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Question on bench technique

swiftman

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I continually see guys in the gym on the bench press only lowering the weight halfway to their chest. I am by no means a weight training expert, but I was under the impression that you should be giving a full range of motion and touching the bar on your chest when training benchpress.

Can someone tell me why it is they do this and what they are missing out on by training on the bench with incorrect technique?
 
It's probably just a psyche thing. They figure if they can get the weight unracked and get it down and up a bit that they can actually lift it. Just a guess. I'm pretty sure there's no actual health benefit from half-assing an exercise.
 
Yea...they're usually douchey tools, using way too much weight, and thats why they are only going half way down. Unless of course they're board pressing, which is about as likely as box squats or GM's in a typical gym. They aren't training their chest, shoulders, and their lats. Yes you should touch your chest with the bar, not just half way, or an inch or two above your chest...
 
Thanks guys. Thats what i thought - its an ego thing about lifting more weight. Can't understand why people would think that it looks cool to do an exercise wrong, no matter how much weight you are lifting.

Just wanted to make sure that it wasn't the latest super plyometric blah blah exercise so i'm the one who sounds like the douche when i laugh at them for doing it wrong.
 
"Thanks guys. Thats what i thought - its an ego thing about lifting more weight. Can't understand why people would think that it looks cool to do an exercise wrong, no matter how much weight you are lifting."

I agree dude. I mean, I understand feeling good about moving a big weight, but how can you take any pride in it if you're fucking it all up?
 
There are only three reasons not to do a full-range of motion lift:

1. Currently injured and rehabbing.
2. Training a specific joint angle as an adjunct for increasing poundage on a whole lift. Usually done with boards, pins, or off the floor.
3. Using a technique like 1 and 1/2 reps to increase time under tension for a hypertrophy phase.

Brian
 
if they are lowernig the bar to there upper chest or collar bone their elbows might be flaring out 90degrees...and for some people it hurts their shoulders to go deep in that position.
 
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