My friend, who weighs 150, came back to school one summer and told me he benched 310. I was very impressed, saying I knew of elite powerlifters who ended that in like the 180 weight class. Went to The gym with him, he benches with a. Quarter rep range of motion on a smith machine
No the worst is whenever some idiot asks me to spot him on bench, and ends up trying to show off by just throwing as many plates as he can on, and now I have to set a new deadlift record to make sure this guy doesn't fucking die.
Fury Arsenal Nice dude, but I just turned 2 and a half yesterday and did my PR 1 rep max of 251 lbs. I've got my head shaved and have a swastika tattood on each one of my pecs :)
Great video. I'm doing all those steps so that is reassuring. Can you a video on incline bench press and some tips? I always feel awkward when doing this exercise. Thanks Buff Dudes!
pretty much the same rules apply. they missed one big mistake though - DO NOT put your arms straight when benching, but tuck them in a little bit to put less stress on them shoulders.
Buff dudez, been following you guys from the beginning now. GOLDEN advice! With all these fitness channels that do jack shit but talk about their gainz and next chipotlé, The content you guys bring is essential to getting somewhere in the gym, seen brandon on a lot of covers when i was in my teenlifting period, needless to say i was amazed finding you again on YT! No doubt u've both earned the buff title, crazy progress! btw subs, dont waste your time with this overload on channels, only 3 channels actually help you out. thats Buff Dudez, Omar Isuf, and last but not least Elliot Hulse. Time to get busy, oh yeah and avoid roidhead's advice! xD
Chad Botha Cool! Yeah Scott Herman was one of the 1st fitness YT channels that I discovered & helped me a lot... Now his newer content is like eh. So Glad I found out about Buff Dudes!!!
Arching your back while putting your feet on the bench and lowering the bar halfway, all at the same time. Seen it more than once. Good video, even though I do not flat bench anymoe
I used to work at a gym as a trainer, over the years I suppose my form has gotten sloppy. I decided to day(cardio day) to try the chest arching and noticed a whole different feeling across my chest. I had no idea how wrong I had been doing it. Thanks
the advices are awesome dudes, my bench has been consistantly improving through the 4 months i have been training, finally im able to bench 165 Thanks for the tips man
I've been working out for the past couple months, and I never knew why my chest would never feel sore and I just noticed it's because I keep my shoulders forward! Thanks for the tips, you guys are awesome!
Lukke Mohamed I was always told when you throw out your legs it's bad and you don't get as much gains so I try to keep my legs planted firmly on the ground
the kick out works really good. i do it on my heavy days. one time i kicked a girl who was walking by. she apparently knew jin jitsu as i ran into her leaving the gym. i tried to explain that the kick was unintentional but she was on her period. some time later i woke up on the ground feeling like i had a great nap. only my lip was slip and some dude kept yelling "worldstar". whatever that means.
I have been working on that with my reps. It's very easy to lift the feet when lying on back because it's uncomfortable to be in that position with feet on floor but to sustain control, I know for myself I remembered the rule of thumb is as this guy said in the video back must be flat for max power distribution across the whole body and feet must be pressed against the ground for ultimate resistance and support.
Im new at this, never been in a gym before, since earlier and boy, i am so embarrassed of myself, ive done benchpress wrong, im putting the pressure on my shoulders, you earned a subscriber, tnx a lot!
Number 5, so much where I go. I'm fairly new and was sat watching some guy. Not the barbell bench but an incline dumbbell press. He lies back and 2 of his buddies put a 110 dumbbell on each arm and he screams!!!....barely moves an inch and drops them. Gets up and starts high 5'ing people haha.
Just earned a sub, great to see a fitness channel that actively encourages beginners to go to the gym and giving them tips, whereas most channels just belittle them.
Just wanted U guys to know your videos are helpful especially for a 47 year old beginner like myself. Keep'em coming. Trying to loose this spare tire in the gut I have picked up. Any good nutrition advice?
love your videos! some of these UA-cam channels are so full of fluff it takes twice as long to watch them ramble about nothing without feeding you the answer you want
Great video. You hit the mark on every single point - just want to add another mistake -- LIFTING WITHOUT A SPOTTER. No matter how light the bar, one loss of focus or unexpected neurological failure can cause severe injury or even death if the bar lands on the sternum or throat.
so far. your tips and lessons have made great impact on how Ive corrected my work out habits, compared to other channels. now Im making more progress. thanks!
So many contradictions about the bench press on UA-cam. Some say arching is fine (to a certain point of course), some say don't arch and so on. I actually find that a small back arch aids me in lifting and so far no injuries. I've also found that tucking my elbows will take stress off the shoulders. I used to press with elbows flared straight out to my sides and messed a shoulder up doing that. I say do whatever works for YOU. If you start experiencing pain, adjust your form. just my opinion.
