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12-3-01 ASSISTANCE MOVEMENTS FOR THE BENCHPRESS

BENCH PRESSING EFFICIENTLY

I think we can all agree that the goal of power-bench pressers is to move the most weight possible, preferably in the shortest distance necessary.  We only have a limited amount of strength and energy to exert.  For example:  take a lifter with a 300-pound max bench who utilizes an arch of the back.  Arching his back (torso), gives him a 10-inch stroke (range of motion).  If that lifter were to lie flat on the bench with no back arch, he might have a 13-inch stroke.  If that lifter now tried to lift 300 pounds with a 13-inch stroke, we would fail.  He will not succeed for two reasons. First, a long stroke places the muscles in a poor leverage position.  When the bar is on the chest, the upper arms are cranked back further, and the elbow joint is closed more.  If it takes all your energy to move 300 pounds 10 inches, you will not have enough energy to move 300 pounds 13 inches.  This means that if you want to bench the most weight that you are capable of, you must do so with a shorter bench press stroke.

            Two factors determine the distance the bar travels.  The first factor is the width of grip.  Taking a narrow grip is rarely correct, but taking the maximum legal grip of 81 centimeters is not always the answer either.  When the bar is on the chest, the forearms should fall somewhere from parallel to one another, to somewhat wider.  If too wide of a grip is taken, too much load will be placed on the pec muscles, and the triceps will not be taken advantage of.  Remember, there is a lot of power in the triceps.  If too narrow of a grip is used, too much load will be put on the triceps, and the pecs will not be utilized sufficiently.  A good rule of thumb is that the hands should never get closer to one another than the elbows are to one another. 

            The second factor is the curvature of the back, or “arch”.  Some of us were born with a flexible torso, some of us were not. No matter where you start out though, the more flexibility you gain, the better off you will be.  The back must be stretched regularly in order to achieve a respectable arch.  One very common method used to increase the arch is to place an object under the lower back while performing the bench press.  A rolled up knee wrap would work well for this.  As the arch improves, more layers could be added to the rolled up wrap.  The problem with this method is that you get used to having that object under the back while lifting.  You have to learn how to hold the arch on your own without an object supporting the arch for you.  I recommend doing your stretching before and after your workouts, not during.  I have found two particular stretches that work well.  For the first stretch, you will need a large rubber ball approximately two to three feet in diameter.  These are commonly referred to as stability balls.  Simply lay on your back on the ball for a couple of minutes every day.  The second stretch that I find works is what I call the bridge.  With only the hands on the ground or on an elevated bench, and the feet on the ground, raise your stomach as high as you can into the air.  Make sure to do one of these stretches before you bench, to loosen up for the stress that arching applies to the muscles of the torso.  

 In addition to a flexible torso, the hips and calves must be flexible.  The arch is created by placing the glutes close to the shoulders and by having the feet tucked underneath you.  The flexible torso will allow you to get the glutes closer to the shoulders. Hip and calf flexibility is necessary in order to get the feet underneath you with the heels touching the floor.  Not all organizations require the heels to contact the floor. 

            Now that we know what special flexibility is needed, I will give an example of a possible way to set up on the bench that will help create a big arch.  First, lie down and grasp the bar.  I will not go into any great detail about the proper way to hold the barbell in the hands at this time.  Next, lift your glutes off the bench and slide back until your nose or chin is underneath the bar.  I recommend sliding this far back so that you do not have to reach as far behind you for the hand off out of the racks.  When sliding under the bar, concentrate on digging the traps into the padding.  As you slide under the bar, try to arch your back as high as you can while walking your feet underneath you on your toes.  Once you are under the bar, you can then place the glutes back onto the bench.  At this point, your shoulders and glutes are on the bench, and your toes are on the floor, tucked behind you as far as possible.  Now, wiggle or slide the feet forward until you can get the heels onto the floor.  If you find you need to place your feet a little bit farther forward to keep the heels on the floor, do so.  When arching on the bench, I recommend arching slightly less than you possibly could, to avoid wrenching your back.  The feet should be tucked back as far as possible for most everyone, but the spacing between the feet can vary depending on the lifter.  Those who are not quite as flexible in the hips usually must take a narrow foot placement.  More flexible persons are able to get their feet further apart.  A wide foot placement allows for more stability and better balance of the barbell.  If you are not able to manage a wide stance, place your heels close to one another underneath the bench with the toes pointed slightly out.  Then, either hook the calves underneath the bench, or squeeze them against the bench for stability.  Some people might find they have a hard time getting their heels on the floor.  Wearing a shoe with a short toe and a tall heel, such as a running shoe works well to solve this problem (do not squat or dead lift in running shoes!).  The large heel makes it easier to get the heel onto the floor.  If there is still a problem, try either placing extra insole material underneath the heel in the shoe, or have a custom pair of squat shoes made with a very tall heel.  I have seen lifters with three-inch heels on their shoes used for bench pressing.  Be sure to check with the rules of the organization running the contest before spending one hundred dollars or more for custom tailored shoes.  Some organizations do not require the heel to contact the ground, and others have rules regarding heel height on shoes.

            Now that you are set up on the bench, you will want to stay real tight, concentrating on keeping the glutes and feet in contact.  This will be much more difficult than with no arch.  You are going to notice that the bar will land lower on the chest than with no arch.  Lifters with tremendous back arch will probably have the bar touch somewhere below the pec muscles.  The bar appears to land lower because you are now pressing from a declined position.  The bar is still approximately the same distance laterally from the hands to the shoulder joint as compared with no arch.  Once the bar is on the body where it lands, press it to lockout, straight up in a straight line.

            I recommend wearing a lifting belt when using an arch, because of the tremendous load being applied to the back.  The belt will act as a brace that will help to keep you from overstraining the muscles of the back.  As with any change in form, work into it over the course of many workouts.  Be patient, the lifters you see with a great arch probably spent many months or years achieving it.

                                     Dave Geistlinger

Nebraska USA Powerlifting Athlete’s Representative