Thread: not touching your chest??

I always hit my chest for the full ROM but maybe they are using
haevier weight to improve their lockout at the top kinda like a half-assed negative.

does that actually do anything? lol every single kid i see in weightroom either stops 4 inches above chest or jsut goes down 3 inches. so dumb i wanna help but i kind of find it funny when i see like seniors doing it.

I dont touch my chest, but i come as close as you can get to your chest without actually making contact.

I found when i touched to chest, the temptation was there to rest it or bounce it.

Still, ive done dumbell bench for the last 6 months, so i dont need to worry anymore :P.

i would say these guys at ur weight room are better off. If they are only bringin the bar down half way, then i agree with snoogans. I feel that wen u bring the bar down and touch ur chest, u run the risk of bouncing it off ur chest, hence taking the chance of breaking ur brest bone...or wutever. Ur better off coming as close as u can.

Those are probably your general gym morons who decrease the ROM so they can load more weight. Everybody does that in my gym and I sure as fucking know they aren't doing it for a specific purpose besides for their ego.

touch the chest. control the weight.

Nicely said. And I cant even see why anyone hasnt/wouldnt.

these are probably just stupid kids that want to use more weight, I highly doubt that they are doing it to strengthen their lockout.

I touch the chest, but by very little, and as for your thread. Its really true about students doing it. I have the samething in my school, I dont bother helping them...except when they start hogging the bench press..

like last week. 4 of the football team players were hogging the Bench press all day...they had done...like atleast 10sets...I was all pissed and shit and asked them when they are done...they just left without even moving their weights, pissed me off..

Then i asked one of the players in teh changeroom why do you guys bench so much. I got "well because its the only machine that makes you look so big" i was like "wtf...what are you 50%BF...how about some cardio" (the kid really is like 50%bf, so massive and gross.

Originally Posted by fyredup1286

i would say these guys at ur weight room are better off. If they are only bringin the bar down half way, then i agree with snoogans. I feel that wen u bring the bar down and touch ur chest, u run the risk of bouncing it off ur chest, hence taking the chance of breaking ur brest bone...or wutever. Ur better off coming as close as u can.

My god junior. Control it down, then touch your chest, then press up. It's quite easy when it's explained, eh?

Hold the weight on your chest... until you have control ( a second) - press up again.

Take your time through the whole range. Feel it!

I feel like "bulldogin'" people that pussy out of lifts.

I usually stop about one inch before my chest, mainly because of the extra stress it places on your shoulders using full ROM.

thanks =}

Originally Posted by Prince

I usually stop about one inch before my chest, mainly because of the extra stress it places on your shoulders using full ROM.

do you tuck your elbows? just curious

Originally Posted by mike456

do you tuck your elbows? just curious

not if my goal is to work my pecs.

I got down as far as I can, comfortably. Going too low with a heavy weight places ALOT of stress on the delts.

If you are benching under 225 I don't see a problem with full range. Bringing the elbow past the sholder with 225+ lbs is going to cause problems eventually. I would say the lifters you saw were doing the right thing. You can't build mass without good mass building compound exercises, but at certain point you have to be careful. You can't build muscle if your body is having to repair damage. Power lifters have short careers because of sholder injuries. Many of them turn to bodybuilding because of the longevity.

Originally Posted by jasone

If you are benching under 225 I don't see a problem with full range. Bringing the elbow past the sholder with 225+ lbs is going to cause problems eventually. I would say the lifters you saw were doing the right thing. You can't build mass without good mass building compound exercises, but at certain point you have to be careful. You can't build muscle if your body is having to repair damage. Power lifters have short careers because of sholder injuries. Many of them turn to bodybuilding because of the longevity.

why is 225lbs the magic limit? Who decided on that number?

BB'ers don't have shoulder problems? are you kidding me?

It is simple:

a) if you have a shoulder problem or it bothers you to bring the bar down all the way to your chest, then don't do it. Exercise is not supposed to hurt. If I have someone that has a shoulder issue or it hurts them, if we bench, we just place a half foam roller on their chest and that is the depth that they go to.

b) if you can go through a full ROM and it feels comfortable then do it. Joints were meant to move through full ranges of motion and should be strengthend through those full ranges of motion when possible....last time i checked, no one did half ROM bicep curls....so why would it be any other way for different lifts?

Originally Posted by jasone

If you are benching under 225 I don't see a problem with full range. Bringing the elbow past the sholder with 225+ lbs is going to cause problems eventually. I would say the lifters you saw were doing the right thing. You can't build mass without good mass building compound exercises, but at certain point you have to be careful. You can't build muscle if your body is having to repair damage. Power lifters have short careers because of sholder injuries. Many of them turn to bodybuilding because of the longevity.

Can you name me many powerlifters that turned to bodybuilding because of injury?

Originally Posted by fufu

Can you name me many powerlifters that turned to bodybuilding because of injury?

Originally Posted by P-funk

why is 225lbs the magic limit? Who decided on that number?