From what I know, in doing a bench press your chest should be out. I guess what the guy in the vid is trying to say is that you would want to your hips to stay on the bench.
a stable arch actually prevents your hips from shooting off the bench. just make sure to keep your knee below your hip and use leg drive. for an explanation why arching is the way to go, see the video by juggernaut training systems (just search for said channel + arching). short version: tucking elbows and arching puts less stress on your shoulders compared to a flat position, so there is no reason not to arch - it's safer and you are able to move more weight.
4:20 - Sorry brother this style of benching has been proven to be risky for the shoulder. Going past a 90 degree angle on the descend puts a lot of strain on the shoulder, and does not provide any more contraction or benefit to the chest. Anything past 90 degrees is no longer the chest, given the anatomy of the chest. @Buff Dudes
+Create Nature But aren't you then stretching the chest? By doing so i'm guessing it benefits the chest. Basically what you do is compress and decompress the muscle but you're saying to stop halfway the decompression
Yeah your right, it also depends on your shape. I'm 6.5 foot with long forearms and when I do go all the way down it puts massive stress on my shoulders. 90° is correct anything more is shoulder until your back to 90° coming back up. These blokes with massive chests go all the way down but because their chest is big their arms don't actually go past 90°
I was looking for this comment, I agree! I always stop about 10cm above my chest because in the past I have experienced some shoulder pain when going any further than that. Glad Im not the only one 😉
Some really useful information here. The one thing I was surprised that you didn't talk about was proper elbow positioning -- e.g., close in vs more flared out.
The reaction during the spotter doing all the work is simply hilarious. These tips are funny when we watch them but they sure are handy when doing exercise. Keep posting more videos Buff dudes.
I'm a little skeptical about the touching the chest part. From what I understand, it comes with an increased risk of shoulder strain & injury. If you move your elbows more than 90* during the bench, you switch the load from your chest to your shoulders. Of course, exceptions are if your chest is really big, your arms are short, so you can touch it safely anyway, or if you're competing and the requirements are to touch the chest. But I don't think there's really any noticeable benefit that's worth the risk, at least from a normal performance or aesthetic perspective. This is just my understanding at least. I liked all the other suggestions, especially the position of the shoulder part which I feel is something a lot of people don't even know about.
Exactly. Some people can touch their chest without any problems, others have issues. I personally touch my chest on bench, mainly bc i have a large frame, and so when I touch my chest, my arms don't pass 90 degrees, so yeah. As for the benefits, full ROM has it's benefits, but nothing worth damaging your shoulder for. Although you can usually tell if you're going to have shoulder problems from just one set of full ROM bench. If your shoulder starts hurting, stop your set IMMEDIATELY. Also, simple changes can help,too. A buddy of mine got shoulder pain when benching, until he started narrowing his grip, and his shoulder pain magically vanished. All in all, though, it's the individual lifter's preference as to whether to go full ROM or a few inches short. :P
Many people have problems with the BP because the flare the elbows,keep the elbows tucked like a 45º angle and you will be probably fine. Also having the scapula retracted helps a lot because it leaves more space between the acromion and supraspinatus. You can do this retraction by shrugin the shoulders,rolling them back and down,keep them there for the set and you will be fine. It will be akward as FUCK at the beggining. Good luck!
I agree, I've got some videos on where I use movements that are lesser ranges of motion and I've received a greater effect in a number of exercises. Less wear on the joints and more muscular development. The point is to stretch the muscles, not the joints.
Natural Gallant Bodybuilding Since I'm inexperienced, what body signals should I look for in order to know if i'm fit to do BP touching chest or if it's better to leave some inches above it?
juan gui Garcia I used pain as my teacher.lol. As a general rule though, when I started to feel an extreme stretch in the attachment points of my front delt muscle, I knew to ease off in the stretch. For you, this might be different, but for me I started to not touch my chest when I started to notice that my chest didn't get more of a stretch for the extra inch of range of motion, and when I did go all the way down, my shoulders would fatigue way before my chest did. This seemed counterproductive to me at the time, because my shoulders were already over powering my chest development.
Great video Dude! Very professional without the BS attitude in many other videos. I have been working out for 35 years+ still learned much from your videos and I only watched a few so far. how about a video on common crossfit mistakes that ought to be a good 6 hour video......
Hey dudes. I'm just starting to get serious with a regular diet & exercise routine and this video was insanely helpful. I've been too intimidated by my general lack of knowledge when it comes to form in weightlifting to give it a serious try, but now I can't wait to hit the bench press. Thanks dudes!
Value of these videos are high. I've been watching these videos usually more than once, simply because they are well explained and interesting which leads me to subscribe :) Good stuff!
What about leg drive? A slight arch in your lower back is NOT bad form. If you don't try a weight you have never done how are you ever going to advance? I agree with not trying to rep out 315 if spot is doing most of the work BUT you should always be progressing and trying to get stronger. In order to do that you have to put the weight on. Even if it is something I have done before I will ask for a spot on heavy weight.
For the arch in the back, they're talking about the people that put Waaayyyy to much of an arch. A slight arch is fine, and often beneficial, but some people take it to far.
