There is the commonly expressed idea of not allowing your upper arms to go below parallel, either on flat, incline bench, or say on a seated shoulder press, as it will involve the delts too much in order to get back out of the hole.

Man, it's touch, not to go all the way down to the chest. I always have, but have been giving this more thought lately, and have been wondering how everybody else does their reps,...

It's a bit funny when I see a video, of a training nature, and the person speaking says something to this fact, and then either, goes past parallel themselves, or the person actually doing the lift does,...

Thoughts?

Thanks guys,...>>>--->

There is the commonly expressed idea of not allowing your upper arms to go below parallel, either on flat, incline bench, or say on a seated shoulder press, as it will involve the delts too much in order to get back out of the hole.

Actually it's more about not tearing up your shoulder, whether your delts are strong or not.

There is the commonly expressed idea of not allowing your upper arms to go below parallel, either on flat, incline bench, or say on a seated shoulder press, as it will involve the delts too much in order to get back out of the hole.

Man, it's touch, not to go all the way down to the chest. I always have, but have been giving this more thought lately, and have been wondering how everybody else does their reps,...

Not allowing the upper arms to go below parallel has nothing to do with involving the delts too much or getting back out of the hole. It's a technique used for those who have shoulder problems, so that they don't aggravate them further.

BTW, if you're worried about involving the delts too much, you shouldn't be doing a seated shoulder press. The purpose of that exercise is to develop the delts, so, if that is also your purpose in using the exercise, I see absolutely no reason to stop short as long as you have sufficient flexibility and healthy shoulders.

It's a bit funny when I see a video, of a training nature, and the person speaking says something to this fact, and then either, goes past parallel themselves, or the person actually doing the lift does,...

Thoughts?
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I agree with Chic and Zen -- If it doesn't kill your shoulders, then touch your chest. If it gives you shoulder pain to do that, then stop slightly short.

I agree with Chic and Zen -- If it doesn't kill your shoulders, then touch your chest. If it gives you shoulder pain to do that, then stop slightly short.

I would go farther than that. If you aren't in competition, then there is little reason to go down so that your elbows are behind you. Many good programs for bench press use partial lifts - they are plenty effective. If after doing most of your training as decent partials, you find you have a sticking point at the bottom for competition, you can address that, and it will account for a small minority of your total overall repetitions.

Remember the impingement problem takes a long time to show up. Just because you don't feel it for a few years doesn't mean you aren't doing damage. For what it's worth I don't go much past elbows parallel when I bench, and for this reason.

I would go farther than that. If you aren't in competition, then there is little reason to go down so that your elbows are behind you. Many good programs for bench press use partial lifts - they are plenty effective. If after doing most of your training as decent partials, you find you have a sticking point at the bottom for competition, you can address that, and it will account for a small minority of your total overall repetitions.

Remember the impingement problem takes a long time to show up. Just because you don't feel it for a few years doesn't mean you aren't doing damage. For what it's worth I don't go much past elbows parallel when I bench, and for this reason.

I totally agree -- with most of my working sets, I usually stop about an inch or two above my chest in order to save my shoulders. Cutler mentions that he does something similar in order to prevent pec tears.

Here is an interesting article: http://www.chekinstitute.com/articles.cfm?select=26

Hey Zen and Joe, what do you guys think about the PL style bench set-up where you go for a big back arch and bench to your solar plexus like this:

HW70jBR39_c

His elbows don't go very low and he still manages to touch on each rep. :confused:

Hey Zen and Joe, what do you guys think about the PL style bench set-up where you go for a big back arch and bench to your solar plexus like this:

HW70jBR39_c

His elbows don't go very low and he still manages to touch on each rep. :confused:

Wow,..That was weird! Just getting set looks painful,..:)

Thanks for the info guys,...I guess as a relative newb, I don't want to short change myself with a limited range of motion, but on the other hand, don't want to set myself up for issues later on either. I'm 46, so I don't have as many years left to do that,..:)

As far as shoulder issues, I feel a significant stress in my elbows at the bottom of inclines as well,...It feels like my arms just don't want to fold up that tight. Normal?

>>>--->

Hey guys, just going to step in with a question here.

I have had sore shoulders for a while now, and the pain usually comes post chest day, rather then post shoulders day. I go past low and touch my chest on flat and incline bench.

could this be the cause of the problem ? Would you advise i just go to parallel?

