I'll start with the problems that I addressed chronologically. The grip width on the bar determines how much chest or arms you use in the movement. One would think it would be as easy as wide grip for chest and narrow grip for arms, but there can be other complications. For example, I used to take about an average width grip, and I was constantly in elbow pain. After doing research, I found elbow tendinitis very common with The Bench Press, Dips, Pull-Ups, and other Triceps movements. There are ways to treat the tendinitis temporarily to relieve pain, but to cure yourself of it, you must either adjust your technique, or drop the lift from your routine. The pain is excruciating. The best method of dealing with it is Voodoo Flossing or the equivalence. Biceps curls also alleviate pain.
So as to fix my technique to avoid tendinitis, I realized I needed to tuck my elbows more. At first I tried doing it with my normal grip width, but I found it took too much concentration, and that I wasn't very good at it, leading me to lift lighter weights. The fix was to narrow my grip width I now grip just inside the rings. This is the grip associated with the Close-Grip Bench Press. One might think that if I'm targeting my chest, I shouldn't use the narrow grip, but regardless of it being narrow grip, it hits your chest. This method also protects your shoulders and elbows in the long run.
Body placement on the bench, back arch, and leg drive are all handled in one technique. I lifted this from the great powerlifter Dave Tate. Grab the very center of the bar with only your thumbs. Having them about an inch apart, pull your body up on the bench (towards head) so that your head is literally off the bench. Now raise your body into the bar and upon lowering yourself, arch the entirety of your lower back, or just one side like I like to do, and set that arched side, readjust your grip on the bar, and pin the other arched lower back side to the bench. You should feel uncomfortable. You are in essence, pushing yourself so hard into the bench that you can't even press the bar (45lb) correctly, because it's too light for you to maintain tightness and posture.
I find this position the most comfortable for unracking the weight and racking it once you finish the set. Once you've repositioned on the bench, you are lower on the bench and so your head isn't hanging off any longer. I plant my toes and keep my glutes on the bench. The leg drive is from the toes, or you can plant your heels. I actually got sore calves from benching the other week. The arch in your lower back should be so severe as to minimize the distance horizontally from your upper back to your glutes. This provides better leverage.
The grip on the bar most importantly needs to rest in the palms of your hands.This place is halfway between your thumb and wrist. Your wrists should be straight as to transfer the load from your grip to your elbows, which will let you lift with your pecs, triceps, and lats. An important notion to think about is that you couldn't possibly bench 200lb+ with ease unless you're setup is positioned optimally enough for leverage. This leverage actually makes you use less muscle, but allows you to lift heavier weight, which induces muscle and strength growth.
An example of a beginner you may see would have them laying flat on their back with no arch, no leg drive, flared elbows, and poor ROM (range of motion). I benched the below this morning at 188lb bodyweight.
- 45 lb x 5 reps
- 240 lb x 3 reps
- 240 lb x 3 reps
- 220 lb x 5 reps
- 220 lb x 5 reps
- 220 lb x 5 reps
- 200 lb x 5 reps
- 200 lb x 5 reps
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