As for the never doing 315 part, they're talking about people who have never even benched 225, yet they put 315 on to try to show off. Yes, it's a good thing to go up in weight, but there's a difference between lifting heavy, and lifting outside of your weight range.
You're either going to look good IN the gym or OUT of the gym. How often do you see a ripped power lifter? Power lifters lift heavy, but are NEVER cut. Body builders lift lighter, slower, focusing more on isolating and contracting but look way better with their shirts off lol. Lighter weights allow you to FULLY contract a muscle. Which also gives you the MAX pump.
Ken Rathjen It is not all about which weights you are lifting. Has to do with rep range, time intervals and diet. There are plenty of body builders that lift serious weight. And pure power lifters don't necessarily have the best diet. I know when I lift heavy I try to keep my movements controlled and good form. Try to mix it up tho. I will perform my heavy movement first then move to lighter weight higher reps for my other movements involving that muscle group. Try to have a balance. I do understand what you are saying BUT you can be strong and look good too.
***** 1: That sounds like a shoulder injury/imbalance. You might have issues with your rotator cuff. It's something you really want to look into ASAP. 2: Not everyone needs to go all the way down. Depending on the length of your forearms, you might need to keep the bar off your chest (i'm talking 1-2 inches here, don't start half repping). I personally feel all the strain and tension on my shoulders if I go all the way down, so I keep the bar off my chest. Hope it helps.
***** I had the same problem with the pain on my shoulder, as exeedorbit said, it could be a rotator cuff (I know I had injured it with another exercise). What I did was to slowly, everyday during my warm-up, do exercises for my shoulder to strengthen it, with very light weights (such as raises and rotations). Don't feel ever pressured on doing heavy weight lifting while injured (or ever); correct technique gets you far better results.
***** It could be an impingement, but I would go to a Doc to be sure. I've been lifting 37 years and know more than a thing or two. Also, when doing bench, do as the guy in the video states! IF you are not touching your chest, with each set and rep, your not going to make progress at all. Also, if the pain is too bad to touch your chest, you really do need to go to an orthopedic doctor.
***** I'm dealing with the same issue right now. I've been taking shoulder injections every three months for a year. It is not going to be the rotator cuff, unless you also feel pain down low on the back side of your scapula.
Why does guys keep asking me.. Are you a girl!? Well.. Actually my dad asked me the same question when he found out I was weight lifting.. He understands me being on the basketball team but I guess not weight lifting.. Oh yeah.. Domgster.. How much could you bench..?
Well..mat my school there was.. But they all quited .. They said it's too hard.. My coach said it'll get easier if they use the right technique .. And I guess because I started after them I got before them and they got mad because they all gave me dirty looks when I was finishing benching, deadlifting, or squatting .. Every time..
What a joke. Do what you wan't always remember, you're at the gym for 1 reason: Yourself. Ignore the stares and whatever bad comments you might get and go for it.
Ŭçhįwä Į Įţäçhį Įţäçhį Yeah but I don't feel the pain on my chest after bench press. I feel like I've used it but that burning sensation I don't feel which annoys me. I might put 5 sets and see how it'll be.
I had been benching with ROM for years. A few months ago, I purchased Arnold’s Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding. Arnold explains that keeping tension on the pectoral muscles throughout a chest exercise AND stretching the pectoral muscle is the best way to build strength and mass. Flat bench flies and cable crossovers are the best for the stretch. Bench press and incline press should be done within the range of keeping tension on the pectoral. Further, coming too far down risks damaging the shoulder and locking out involves too much of the tricep muscle.
i also feel less pain in my chest though it is getting stronger, I think it's due to the fact that you don't use your chest alot in day to day activities so its less painfull
I agree with everything that he said except for number five. You don't have to bring the bar all the way down. I bring it until my elbows are at a 90° angle and when I push back up I clench my chest muscles. It's not necessarily wrong to bring it down on the way, but I wouldn't call it a mistake
Why is it essential for it to touch your chest? Sure, you may be getting the full range of motion, but that doesn't mean that you are still not getting a chest workout.
+Jimmy Nutrin In my opinion, you're wrong to say that. We are different, morphology should be the principal factor to determine the range of motion of an exercice in bodybuilding ( i'm not talking about powerlifting or weightlifting, just for building muscle ;) ). Full ROM is great for those with shorter forearms for example, but with long forearms, there is a lot of unnecessary tension (risks of injury). Sorry for my bad english ^^
Manny S Duuuuuuuuuuude's you're all wrong. The reason why is cuz he's white, thus does not show definition as oppose to a black dude...He's not the biggest bodybuilder, but he's got a good size chest and defined.
Full range is such a meat head expression. Theres so many studies out now that proves for a full chest work out you only need to go down until elbows are parallel with you back anything further cause impingement of you shoulders and does nothing but cause shoulder strain when you rep up. But most this info comes from years of phys. sciences study and not the Arnold work out encyclopedia. Next you are going to tell me i should full lock out my elbows when im doing heavy weight curls.
