My training partner BB Flat bench press wt (230lb) is very close to his BB Close Grip Bench (225lb). My assumption is that his Flat is basically all Tri’s. what could he do to get his bench up and use more of his chest in it. Physically speaking he has a proportional chest and overall body. One thing that we thought of is that maybe he is tucking his elbos to his body too much on his Flat. Any insight or help would be great.
Why not try a wider grip if his tri’s are taking over most of the movement? It seems pretty obvious that he is tri dominant if he can do almost the same weight at close-grip. His numbers may drop a bit at first, but it should bring the chest more into the movement. Also, If he is tucking the elbows too much, widening the grip should take some of the emphasis off that and the tris. I think you kind of answered your own question really.
Do more flat bench/less close grip. He might already have a narrow grip, if his shoulders are not real wide then he may always use alot of tri’s. And like someone else said you can widen the grip.
Dumbells.
[quote]BONEZ217 wrote:
Dumbells. [/quote]
x 2
Any sort of dumbbell bench press would help the chest go up more so than the barbell in my opinion. Flies also would help.
[quote]AzCats wrote:
Why not try a wider grip if his tri’s are taking over most of the movement? It seems pretty obvious that he is tri dominant if he can do almost the same weight at close-grip. His numbers may drop a bit at first, but it should bring the chest more into the movement. Also, If he is tucking the elbows too much, widening the grip should help correct it and take some of the emphasis off the tris. I think you kind of answered your own question really.[/quote]
He probably has weak pecs, lats, and shoulders. I had the same problem once, but not as extreme.
I went to a seminar with Jim Wendler. He suggested I bench wider during the hands-on workshop portion of the seminar. I asked why I had the problem. He said it was because of weak pecs, shoulders, and/or lats and upper back.
So tell him to do dumbbell bench presses, pushups, dips, overhead presses, lateral raises, rows, face pulls, chins, and/or pulldowns.
And he has to work on his form by keeping his upper back and legs tight.
It also helps to not lock out. I have better chest workouts on flat if I always stop short at the top.
thanks for the help/insight. his back is strong and might take over at times. next bench we’re going to revamp his bench. I don’t think he keeps his back tight and will go with tad wider and elbows out a bit.
You just wrote his back is very strong and that it might take over, then said you don’t think he keeps his back tight. The back can’t take over in a bench press. None of the back muscles are prime movers in the lift; they’re stabilizers.
I actually GUARANTEE his problem is because of weak pecs, shoulders, and/or lats.
your back can push in a bench press, if you don’t keep your back pinched and overextend at the top of your bench. Also your saying the back doesn’t come into play but you then say that he could have weak lats.
But I do appreciate your input, Thanks
Dude, are you incoherent? I didn’t say the back doesn’t come into play. I said it can’t “take over”, which is what you said. The back doesn’t do ANY pushing during a bench. How can it. People are supposed to keep their head pressed into the bench, their shoulder blades pinched together (HARD), their lats flexed, their shoulder down, and have either a slight or extreme arch, depending on the person and what they want to do.