Hey Zen and Joe, what do you guys think about the PL style bench set-up where you go for a big back arch and bench to your solar plexus like this:

His elbows don't go very low and he still manages to touch on each rep. :confused:

Well -- that is an effective way of reducing your ROM while still touching your chest, which makes it a legal lift. You'll notice some of the elite benchers have very small ROM -- They arch, bring it down to their rather prodigious gut (belly benching), and then push it back up. It is a very effective way of benching huge numbers while also satisfying the rules.

I have had sore shoulders for a while now, and the pain usually comes post chest day, rather then post shoulders day. I go past low and touch my chest on flat and incline bench.

could this be the cause of the problem ? Would you advise i just go to parallel?

Same thing used to happen to me all the time. I injured my left shoulder repeatedly doing bench presses and dumbbell presses. I have since modified my technique a bit -- I don't flare my elbows out as much, and I also stop about an inch or so above my chest on most working sets -- and since I've done that, my shoulders have never felt better. If I were you, I would experiment with different ranges of motion to see how that affects your shoulders. You don't have to immediately jump to parallel (which seems like it would be 5-6 inches off your chest depending on your build) .... but maybe start by stopping very slightly above the chest and then fine tuning it depending on how your shoulders feel. You may not have to reduce it much at all ... sometimes a very slight change can make a big difference.

Wow,..That was weird! Just getting set looks painful,..:)


It takes some work overtime to achieve that back arch. Most people can't do it without some work. I think I read a Cressey article suggesting stretching the back over a PVC pipe to prepare.

Also, that arch makes the bench more like a decline bench, pressing off the traps. Decline bench is generally less stressful to the shoulders as I understand it.

good topic...i have the same issue after bench i've been developing sore shoulders, and i really injured it last week...i usually touch chest because that is what i saw in most videos i watch

i will try parallel next week

Hey Zen and Joe, what do you guys think about the PL style bench set-up where you go for a big back arch and bench to your solar plexus like this:

HW70jBR39_c

His elbows don't go very low and he still manages to touch on each rep. :confused:

That guy has a big torso and tilting it like that makes it easier to compete - where he has to touch. It sort of makes the press a little more of a decline bench, which for a lot of people makes the lift easier.

I'm sort of scratching my head about that guy. He is clearly training for competition (watch his other videos) and any competitive power lifter at his weight should be able to lift a whole lot more than me. But a lot of his work sets are sets that look like stuff I can do raw. (The exception being when he went after four plates but he didn't get that either).

Decline bench is generally less stressful to the shoulders as I understand it.

Depends on which part of the shoulders. If you have a sort AC joint (like I did for a while) then decline bench is the worst.

That guy has a big torso and tilting it like that makes it easier to compete - where he has to touch. It sort of makes the press a little more of a decline bench, which for a lot of people makes the lift easier.

I'm sort of scratching my head about that guy. He is clearly training for competition (watch his other videos) and any competitive power lifter at his weight should be able to lift a whole lot more than me. But a lot of his work sets are sets that look like stuff I can do raw. (The exception being when he went after four plates but he didn't get that either).

Depending on the federation you have to have your heels on the ground, as well. He doesn't seem too strong.

Depending on the federation you have to have your heels on the ground, as well. He doesn't seem too strong.

Yeah the flat feet thing is IPF but APF allows toes (like Scott Mendelson who I think is who the guy in the video is emulating).

Maybe he's rehabbing and has to stay way under what he used to lift.

Besides, powerlifting is about squat and dead. You can't get a huge total just off your bench. Mendelson himself squats over 1000# and I would be surprised if his deadlift isn't well over 800#.

Guess it's the way you're built initially.

I touch the bar to my chest all the time...(seat angle about 35 degrees...any higher than that and yes you're bringing the Anterior delts into it much more).

If I use Db's I go as deep as I can get'em.

Usually keep the elbows at about 45 degrees...not flared, not tucked.

But I flare and tuck all the time on specific moves like mid-range BB partials etc. etc.

BUT....I never ever bench "cold". I do dynamic ex's and warmup sets before I go heavy.

Sure, maybe problems show up after years of Benching for some people...but you could say the same for Squats and Deads or any ex.

Besides, powerlifting is about squat and dead. You can't get a huge total just off your bench. Mendelson himself squats over 1000# and I would be surprised if his deadlift isn't well over 800#.

Not necessarily true given all the gear -- People are benching numbers that approach squat and dead numbers now days. You really have to be good at all three.

If I use Db's I go as deep as I can get'em.



Yeah, some people can do that without probs. Last time I injured my shoulder though was because I went ultra deep on incline with DBs. So I have to be careful.

Not necessarily true given all the gear -- People are benching numbers that approach squat and dead numbers now days. You really have to be good at all three.

Yeah, I tend only to think about raw competition, where things are still as God intended: Legs and back.