Ryan Pellegrini - It's tough to sort through the heaps of different bench press technique information. I'd also prefer proper mechanical explanations of the body. I'd also rather sacrifice some muscle mass to save my shoulders. I'm not 100% certain but it seems that elbow joint positions
Actually having a bad technique is going further than 90degrees. That shit is a shoulder killer. Powerlifters do not do it, it's part of their technique + they push their chests as far as possible to lower the ROM, they also work on the speed of the rep and the inclined trajectory. It's kinda different from what's on the vid. But again, preserve your shoulders and don't go further than 90degs, it's useless anyway it doesnt trigger the chest muscle beyond that point anymore and the stress is transfered to places it shouldnt be.
Hey not sure if you read comments, but this was really helpful. I figured out why my shoulders have been really hurting, I needed to pack them in more.
My friend, who weighs 150, came back to school one summer and told me he benched 310. I was very impressed, saying I knew of elite powerlifters who ended that in like the 180 weight class.
Went to The gym with him, he benches with a. Quarter rep range of motion on a smith machine
LOL!
The sad part is he works out all the time, and if he just benched properly he would probably have a pretty good real bench by now.
James Brown That is really sad. RIP to all of the gains he couldve made
And, does he count the bar on the Smith machine as being 45 lbs? It's more like ZERO!
"Does he even lift, Bro?"
No the worst is whenever some idiot asks me to spot him on bench, and ends up trying to show off by just throwing as many plates as he can on, and now I have to set a new deadlift record to make sure this guy doesn't fucking die.
XD
J SCHRODE Just a copy paste, stop upvoting this comment, he isn't original.
+vilchisss y u mad?
TheMeggow Nope, just wanted to tell everybody that you are not being original.
+vilchisss Your mom is not original
I am 10 years old and have never lifted in my life. First time I layed down on the bench managed 16 reps of 645 lbs is that good for my level and age?
Nah thats a pretty low level weight
I should make it clear I did this in Jupiter, and the weight is multiplied 200 times over.
lol shitty form probably try lifting lighter weights more reps noob
Ric Rac Nah i am 22 and i managed 32reps and 1550lbs,
Ric Rac Nah i am 22 and i managed 32reps and 1550lbs,
im 455 years old i benched 11 lbs! is that good?
naah im 455 years old and bench 11
Fury Arsenal Nice dude, but I just turned 2 and a half yesterday and did my PR 1 rep max of 251 lbs. I've got my head shaved and have a swastika tattood on each one of my pecs :)
***** I tend to bench completely nude. So are you sure you want to go that direction, knowing I'm 2 yrs old?
Mehran Heshami How about you bench 455 lbs when you are 11 years old.
***** I bench pressed 455 11 years old when I'm 69 :D I have very good balance as well and I know how to pack kids together with ropes.
I think I just found my favorite fitness channel. No filler, just awesome content. Keep up the great work gents!
Can never have enough good tips!
Woah hey Jonathon. Dig your channel haha!
mee too :D I must subscribe :)
Umm what about BroScience
Thats the best shit i've ever heard. You can show off at the beach, but don't show off at the gym, that's where you do the work.
Fantastic!
Just showoff everywhere brah, who gives a shit
@@hi-jt7im thats pretty dumb....
you guys are my favorite fitness channel funny but no bullshit, just facts and basics
thank you Jon! Glad you enjoy the videos. Got a Front Squat Tips & 5 Common Dips Mistakes coming up next.
Buff Dudes awesome! looking forward to em!
uh
uh
u
"Well that's because you're working your shoulders... shithead" I laughed so hard
...i m amount of those shithead ogz^^
"Two invisible TV's" killed me xD
Beleth same
Mistake number 6: breaking your ribs because the bar fell on your chest because you used suicide grip
Lol yeah.
Powerlifters hate him.
Turns out my shoulder position was all wrong, thanks for the video and the tips.
Great video. I'm doing all those steps so that is reassuring. Can you a video on incline bench press and some tips? I always feel awkward when doing this exercise. Thanks Buff Dudes!
thanks charlie! yes, absolutely. thank you for the suggestion.
I agree with this! I always stay away from barbell incline and just do dumbbells instead. Some tips would be nice
pretty much the same rules apply. they missed one big mistake though - DO NOT put your arms straight when benching, but tuck them in a little bit to put less stress on them shoulders.
Buff Dudes
Do one on decline bench press please.
Islam Mohammad Shariful lol nice try buddy.
This guy is great, very watchable vid, thanks buff dude
Buff dudez, been following you guys from the beginning now. GOLDEN advice! With all these fitness channels that do jack shit but talk about their gainz and next chipotlé, The content you guys bring is essential to getting somewhere in the gym, seen brandon on a lot of covers when i was in my teenlifting period, needless to say i was amazed finding you again on YT! No doubt u've both earned the buff title, crazy progress! btw subs, dont waste your time with this overload on channels, only 3 channels actually help you out. thats Buff Dudez, Omar Isuf, and last but not least Elliot Hulse. Time to get busy, oh yeah and avoid roidhead's advice! xD
Oh yea!! Buff Dudes all the way!!!!
