Let’s get strictly academic and talk about raw benching. edited
How do YOU bench, when you bench raw ? what works for you ? Where do you touch the bar ? Do you prefer big arch or do you arch just a little?
I would do survey but well, i do not know how:)
i do use slight arc when pressing up with elbow flare (not BIG elbow flare), my arch is in middle as im still learning to do it…
Big arch, elbows slightly tucked off the chest then flare hard. Never used a shirt, still working on my technique though. I’m fortunate enough to be working with some ridiculously strong benchers right now.
Straight line raw, towards my feet in a shirt. Benching like this takes some pounds off the bar but at least my shoulders hardly ever feel like shit. Also, if I’m going to lose a heavy bench, I’d rather drop it somewhere that isn’t my teeth.
I am a raw only bencher now too. I have a pretty massive arch, wide grip with only a very slight elbow tuck. I touch right below my sternum. I am also a straight line bencher, so no arc to my bar-path.
Just FYI I think some people are describing what they do with their back (get an arch or not) and some are describing how they press the bar (to arc it or not), you might clarify your original question.
Personally I am not super flexible so my back arch is pretty limited but I try to do something with it, I am actually working more on my set up now.
In terms of bar path I definitely arc the bar back up, bar will touch around nipple area or just below, and head up and back to finish over lower part of clavicle. Elbows tucked on the way down, flare and slight internal rotation on the way up particularly after first few inches of the press. I have reasonably long arms so my bench press stroke is pretty long. The vast majority of people I have seen do better with a press that involves an arc, the longer your arms it is likely to be more pronounced.
i row the bar down to lower part of sternum and then press back over the shoulders. i feel that if you are properly rowing the bar down with the lats it has to arc down to the lower chest and then has to return to the natural position over the shoulders.
[quote]maraudermeat wrote:
i row the bar down to lower part of sternum and then press back over the shoulders. i feel that if you are properly rowing the bar down with the lats it has to arc down to the lower chest and then has to return to the natural position over the shoulders. [/quote]
Meat this makes a lot of sense. Question, do you try to flare your lats at all or are you more focused on the upper back?
well,thank you Tim just edited the topic and sorry for confusion it is becouse my english is little rusty ( i used arch and arc like they are the same word… duh ) some nice info here anyway, keep those post coming:)
[quote]maraudermeat wrote:
i row the bar down to lower part of sternum and then press back over the shoulders. i feel that if you are properly rowing the bar down with the lats it has to arc down to the lower chest and then has to return to the natural position over the shoulders. [/quote]
Meat this makes a lot of sense. Question, do you try to flare your lats at all or are you more focused on the upper back?[/quote]
i really don’t think about upper back after i set my traps. for me, it’s all about statically flexing the lats on the way down and then flaring on the way up.