benching close to 600lbs. and his elbow just blew apart when he locked it. Not pretty. He later said he never had problems with his elbows.
 
OUCH!!!!! Who cleaned up that shit?
 
if you dont want to ask for or need a spot....
use dumbells.

ofcourse you get less reps/weight without locking out....keeping the tension on the muscle builds lactid acid in the muscle quicker....tires the muscle quicker.
 
errn247 said:
what about using the smith machine over a regular bench? I do it cause I dont wanna bother people to spot me. is thier a big difference?
Click to expand...

Smith Machines are as useful to a man as Tampons, and should be used accordingly.
 
al420 said:
Smith Machines are as useful to a man as Tampons, and should be used accordingly.
Click to expand...

LMAO! Now that is something I would give massive amounts of karma to see!
 
the heavier the weight you are using, the more stress you will put on your elbows, and it helps to keep the muscle under constant tension too
 
continuous muscle stress is all I can think of. I lock out every time to. otherwise it does not feel complete. Its like not going down far enough. The only one you are cheating is you. But I suppose if you have some kind of injury that a full extension of your arm tends to cause pain then someting is better than nothing right.
 
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I personally do not get any better results from locking out. Complete tension feels better on my pecs and my elbows. OH YA BEFORE I FORGET, I don't believe the half of you for saying you completely lockout every set every rep.
 
Mrpumped said:
OH YA BEFORE I FORGET, I don't believe the half of you for saying you completely lockout every set every rep.
Click to expand...
Are you serious? Even everyone I see at the gym that has no clue about lifting usually locks out. I say its way more uncommon to see someone not!
 
I don't feel that I can claim the rep if I didn't finish it. I did try the inverse partials once after seeing someone doing them. It felt wrong not to lock out the rep and, since I couldn't see that I would get any benefit from not locking out, I never tried them again.

I remember when I was first setting up my home gym. For a few weeks the only equipment I had was bar, weights and a squat stand. I ended up doing floor presses with a pile of weights on either side to support the bar. They were new weights and the pile kept slipping around as I lowered onto them at the end of each set. It was a big relief to get the power rack.
 
Neo22 said:
locking out is not good on the joints. I do it for continuous tension.
Click to expand...
Do you have any data to support this? No offence but I just don't believe it.

As for time under tension, there are better ways of managing this than doing partial reps.
 
blut wump said:
Do you have any data to support this? No offence but I just don't believe it.

As for time under tension, there are better ways of managing this than doing partial reps.
Click to expand...


I agree. For instance NOT staying in the lockout position for more than a second
 
Mrpumped said:
I personally do not get any better results from locking out. Complete tension feels better on my pecs and my elbows. OH YA BEFORE I FORGET, I don't believe the half of you for saying you completely lockout every set every rep.
Click to expand...

For some it is habit. Most do it and don't realize it. It is much better to keep tension on the muscle and MUCH better for your elbows if you don't lock out. Research it, almost every article on weightlifting and sports tells you NOT to lock your elbows.
 
Try not locking out your singles and see where it takes you. :)

You'll be telling us next that the Olympic snatch and the jerk are noted for ruining elbows. It's just not so.

"Whaddya mean red lights? It's bad to lock your elbows!"
 
i do not lock out, i get burned out much better if i go right up to the top without fully extending down and then at that point where it trembles bring it back down controlled. now i would not call it a 2/3 rep, i go almost 90% of the way and don't fully extend
 
Some of us train the lift, not the muscle. I think that is the main difference. I train flat bench in low reps w/ ton of focus on progression. I lift under 'meet rules' which to me makes it a real lift (bar touches my chest and I lock out each rep, any help and no rep!).

After I train the 'lift" I do some DB pressing for my chest (cause I likes to be swole for the bitches too)
 
msam76 said:
For some it is habit. Most do it and don't realize it. It is much better to keep tension on the muscle and MUCH better for your elbows if you don't lock out. Research it, almost every article on weightlifting and sports tells you NOT to lock your elbows.
Click to expand...

