Bench machine - starting height?

[kanun]

Hey there,
ok so I know lots of you are gonna tell me to do the benchpress with freeweights rather than a machine, but using a machine is better for me because it is less dangerous (I'm still a beginner), and I don't always have someone to 'spot' me.
Anyways, moving on...
The machine I use has an adjustable handle so that you can choose the height of the handles at starting position. My question is that I'm not sure which height to start at. One of my gym buddies says this:
"Keep the handles above your chest so that you can manage more weight. Using a lower setting is bad for your joints"
While another friend says the opposite:
"Use a lower setting so that you get a full range of motion and develop the muscle better (even though you'll manage less weight"

So who's advice do you think I should follow? I'm 16 years old, and my goal is more toning than bulking - all that matters to me is having a well defined, sexy, chest; not just being able to lift obscene weights
Thanks!

 

[Josh]

Originally posted by kanun
ok so I know lots of you are gonna tell me to do the benchpress with freeweights rather than a machine, but using a machine is better for me because it is less dangerous (I'm still a beginner), and I don't always have someone to 'spot' me.

Do benchpress with dumbells, it's more effective because it allows greater rom, also you don't need spotter with dbs (unless you use super heavy ones). This is better than just using machines.

- Josh

 

[gopro]

Adjust the height of the handles so that they would be at nipple level if it were a straight bar across your chest.

 

[Scotty the Body]

Adjust the height of the handles so that they would be at nipple level if it were a straight bar across your chest.

If you want to try free weights, try DB, like Josh said, you don't need a spotter and they'll help strengthen stabilizer muscles that the machine won't.

 

[Mudge]

If the handles are too high off the chest it will be more arms than chest, chest/lats come into play more at the lower parts of the movement.

Don't do the movement too quickly, watch your form, and you should not have to worry too much about injury. I used to have problems doing heavy benches in relation to dumbells, because I didn't know how to do it 'right', so you might want to give dumbells a shot if you have that available.

 

[Mudge]

http://docmudge.tripod.com/bb/bench.html

 

[kanun]

Ok thanks for the input. Next time I'm doing chest I'll try doing a dumbell press (on a low weight, of course ) and see how it goes.
Thanks!