ExRx.net

I didn't want to hijack Oscar's thread on Bench form, but I have a question relating to some problems I 'think' I might be having. (Not entirely sure if I'm overthinking it...)

I can usually get into bench position not too terribly, arched back, chest out, feet flat. But when I unrack the bar, the weight pushes my arch down. From this point I stick out my chest and try to restablish the arch by protruding, what feels like, my scapulae in the bench. Now, I don't have very good trap development, I'm naturally pretty lean and realized recently that I need to try and develop these muscles, as theyre obviously lacking and for better success with DL's.

Returning to my question, is what I am doing just a different term for 'digging in my [presumably, lower] traps' or do I need to seriously work on trap development to get in the universally accepted proper bench position?

Do you use a hand-off?

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Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.--Francis Chan

No, I just lift the bar from off the rack/pins.

It's a lot easier to stay tight with a hand-off. Safer, too.

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Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.--Francis Chan

Thanks, doc. I'll get my buddy to help me next time.

Thanks for the help.

Do people who bench very heavy often use 2 people to do handoffs?

I almost never use handoffs, at all. I lift alone (at the gym) and don't have anyone to hand off to me at a meet, so I practice for the meet. The biggest disadvantage I find is that on some benches, the pins are placed too far back at the top and the angle of the supports, the bottom pins are too far forward. Consequently, I tend to hit the bottom pin.

As for heavy benchers, all you ever want is a single person handoff. Having two people, they never lift with the same force. It throws you off and gets you out of balance. All you really need is someone to take 100 - 150 lbs off the weight for you.

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Thanks TimD.