#pogarmy
Chad Botha Cool! Yeah Scott Herman was one of the 1st fitness YT channels that I discovered & helped me a lot... Now his newer content is like eh. So Glad I found out about Buff Dudes!!!
Candito
so how's the progress?
Arching your back while putting your feet on the bench and lowering the bar halfway, all at the same time. Seen it more than once.
Good video, even though I do not flat bench anymoe
How much do you bench braaah? xD
Mrskullcandy23 405 braaah
800 brahhh
sweet, braaah
Hey braah
I’m late braaah
I used to work at a gym as a trainer, over the years I suppose my form has gotten sloppy. I decided to day(cardio day) to try the chest arching and noticed a whole different feeling across my chest. I had no idea how wrong I had been doing it. Thanks
the advices are awesome dudes, my bench has been consistantly improving through the 4 months i have been training, finally im able to bench 165 Thanks for the tips man
That's about where I'm at too, my best is 82.5kg which is about 160 pounds
I've been working out for the past couple months, and I never knew why my chest would never feel sore and I just noticed it's because I keep my shoulders forward! Thanks for the tips, you guys are awesome!
He didn't mention how people kick their legs out when they struggle
Brian Cox powerlifters do it its normal
Lukke Mohamed I was always told when you throw out your legs it's bad and you don't get as much gains so I try to keep my legs planted firmly on the ground
the kick out works really good. i do it on my heavy days. one time i kicked a girl who was walking by. she apparently knew jin jitsu as i ran into her leaving the gym. i tried to explain that the kick was unintentional but she was on her period.
some time later i woke up on the ground feeling like i had a great nap. only my lip was slip and some dude kept yelling "worldstar". whatever that means.
Good one. I used to have that problem all the time.
I have been working on that with my reps. It's very easy to lift the feet when lying on back because it's uncomfortable to be in that position with feet on floor but to sustain control, I know for myself I remembered the rule of thumb is as this guy said in the video back must be flat for max power distribution across the whole body and feet must be pressed against the ground for ultimate resistance and support.
This is by far the best UA-cam fitness channel, keep it up dudes!!!
"well that's because you're working your shoulders......shithead" lmfao
As an expert in the bench press, I began the vid with low expectations, but every point made was a good one. Nice work.
"...caring two invisible TVs like that..." - I really liked that :)
Go on guys you are the best.
Im new at this, never been in a gym before, since earlier and boy, i am so embarrassed of myself, ive done benchpress wrong, im putting the pressure on my shoulders, you earned a subscriber, tnx a lot!
Number 5, so much where I go. I'm fairly new and was sat watching some guy. Not the barbell bench but an incline dumbbell press. He lies back and 2 of his buddies put a 110 dumbbell on each arm and he screams!!!....barely moves an inch and drops them. Gets up and starts high 5'ing people haha.
I don't know why but I find all of this guy's mistake videos hilarious. I love how much he exaggerates all the mistakes
"The local dude carrying the two invisible TVs around" 3:40 I died
Same here, them people literally walk like that. Lol
Just earned a sub, great to see a fitness channel that actively encourages beginners to go to the gym and giving them tips, whereas most channels just belittle them.
"how much do you bench brahhhh??" looool i died
Just wanted U guys to know your videos are helpful especially for a 47 year old beginner like myself. Keep'em coming. Trying to loose this spare tire in the gut I have picked up. Any good nutrition advice?
I think flaring out the elbows and having the bar too high is worth mentioning.
You're so 90s! I love it! Subscribed. As others have mentioned I would love to see a squat version of this.
HOLY SHIT, I'M LAUGHING SO HARD AT THE SPOTTER SCENE!
Really
Man i see those mistakes a lot in the gym...Fantastic video mate! Keep the good work!
educational and hilarious love your channel dudes
He can go whaevah da F*CK he wanna go!
love your videos! some of these UA-cam channels are so full of fluff it takes twice as long to watch them ramble about nothing without feeding you the answer you want
Great video. You hit the mark on every single point - just want to add another mistake -- LIFTING WITHOUT A SPOTTER. No matter how light the bar, one loss of focus or unexpected neurological failure can cause severe injury or even death if the bar lands on the sternum or throat.
THANK YOU!!!!! These are definitely pet peevs of mine! Form is everything, spread the word!
wow. your face got all red while screaming,braaah.
***** 420 brah 420
so far. your tips and lessons have made great impact on how Ive corrected my work out habits, compared to other channels. now Im making more progress. thanks!
"How much do you bench brah" LOL
good lessons, everyday I see sooo many guys making all this and some other mistakes as well. Thanks!
So many contradictions about the bench press on UA-cam. Some say arching is fine (to a certain point of course), some say don't arch and so on. I actually find that a small back arch aids me in lifting and so far no injuries. I've also found that tucking my elbows will take stress off the shoulders. I used to press with elbows flared straight out to my sides and messed a shoulder up doing that. I say do whatever works for YOU. If you start experiencing pain, adjust your form. just my opinion.
