Bench Press -Bro-Science- (FACT OR FICTION)
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Date: 2022-04-22
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Comments and reviews: 10
Jose
I can guarantee you having both feet together on the bench is the safest way to protect your LOWER BACK, WHY? I have a bad back because of bad seat posture severe injury. and later my doctor accidentally punctured my sciatica nerve doing some -nerve testing- trying to figure out my back problem. Lifting while having legs on the floor causes my sciatica to flare up and back to strain and it will get worse after every set. SO having both foot on the bench ( NOT ON AIR) solved my problem completely, the pain dissapears and i can bench until content.
I have a bad back and when you are not hurt or injured like i am. you will not be able tell what is BEST for you. but maybe in the long run a few years later you will start feeling the hurt & possible strain you are putting on your back.
So i disagree on that.
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I can guarantee you having both feet together on the bench is the safest way to protect your LOWER BACK, WHY? I have a bad back because of bad seat posture severe injury. and later my doctor accidentally punctured my sciatica nerve doing some -nerve testing- trying to figure out my back problem. Lifting while having legs on the floor causes my sciatica to flare up and back to strain and it will get worse after every set. SO having both foot on the bench ( NOT ON AIR) solved my problem completely, the pain dissapears and i can bench until content.
I have a bad back and when you are not hurt or injured like i am. you will not be able tell what is BEST for you. but maybe in the long run a few years later you will start feeling the hurt & possible strain you are putting on your back.
So i disagree on that.
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Cae
Serious question: My legs are literally too short for my feet to be flat on the floor when I bench. I tried my damnedest to get them there and not only was it murder on my lower back and hips, but I still only managed to make contact with my toes and the balls of my feet. Moreover, the benches at my gym are either static (no adjustments at all) or can't be adjusted low enough to help me get my feet on the floor. The trainer there saw my problem, and suggested that I put my feet up on the bench. That was a hell of a lot more comfortable, but from what Jeff says here, I could be asking for other problems doing it that way. Thoughts/suggestions/advice? Was my trainer wrong? Is there something else I can do? Thanks in advance to anyone who has any ideas.
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Serious question: My legs are literally too short for my feet to be flat on the floor when I bench. I tried my damnedest to get them there and not only was it murder on my lower back and hips, but I still only managed to make contact with my toes and the balls of my feet. Moreover, the benches at my gym are either static (no adjustments at all) or can't be adjusted low enough to help me get my feet on the floor. The trainer there saw my problem, and suggested that I put my feet up on the bench. That was a hell of a lot more comfortable, but from what Jeff says here, I could be asking for other problems doing it that way. Thoughts/suggestions/advice? Was my trainer wrong? Is there something else I can do? Thanks in advance to anyone who has any ideas.
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modalova
If you are talking about those big guys at the gym. that always finds something heavy to drop and go AHHH! I GET it if it's like a dumbbell or when deadlifting. but why also slam the plate machines in the free weights. I call those moves. look at me grunts. Or I need attention drops. please understand that I'm talking about those machines that you load with 45lb plates in the free weight room. Those are the ones that I'm sure you can control and not just drop. annoying. But not on deadlifts or cleans. I don't mind any of the free weights. But the machines. Also I was told to go deeper and wider with my dumbbell chestflies. Then the 24hour fitness trainer told me don't listen to the roid heads in there.
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If you are talking about those big guys at the gym. that always finds something heavy to drop and go AHHH! I GET it if it's like a dumbbell or when deadlifting. but why also slam the plate machines in the free weights. I call those moves. look at me grunts. Or I need attention drops. please understand that I'm talking about those machines that you load with 45lb plates in the free weight room. Those are the ones that I'm sure you can control and not just drop. annoying. But not on deadlifts or cleans. I don't mind any of the free weights. But the machines. Also I was told to go deeper and wider with my dumbbell chestflies. Then the 24hour fitness trainer told me don't listen to the roid heads in there.
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Team
I-m 45 yrs old, 5-8-and I weigh 180 lbs. I work out with 250 lbs, 4 sets of 8 with legs raised 100% of the time. I-m not competing for anything, just trying to maintain strength while staying fit. I injured my lower back over 20 yrs ago doing warehouse work. Some will argue to stay away from the bench press altogether (post-back injury) and switch to hammer presses as an alternative (which I won-t dispute. However, I still enjoy the flat bench press. I-ve found that benching with legs raised gives me the extra needed back support while pushing through my sets. Again, not training for competition here, neither am I trying to increase what I lift. just trying to stay ripped and fit.
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I-m 45 yrs old, 5-8-and I weigh 180 lbs. I work out with 250 lbs, 4 sets of 8 with legs raised 100% of the time. I-m not competing for anything, just trying to maintain strength while staying fit. I injured my lower back over 20 yrs ago doing warehouse work. Some will argue to stay away from the bench press altogether (post-back injury) and switch to hammer presses as an alternative (which I won-t dispute. However, I still enjoy the flat bench press. I-ve found that benching with legs raised gives me the extra needed back support while pushing through my sets. Again, not training for competition here, neither am I trying to increase what I lift. just trying to stay ripped and fit.
