The
Bench Press
Now I have titled this article "The Powerlifting Squat", not
The Squat. The Powerlifting squat is a very different beast to other
forms of squatting. Most other forms of squatting are used to damage
as many muscle fibres as possible, in other words we try and make the
exercise as difficult as possible. The Powerlifting squat is different,
we are trying to move the heaviest weight we can. To do this efficiently
we try and make the exercise as easy as possible.
Bar Position
Many novice powerlifters place the bar too high on their backs, somewhere
around the spot where the back and neck meet. If you place the bar
here you are not only putting your lower back under much greater stress
than
necessary, but reducing your mechanical efficiency in the lift. If
you place the bar high on your neck, you are increasing the distance
from
the hips to the bar by at least two to three inches. This significantly
increases the leverage involved. This means making the exercise harder
and so leads to you lifting less weight. You will also be making the
possibility of a lower back injury that much more likely. Now the rules
allow you to have the bar up to 3cm below the anterior deltoid. So
the rules allow quite a low bar placement. When you raise your arms
as when
you are squatting, a ridge of muscle forms on the upper back, (this
ridge could have been a purpose made bar carrier) you should rest the
bar on
this ridge of muscle (if you haven't the muscle yet, a few months of
heavy squatting will soon put that right). You should not rest the
bar on the vertebra of the neck or on the scapula. This ridge of muscle
is
about 2 to 3cm below the anterior deltoid and so is a legal bar placement.
The bench press is a test of chest, arm and shoulder strength. Any attempt
to lift heavier weights by cheating, such as pushing the hips up off
the bench or bouncing the weight off the chest, are a complete waste
of time. Apart from the fact that these methods are not allowed in competition
, they can be very dangerous. However there is a legal method of making
the Bench Press easier. As with the squat if you can decrease the range
of motion of the Bench Press, then you will be able to Bench Press more
weight, without having to get any stronger. The most efficient way of
doing this in the Bench Press is by developing a good arch.
Getting a Good arch
A stable starting position is a must if you are to press to your maximum.
It will allow you to best control the ascent and descent of the bar.
In order to establish a good starting position you must do the following:
- To get a good arch raise the chest as high as possible while keeping
the head, shoulders and buttocks in contact with the bench. This is
best achieved by attempting to bring the shoulder blades together one
at a
time.
- With the shoulder blades set in a solid position you are now able
to brings your hips back toward your shoulders. The degree of arch
in the lower back will depend on the amount of flexibility that you
possess
in your lower spine. Lifters in the lighter weight classes have developed
incredible flexibility in the lower back, enabling them to cut 6 to
12 inches of their range of motion. But remember the buttocks must
still
remain in contact with the bench during the whole lift.
- Your feet and knees should be positioned out and away from the
bench and back toward the hips as close as flexibility will allow.
You should
be able to push through the legs when you are pressing the weight off
your chest. Your feet must be perfectly flat on the floor or on a built
up surface (plates or block).
- Once your back and foot positions are established, your eyes should
be directly under the bar. Being too far down the bench, with the bar
near the top of the head, makes it difficult for the spotters to hand
the bar off to you. Also, if your eyes are positioned back behind the
bar there is the danger of the barbell touching the uprights while
being pressed and so incurring a no lift.
Some lifters may find achieving this initial position difficult, but
with practise and time it will become easier. If your flexibility is
poor then ensure you incorporate plenty of stretching into you training
program.
The Decent
Once you have got into position on the bench you are now ready to remove
the bar from the racks. Your hands should be placed on the bar so that
when the bar is at the chest, the forearms will be vertical to the
body. This ensures that all your force is directed upwards. As you
become more experienced you can employ a wider grip to cut down on
the distance that the bar must travel.
Have a word with the spotters just before you lift. Let them know how
you will signal them that you are ready to take the bar. When the spotter
has taken a grip on the bar, you should take a deep breath so that you
become further stabilised, then signal the spotter that the lift off
should begin. At this point the bar should be lifted off and smoothly
moved forward to a position just above your shoulders. Your arms should
be fully extended with the elbows locked.
Once you are steady you should exhale and then take another deep breathe
to raise your chest up higher. Your wrists should be bent back slightly
to enable an arched descent to a high point on the chest. The exact point
will vary slightly for different lifters. But it should be around the
nipple area. When the bar touches the chest, the upper arms should be
at a 45 to 60 degree angle from the body. In this position the lifter
will have a stronger push from the chest. Any angle greater than 60 degrees
makes it more difficult to initiate the push from the chest and over
a period of time can lead to shoulder injuries.
The Ascent
The bar should actually stop dead on the chest without sinking excessively.
Do not relax, keep all the involved muscles bar tight. The instant
you hear the Bench command you should explode the bar upward without
any heaving up of the chest.
During the press, when the bar approaches the midway point you may feel
the bar slow down. It is at this point that the bar should be pressed
up and back ; when this is done the elbows will naturally drift out as
the bar is pushed back to the lockout position just over the shoulder
joints.
The proper groove for the bar is absolutely vital to efficient bench
pressing. You must understand that any movement of the bar toward the
abdomen as the bar is driven of the chest will most likely result in
a stalled or failed lift, especially with heavy weights. Hence, it is
important that you learn the proper diagonal "groove" between
the chest position and the final lockout position. You should quickly
establish the proper moment to push back and also take care not to begin
this process too early in the upward motion.
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