From what I know, in doing a bench press your chest should be out. I guess what the guy in the vid is trying to say is that you would want to your hips to stay on the bench.
a stable arch actually prevents your hips from shooting off the bench. just make sure to keep your knee below your hip and use leg drive.
for an explanation why arching is the way to go, see the video by juggernaut training systems (just search for said channel + arching).
short version: tucking elbows and arching puts less stress on your shoulders compared to a flat position, so there is no reason not to arch - it's safer and you are able to move more weight.
I honestly didn’t know about the shoulders needing to be down and back! I appreciate the help.
4:20 - Sorry brother this style of benching has been proven to be risky for the shoulder. Going past a 90 degree angle on the descend puts a lot of strain on the shoulder, and does not provide any more contraction or benefit to the chest. Anything past 90 degrees is no longer the chest, given the anatomy of the chest. @Buff Dudes
+Create Nature But aren't you then stretching the chest? By doing so i'm guessing it benefits the chest. Basically what you do is compress and decompress the muscle but you're saying to stop halfway the decompression
Yeah your right, it also depends on your shape. I'm 6.5 foot with long forearms and when I do go all the way down it puts massive stress on my shoulders. 90° is correct anything more is shoulder until your back to 90° coming back up. These blokes with massive chests go all the way down but because their chest is big their arms don't actually go past 90°
+Marc Evans Which is why you arch
I was looking for this comment, I agree! I always stop about 10cm above my chest because in the past I have experienced some shoulder pain when going any further than that. Glad Im not the only one 😉
SinnedNogara eh? Never arch!!!
Some really useful information here. The one thing I was surprised that you didn't talk about was proper elbow positioning -- e.g., close in vs more flared out.
I love "How much can you bench Bruuuh?" Haha, so true.
Hudson, you have changed a hell of a lot since this video! Putting on some serious slabs of muscle! Rock on!
3:36 when i see a group of 5+ people sitting around talking hogging up a bench or squat rack doing jack shit but wasting my and others valuable time
Thanks for speaking slowly, its much more easy for a french canadian to understand!
"405 Brah" LOL!!!
The reaction during the spotter doing all the work is simply hilarious. These tips are funny when we watch them but they sure are handy when doing exercise. Keep posting more videos Buff dudes.
I'm a little skeptical about the touching the chest part. From what I understand, it comes with an increased risk of shoulder strain & injury.
If you move your elbows more than 90* during the bench, you switch the load from your chest to your shoulders.
Of course, exceptions are if your chest is really big, your arms are short, so you can touch it safely anyway, or if you're competing and the requirements are to touch the chest.
But I don't think there's really any noticeable benefit that's worth the risk, at least from a normal performance or aesthetic perspective.
This is just my understanding at least. I liked all the other suggestions, especially the position of the shoulder part which I feel is something a lot of people don't even know about.
Exactly. Some people can touch their chest without any problems, others have issues. I personally touch my chest on bench, mainly bc i have a large frame, and so when I touch my chest, my arms don't pass 90 degrees, so yeah. As for the benefits, full ROM has it's benefits, but nothing worth damaging your shoulder for. Although you can usually tell if you're going to have shoulder problems from just one set of full ROM bench. If your shoulder starts hurting, stop your set IMMEDIATELY. Also, simple changes can help,too. A buddy of mine got shoulder pain when benching, until he started narrowing his grip, and his shoulder pain magically vanished. All in all, though, it's the individual lifter's preference as to whether to go full ROM or a few inches short. :P
Many people have problems with the BP because the flare the elbows,keep the elbows tucked like a 45º angle and you will be probably fine. Also having the scapula retracted helps a lot because it leaves more space between the acromion and supraspinatus. You can do this retraction by shrugin the shoulders,rolling them back and down,keep them there for the set and you will be fine. It will be akward as FUCK at the beggining. Good luck!
I agree, I've got some videos on where I use movements that are lesser ranges of motion and I've received a greater effect in a number of exercises. Less wear on the joints and more muscular development. The point is to stretch the muscles, not the joints.
Natural Gallant Bodybuilding Since I'm inexperienced, what body signals should I look for in order to know if i'm fit to do BP touching chest or if it's better to leave some inches above it?
juan gui Garcia I used pain as my teacher.lol. As a general rule though, when I started to feel an extreme stretch in the attachment points of my front delt muscle, I knew to ease off in the stretch. For you, this might be different, but for me I started to not touch my chest when I started to notice that my chest didn't get more of a stretch for the extra inch of range of motion, and when I did go all the way down, my shoulders would fatigue way before my chest did. This seemed counterproductive to me at the time, because my shoulders were already over powering my chest development.
My favorite channel for training
"Wow, I'm getting this easy." Classic.
Great video Dude! Very professional without the BS attitude in many other videos. I have been working out for 35 years+ still learned much from your videos and I only watched a few so far. how about a video on common crossfit mistakes that ought to be a good 6 hour video......