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Evelyn
hey: ) Jus stopping by for some tips for bench press and I love how you get in depth with this and this makes sense. but now I have a friend who does power lifting. she says it's good to pause when you unrack. b4 your first rep? Is that necessary if you already have a good form and grip b4 you push. and aldo for backs that do not naturally have a big arch (close to none). wil any little arch still help keep your chest engaged? and lastly. what is ghe best way to quickly know you are ready to increase weight? .---im female, 20, built lean and im stuck at 110lbs. goal is 140. (that's how much i weigh). --- thank you!
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hey: ) Jus stopping by for some tips for bench press and I love how you get in depth with this and this makes sense. but now I have a friend who does power lifting. she says it's good to pause when you unrack. b4 your first rep? Is that necessary if you already have a good form and grip b4 you push. and aldo for backs that do not naturally have a big arch (close to none). wil any little arch still help keep your chest engaged? and lastly. what is ghe best way to quickly know you are ready to increase weight? .---im female, 20, built lean and im stuck at 110lbs. goal is 140. (that's how much i weigh). --- thank you!
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Trey
I agree with most of this video except for the arch of the back, but that's only when pertaining to my situation. I have advanced osteoarthritis in my lower back along with bone spurs and straightening of the cervical spine. I lift regularly and the only way I can do bench press without pain is to raise my legs. The second I put my feet flat on the floor it puts an enormous amount of pressure and pain on my lower back when lifting heavyweight. However, after having watched this video it makes me worry about my shoulders more. I hope I can compensate somehow to offset the increased exposure to shoulder injury.
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I agree with most of this video except for the arch of the back, but that's only when pertaining to my situation. I have advanced osteoarthritis in my lower back along with bone spurs and straightening of the cervical spine. I lift regularly and the only way I can do bench press without pain is to raise my legs. The second I put my feet flat on the floor it puts an enormous amount of pressure and pain on my lower back when lifting heavyweight. However, after having watched this video it makes me worry about my shoulders more. I hope I can compensate somehow to offset the increased exposure to shoulder injury.
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D.
Jeff is great at what he dose. I do bench with my legs elevated (like a leg raise not knees bent ONLY when I am doing burn out sets and eccentric or negstive sets with about 40% of my max) because:
1. I know full well that I am working my abs so i do it intentionally.
2. FOR MYSELF also enjoy the added degree of difficulty.
It (IN MY OPINION) is not about weather or not I'm doing it right or wrong. To me it is just another challenge. and Yes, it looks silly to some. but I work out for myself, and not encouraging others to simulate my routines.
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Jeff is great at what he dose. I do bench with my legs elevated (like a leg raise not knees bent ONLY when I am doing burn out sets and eccentric or negstive sets with about 40% of my max) because:
1. I know full well that I am working my abs so i do it intentionally.
2. FOR MYSELF also enjoy the added degree of difficulty.
It (IN MY OPINION) is not about weather or not I'm doing it right or wrong. To me it is just another challenge. and Yes, it looks silly to some. but I work out for myself, and not encouraging others to simulate my routines.
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Tony
This is the first time I ever really disagreed. I do both and have been for so long that I don't feel like I'm balancing or stabilizing, though I have heard others say that they feel it.
Also, when I do this it feels like all my effort is focused on my chest, minimizing the use of other muscles, as opposed to planting my feet, arching my back, and anything else that I may have forgotten to mention.
I don't really do it when maxing because having the option to arch to get the weight off me is a good thing.
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This is the first time I ever really disagreed. I do both and have been for so long that I don't feel like I'm balancing or stabilizing, though I have heard others say that they feel it.
Also, when I do this it feels like all my effort is focused on my chest, minimizing the use of other muscles, as opposed to planting my feet, arching my back, and anything else that I may have forgotten to mention.
I don't really do it when maxing because having the option to arch to get the weight off me is a good thing.
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J.
Next to breathing & blinking my eyes, I've always felt that the bench press was one of those things you just simply couldn't mess up. Looks like enough people found a way to mess it up so badly that Jeff had to make a full-on 6: 16 video teaching us all how to do the most sacred of all weight-lifting maneuvers.
Hey Jeff, next week can you do a video on effective texting techniques while -working out- in the gym?
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Next to breathing & blinking my eyes, I've always felt that the bench press was one of those things you just simply couldn't mess up. Looks like enough people found a way to mess it up so badly that Jeff had to make a full-on 6: 16 video teaching us all how to do the most sacred of all weight-lifting maneuvers.
Hey Jeff, next week can you do a video on effective texting techniques while -working out- in the gym?
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Jarmandos89
I Injured my back almost a year ago. Two mildly herniated discs and my physical therapist adviced me to keep the legs up. (He has helped ice-hockey players at top level to cope with injury for years. Having done that for a year I can say it has really helped. And I am also back around 240lbs/110kg on the bar while doing sets. So please don't go judge people according to all the YT vids you see here.
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I Injured my back almost a year ago. Two mildly herniated discs and my physical therapist adviced me to keep the legs up. (He has helped ice-hockey players at top level to cope with injury for years. Having done that for a year I can say it has really helped. And I am also back around 240lbs/110kg on the bar while doing sets. So please don't go judge people according to all the YT vids you see here.
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