BB'ers don't have shoulder problems? are you kidding me?

It is simple:

a) if you have a shoulder problem or it bothers you to bring the bar down all the way to your chest, then don't do it. Exercise is not supposed to hurt. If I have someone that has a shoulder issue or it hurts them, if we bench, we just place a half foam roller on their chest and that is the depth that they go to.

b) if you can go through a full ROM and it feels comfortable then do it. Joints were meant to move through full ranges of motion and should be strengthend through those full ranges of motion when possible....last time i checked, no one did half ROM bicep curls....so why would it be any other way for different lifts?

You must be angry at me.

Bodybuilders are not trying to impress judges by benchpressing, they only care about the look. And yes, they do suffer injury, sorry to mislead you about that. I was saying that powerlifters turn to the sport of bodybuilding because of injuries.

I like the number 225, it rhymes with bee hive, and that reminds me of honey, and I like honey. It just slips off my tounge like this......225!!!! I'm alive! Say it with me.......225
Oh yeah, it's kinda heavy too. Sometimes heavy things can hurt. Especially if it is really heavy like 453 or 502 lbs. Shoulder past elbow is not good biomechanics with a weight like 226.0978457656 lbs. That tiny front delt has to take on all that weight, hope the tendons can hold or snap!

I would definately take caution if I were curling 225 lbs. Don't think I have to worry about the Full ROM thing for a while.

The end!

Originally Posted by jasone

You must be angry at me.

Bodybuilders are not trying to impress judges by benchpressing, they only care about the look. And yes, they do suffer injury, sorry to mislead you about that. I was saying that powerlifters turn to the sport of bodybuilding because of injuries.

I like the number 225, it rhymes with bee hive, and that reminds me of honey, and I like honey. It just slips off my tounge like this......225!!!! I'm alive! Say it with me.......225
Oh yeah, it's kinda heavy too. Sometimes heavy things can hurt. Especially if it is really heavy like 453 or 502 lbs. Shoulder past elbow is not good biomechanics with a weight like 226.0978457656 lbs. That tiny front delt has to take on all that weight, hope the tendons can hold or snap!

I would definately take caution if I were curling 225 lbs. Don't think I have to worry about the Full ROM thing for a while.

The end!

I'm not quite sure what you mean by "good biomechanics". Question(not trying to be condescending, but how extensive is your knowledge of biomechanics?

I need to correct this statement.

"That tiny front delt has to take on all that weight, hope the tendons can hold or snap!"

There is no point in the bench press where the front delt takes all the weight. Powerlifters get injured because their main goal is one thing. Lift as much weight as possible. They know it isn't healthy but it is their job or passion and they want to be competitive. When using such heavy weights the risk of injury is much greater. A slip up with 500 lbs will hardly bring the same consquences with 300. Powerlifters aren't getting injured because they are bringing the weight to the chest(at least not predominantly), it is because they are using such heavy weight.

Originally Posted by vinceforheismen

when your benching you are supposed to touch your chest right?
In the weightroom i always see kids stack on 2 45's on each side and go down 8 inches then back up... does that do anything for you becuase when i see it i laugh.

I would laugh too...

Originally Posted by jasone

You must be angry at me.

Bodybuilders are not trying to impress judges by benchpressing, they only care about the look. And yes, they do suffer injury, sorry to mislead you about that. I was saying that powerlifters turn to the sport of bodybuilding because of injuries.

I like the number 225, it rhymes with bee hive, and that reminds me of honey, and I like honey. It just slips off my tounge like this......225!!!! I'm alive! Say it with me.......225
Oh yeah, it's kinda heavy too. Sometimes heavy things can hurt. Especially if it is really heavy like 453 or 502 lbs. Shoulder past elbow is not good biomechanics with a weight like 226.0978457656 lbs. That tiny front delt has to take on all that weight, hope the tendons can hold or snap!

I would definately take caution if I were curling 225 lbs. Don't think I have to worry about the Full ROM thing for a while.

The end!

thank god because you have no clue what you are talking about.

Lawl...

Originally Posted by vinceforheismen

when your benching you are supposed to touch your chest right?
In the weightroom i always see kids stack on 2 45's on each side and go down 8 inches then back up... does that do anything for you becuase when i see it i laugh.

Originally Posted by Sexybeast777

I would laugh too...

And then say: Hey, nice partials...BTW....make sure to roll your shoulders when you do shrugs...'cause its better...

Well fellers...I have and will always touch my chest. From the beggining everyone has touched their chest. You have the few who decide to go a foot from their chest to make it look like they are lifting enormous weights, but as long as the weight is controlled and there is no bouncing a full ROM is always good. Now like Rob said, some people do have problems with their shoulders and cant go all the way down, which is fine. But if there are no problems theres no reason for stopping short. Most of the guys here are aware of what my bench is and I touch my chest each and every rep. I know Akira has a strong bench as well and I am sure he does the same.

I bench 405lbs with a 2 inch ROM!