3:36
Hey dudes. I'm just starting to get serious with a regular diet & exercise routine and this video was insanely helpful. I've been too intimidated by my general lack of knowledge when it comes to form in weightlifting to give it a serious try, but now I can't wait to hit the bench press. Thanks dudes!
What about flaring elbows. That a very common bench press mistake.
Value of these videos are high. I've been watching these videos usually more than once, simply because they are well explained and interesting which leads me to subscribe :) Good stuff!
What about leg drive? A slight arch in your lower back is NOT bad form. If you don't try a weight you have never done how are you ever going to advance? I agree with not trying to rep out 315 if spot is doing most of the work BUT you should always be progressing and trying to get stronger. In order to do that you have to put the weight on. Even if it is something I have done before I will ask for a spot on heavy weight.
For the arch in the back, they're talking about the people that put Waaayyyy to much of an arch. A slight arch is fine, and often beneficial, but some people take it to far.
As for the never doing 315 part, they're talking about people who have never even benched 225, yet they put 315 on to try to show off. Yes, it's a good thing to go up in weight, but there's a difference between lifting heavy, and lifting outside of your weight range.
MrTheifofDreams Agreed.
You're either going to look good IN the gym or OUT of the gym. How often do you see a ripped power lifter? Power lifters lift heavy, but are NEVER cut. Body builders lift lighter, slower, focusing more on isolating and contracting but look way better with their shirts off lol. Lighter weights allow you to FULLY contract a muscle. Which also gives you the MAX pump.
Ken Rathjen It is not all about which weights you are lifting. Has to do with rep range, time intervals and diet. There are plenty of body builders that lift serious weight. And pure power lifters don't necessarily have the best diet. I know when I lift heavy I try to keep my movements controlled and good form. Try to mix it up tho. I will perform my heavy movement first then move to lighter weight higher reps for my other movements involving that muscle group. Try to have a balance.
I do understand what you are saying BUT you can be strong and look good too.
The shoulder thing is why I came here!! Thanks for the advice I completely forgot about keeping those shoulders back! Appreciate it!
That spotter. Lol 😂😂😋
You are well rounded dude, and I want to say thanks for all of the help and tips. I would like some tips to keep that bar straight.
When he said shithead I died😂😂😂😂
good solid tips. I think the shoulder tip was the best 1
im a shithead, i was wondering why my chest muscle stays the same and my shoulder looks like the witchers
Great video. I can't tell you how many people I've seen doing exactly what you did for mistake number five.
I feel a huge pain in my shoulders when i go all the way down like a sharp stab in my right shoulder not so much my left
*****
1: That sounds like a shoulder injury/imbalance. You might have issues with your rotator cuff. It's something you really want to look into ASAP.
2: Not everyone needs to go all the way down. Depending on the length of your forearms, you might need to keep the bar off your chest (i'm talking 1-2 inches here, don't start half repping). I personally feel all the strain and tension on my shoulders if I go all the way down, so I keep the bar off my chest. Hope it helps.
exeedorbit tnx I'll check my shoulder tomorrow and ill try your technique
***** I had the same problem with the pain on my shoulder, as exeedorbit said, it could be a rotator cuff (I know I had injured it with another exercise). What I did was to slowly, everyday during my warm-up, do exercises for my shoulder to strengthen it, with very light weights (such as raises and rotations). Don't feel ever pressured on doing heavy weight lifting while injured (or ever); correct technique gets you far better results.
***** It could be an impingement, but I would go to a Doc to be sure. I've been lifting 37 years and know more than a thing or two. Also, when doing bench, do as the guy in the video states! IF you are not touching your chest, with each set and rep, your not going to make progress at all. Also, if the pain is too bad to touch your chest, you really do need to go to an orthopedic doctor.
***** I'm dealing with the same issue right now. I've been taking shoulder injections every three months for a year. It is not going to be the rotator cuff, unless you also feel pain down low on the back side of your scapula.
Your videos are extremely useful, please keep making them
Maxed 180lbs in bench yesterday
I need help!! I can barley do .. What 50 pounds total!!
Why does guys keep asking me.. Are you a girl!? Well.. Actually my dad asked me the same question when he found out I was weight lifting.. He understands me being on the basketball team but I guess not weight lifting.. Oh yeah.. Domgster.. How much could you bench..?
Well..mat my school there was.. But they all quited .. They said it's too hard.. My coach said it'll get easier if they use the right technique .. And I guess because I started after them I got before them and they got mad because they all gave me dirty looks when I was finishing benching, deadlifting, or squatting .. Every time..
What a joke. Do what you wan't always remember, you're at the gym for 1 reason: Yourself. Ignore the stares and whatever bad comments you might get and go for it.
That's what my friend says cx
Love you Buff Dudes!! When will you start a Buff Dudettes chanel? 😄
I'm a shithead...
I've done this wrong all the way.
stay motivated
Ŭçhįwä Į Įţäçhį Įţäçhį Yeah but I don't feel the pain on my chest after bench press. I feel like I've used it but that burning sensation I don't feel which annoys me. I might put 5 sets and see how it'll be.
me too i used 2 feel pain before but now it's gone
and the solution is to take a break a Week break Then hit the gym and u'll see
I was expecting a buff dude... You got me!