That's exactly what I was referring to. Also, I wasn't talking about bouncing the weight off my chest or any other rediculous thing I see some do and going half way up. I don't lockout because it hurts my elbows and it takes the tension off my chest. That is the proper way to do a bench press.
 
I hope the PLers of EF are reading this thread and laughing at all the BBers too scared to lock out their bench. :D




:cow:
 
blut wump said:
Try not locking out your singles and see where it takes you. :)

You'll be telling us next that the Olympic snatch and the jerk are noted for ruining elbows. It's just not so.

"Whaddya mean red lights? It's bad to lock your elbows!"
Click to expand...

I learn most of my stuff from one of the guys that used to work for NASM. The whole point of pressing for most bodybuilders is to target the muscles and put them under as much tension as possible. Its A LOT harder to press 225x12 without locking out than with.
 
I learn most of my stuff from a Holiday Inn Express...

The 'benchpress' is a 'lift' so it has ways of being properly preformed. Touching your chest is first, and locking out is second. Pretty simple rules.

If you are doing something different, fine, but it is not a 'benchpress'.
 
sorry its much harder to go up almost all the way and come down with constant tension rather than relaxing at the top locking out, the only thing your builing is stabilizer muscles. i could care less about how much i can bench or whatever. i do form well and try and build the muscles up to look shredded. even aap, who i have not seen one pic to put him to shame, is a huge advocate of low weights with high reps.

and doing singles like that is the hardest thing. one dumbell at a time doing inclines, don't lock up go all the way up and come right down, in fact i'll go do it right now hold on.

i can do more reps on singles if i lock at the top and rest rather than keep it going. my tris burn much more with the non lock out
 
A single is a set of one rep after which you take a decent rest before attempting another set. Not locking out a single is, pretty much by definition, a failed lift. I find it hard to distinguish, even in principle, between a single with no lockout and a failed lift. Even a casual observer is likely to come over and tell you that you almost had it.
 
al420 said:
Smith Machines are as useful to a man as Tampons, and should be used accordingly.
Click to expand...

Once used, put in a ziploc bag and save it in the freezer????


U're nuts. Anyway, I lock out always and I definitely stay away from the smith.
 
well it really doesn't matter what you do as long as you look good imo or accomplish you goals. i trained at david barton all year last year till they raised the monthly rates. they train thomas jones on the bears and cedrick benson. the trainers eugene and derrick both blow away 95% of people on here except maybe danno, mak, gautho, and galaxy. sorry if i forgot anyone. they both do pushups and low weights with high reps on bench, never locking out. after one day of doing chest with them i had never been more sore in my life. do what works for ya
 
Again, some people here train for looks and some for meets. Lockout is required for a white light, that is all I know.

Also - the NFL guys are training a lot of lifts 'wrong' b/c it benefits them in their spot more if done that way. That doesn't mean a Clean/Jerk should be done from the hang and caught high...that makes it a muscle clean which is a different lift...they still call them 'power cleans' but they are far from them.

So, for chest TUT may be king, but if you are talking Benchpress you gotta touch your chest and you gotta lock out.
 
bruce410 said:
i do not lock out, i get burned out much better if i go right up to the top without fully extending down and then at that point where it trembles bring it back down controlled. now i would not call it a 2/3 rep, i go almost 90% of the way and don't fully extend
Click to expand...



i tried a set of 225 on flat today after i went a lil heavier just to see how it felt. kind of takes a few reps to get the motion down and to figure out how far up you go before you lockout, but i think i got around 7 or 8 reps and it broke me down hard. definately felt like a good change, especially since ive been plateaud on bench for so long.
 
blut wump said:
Do you have any data to support this? No offence but I just don't believe it.

As for time under tension, there are better ways of managing this than doing partial reps.
Click to expand...
I dont buy it either.

I know its not my elbow but i disclocated my knee cap. So the joint was pretty much stuffed. Part of the rehab was step ups, squats and leg extentions all with a main focous on locking out the leg.

Now if locking out was bad on joints why would they have me do that for my rehab.
 
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