Food Blog: My answers to 4 good bench press questions

Saturday, August 7, 2021

My answers to 4 good bench press questions

Hey there,

Who wants me to hit some bench press Qs with As?

YOU GET AN A, YOU GET AN A, YOU GET an unworldly humming pyramid, don't ask why, just hold it close and confess your secrets, AND YOU OVER THERE—YOU GET AN A TOO!⁣

"How much should I arch my back?"

Enough to fit a hand in the gap between your back and the bench, but not so much that you experience discomfort or can't keep your butt and shoulders on the bench.

You'll occasionally see powerlifters using an exaggerated arch to reduce the range of motion of the exercise and lift heavier weights, but this reduces the effectiveness of the exercise for muscle building.

"Can I put my feet on the bench instead of the floor?"

You can, but I don't recommend it unless you have good reason to do so (an injury that makes arching your back painful, for instance).

Some bodybuilders like to bench press with their feet on the bench because they think it helps isolate their chest muscles, but all it really does is make your upper body less stable, limiting how much weight you can press and making it harder to maintain proper form.

So, instead of elevating your feet while you bench press, find a position on the floor that's comfortable for you by moving them closer or farther away from your torso until it feels right.

"How do I keep my shoulder blades in the proper position?"

If your shoulder blades tend to "untuck" or shift out of place while bench pressing, here are a few helpful cues for maintaining upper-back tightness:

Pulling your shoulder blades into your back pockets ⁣
Pushing your back into the bench, rather than pushing the bar toward the ceiling ⁣
Squeezing the bar as hard as possible ⁣⁣⁣⁣

"Is it okay that the bar doesn't move straight up-and-down?"

Yes! The bar should start directly above your shoulders, follow a slightly curved path toward your nipples, touch your chest near them, and then move back to the starting position.

As you get stronger, this "J-curve" will become more pronounced, and the bar will start to move toward your shoulders immediately after you start pushing it off of your chest.

Also:

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For advanced lifters trying to reach their genetic potential for muscle and strength:

⇒ https://legionathletics.com/products/books/beyond-bigger-leaner-stronger/

Go for it!

Mike

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