XD my old trainer would walk around with his invisible tv's too
+MrMeister™ invisible tv......haha lol
I had been benching with ROM for years. A few months ago, I purchased Arnold’s Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding. Arnold explains that keeping tension on the pectoral muscles throughout a chest exercise AND stretching the pectoral muscle is the best way to build strength and mass. Flat bench flies and cable crossovers are the best for the stretch. Bench press and incline press should be done within the range of keeping tension on the pectoral. Further, coming too far down risks damaging the shoulder and locking out involves too much of the tricep muscle.
'That's because your working your shoulders..........shit-head' HaHaHaHaHa!!!
Very informative. Thanks Buff Dudes. Your the best!
Please turn the plates around!
Richondo Fabiano good one
Badass video! finally someone who knows what he is talking about!
Why is it that when I do this I only feel burn in my triceps?
chest n Tris on the same day and back n Bis on another day .......shoulders whenever...legs once a week
Mario. Your grip is too narrow
i also feel less pain in my chest though it is getting stronger, I think it's due to the fact that you don't use your chest alot in day to day activities so its less painfull
I agree with everything that he said except for number five. You don't have to bring the bar all the way down. I bring it until my elbows are at a 90° angle and when I push back up I clench my chest muscles. It's not necessarily wrong to bring it down on the way, but I wouldn't call it a mistake
+Michael H Agreed. Not to mention the fact that bringing your shoulder blades together isn't great for them.
+Michael H agreed
Why is it essential for it to touch your chest? Sure, you may be getting the full range of motion, but that doesn't mean that you are still not getting a chest workout.
+Michael H If you do not touch bar to chest... that is considered a NO lift by bodybuilders, power lifters, etc.
+Jimmy Nutrin In my opinion, you're wrong to say that. We are different, morphology should be the principal factor to determine the range of motion of an exercice in bodybuilding ( i'm not talking about powerlifting or weightlifting, just for building muscle ;) ). Full ROM is great for those with shorter forearms for example, but with long forearms, there is a lot of unnecessary tension (risks of injury). Sorry for my bad english ^^
Dude not hating but you got a flatter chest than Kate Moss
I think its because of his bad genetics,even his bro lacks a good upper chest!
lewisevander Yeah bro he's correct about all the chest forms however he lacks a chest himself, because of bad genetics as you said.
Manny S Duuuuuuuuuuude's you're all wrong. The reason why is cuz he's white, thus does not show definition as oppose to a black dude...He's not the biggest bodybuilder, but he's got a good size chest and defined.
That shoulder back is new to me. I'm confused how was i training for 1 year . Thanks for this great tip.
"405 brah".
"But do you even lift"?
Very good information and very tastefully presented!!
But wheres your chest brah?
+MarshalEnglish You must be a beginner, his chest pops out only when he's mad.
My new favorite channel, love your vids!
fuck I bounce it off my chest
Luc as same lol
Good vid! Glad to see you don't bench like Cali muscle and go halfway down with the bar then bring it back up
I am the shithead :D
Simple & Precise information.Very informative.
Good Job,Buff dudes...
the irony of teaching people how to lift and you look like you've never lifted in your life. 😂
That's so true hahaha
+My Reviews This isn't the biggest he's been.
Thanks for this lol, most of these comments are so painful.. so it's nice to see someone point this out because no one else is
I'm not a dude, but I LOVE your videos. Thanks for helping me correct my form on almost every single lift I do :)
Full range is such a meat head expression. Theres so many studies out now that proves for a full chest work out you only need to go down until elbows are parallel with you back anything further cause impingement of you shoulders and does nothing but cause shoulder strain when you rep up. But most this info comes from years of phys. sciences study and not the Arnold work out encyclopedia. Next you are going to tell me i should full lock out my elbows when im doing heavy weight curls.
Ryan Pellegrini - It's tough to sort through the heaps of different bench press technique information. I'd also prefer proper mechanical explanations of the body. I'd also rather sacrifice some muscle mass to save my shoulders. I'm not 100% certain but it seems that elbow joint positions
Ryan Pellegrini Only if you have bad technique when going full ROM. Powerlifter have very few shoulders injuries.
Probably he should say "No half repping"
Actually having a bad technique is going further than 90degrees. That shit is a shoulder killer. Powerlifters do not do it, it's part of their technique + they push their chests as far as possible to lower the ROM, they also work on the speed of the rep and the inclined trajectory. It's kinda different from what's on the vid. But again, preserve your shoulders and don't go further than 90degs, it's useless anyway it doesnt trigger the chest muscle beyond that point anymore and the stress is transfered to places it shouldnt be.
grow a pair and hit ur full range
Hey not sure if you read comments, but this was really helpful. I figured out why my shoulders have been really hurting, I needed to pack them in more.
"How much do you bench braahhh?"
Cringe level too high
I love these videos, they are direct to the point and always set you up to win im the gym. And of course theyre funny.