Hi all,
When I bench, if I can get the bar past about 6 inches off my chest, I’ll make the lift. In fact, sometimes the bar comes to almost a complete halt, moves painstakingly slowly through the inch-or-so of sticking point, then blasts up into lockout really fast. It’s weird. The lockout’s always as explosive as fuck, it’s just that one little bit I suck at.
If anyone has had, and overcome, a similar problem then I’ll be interested to know how they fixed it.
Thanks in advance
Bob
I have had this problem and I realized that I was losing tightness after I got it off my chest. I think its easy after you move it a lil bit to shift gears almost, and think about just finishing as quick as possible rather than maintaining proper form. At least for me thats what the problem was, my shoulders would come foreward, back/traps losen after i got it 6 inches off my chest, and just like you are sayin, it would just stick there. Now I really focus on keeping that back tight and getting a little more leg drive and its helped me overcome the problem.
interesting, maybe I need to control the reps a bit better then
Yeah actually come to think of it my training buddy actually has the same exact problem. He really locked out hard and jerked the weight around. He would do a set of 6 and get the first 4 so easy and then all of a sudden slam into a sticking point. This jerking around def is bad because as I said it ruins your back tightness and makes everything loose causing more straing on your shoulders and triceps than your chest. You gotta be as explosive as possible while controled. I would rather go too slow on my lifts if anything, because being out of control can really cause problems over time
CG bench
[quote]spar4tee wrote:
CG bench[/quote]
If I see Ct. Rock has posted in a thread, I know he is just going to write FST-7
You’re becoming the PL-version of Count. lol
Speed work with bands. That way, you can use the momentum off your chest better to get through your sticking point.
[quote]rds63799 wrote:
Hi all,
When I bench, if I can get the bar past about 6 inches off my chest, I’ll make the lift. In fact, sometimes the bar comes to almost a complete halt, moves painstakingly slowly through the inch-or-so of sticking point, then blasts up into lockout really fast. It’s weird. The lockout’s always as explosive as fuck, it’s just that one little bit I suck at.
If anyone has had, and overcome, a similar problem then I’ll be interested to know how they fixed it.
Thanks in advance
Bob[/quote]
you’re losing tightness… could be accumulated fatique in some muscles if you train too often (i bench daily so i know when this is an issue)… also could be bad motor habits that need to be re-learned… how to push the bar… also how to lower it…
and… maybe the bar is too heavy… for myself sticking point is always at the same place, and as i get stronger… i lift more, but always the closer i am to my max, and go over it… it stalls on the exact same place…
[quote]gavra wrote:
[quote]rds63799 wrote:
Hi all,
When I bench, if I can get the bar past about 6 inches off my chest, I’ll make the lift. In fact, sometimes the bar comes to almost a complete halt, moves painstakingly slowly through the inch-or-so of sticking point, then blasts up into lockout really fast. It’s weird. The lockout’s always as explosive as fuck, it’s just that one little bit I suck at.
If anyone has had, and overcome, a similar problem then I’ll be interested to know how they fixed it.
Thanks in advance
Bob[/quote]
you’re losing tightness… could be accumulated fatique in some muscles if you train too often (i bench daily so i know when this is an issue)… also could be bad motor habits that need to be re-learned… how to push the bar… also how to lower it…
and… maybe the bar is too heavy… for myself sticking point is always at the same place, and as i get stronger… i lift more, but always the closer i am to my max, and go over it… it stalls on the exact same place…
[/quote]
plz post more
[quote]spar4tee wrote:
CG bench[/quote]
its not as simple… i do benches ONLY, i dont waste my recovery on movements that nobody can prove me can improve my bench… people always tell me about assistance work… my last raw bench was 222.5kg at 97.4kg bodyweight… in zemne, slovakia at slovakian bench press open… i’m preparing 230 in same class now for 24th june…
CG bench if you ask me is not specific at all… I would rather do more bencher… i would just do more benches… it is more specific… i dont think CG bench trains the muscles at the same leverage… so not all people have the carry over…
you need motor control, movement has to be so well practised that no “nerve energy” is wasted on doing the movement (it should be so automated that all energy goes into recruiting muscles)… also… i try to use friction between lats and triceps to lower the bar, conserve energy, and build up tightness which i use to launch the bar first 2 inches up… then I start to speed up… I’m not using explosivness to start it… but if the term is right “a rebound”, i build the tightness in lats and triceps by using friction when lowering the bar, and then i’m more tight in the bottom which gives me better base to launch it… and then after initial launch, i actually start pressing and speeding up…
its late… will write more tommorow…
gavra
[quote]gavra wrote:
[quote]spar4tee wrote:
CG bench[/quote]
its not as simple… i do benches ONLY, i dont waste my recovery on movements that nobody can prove me can improve my bench… people always tell me about assistance work… my last raw bench was 222.5kg at 97.4kg bodyweight… in zemne, slovakia at slovakian bench press open… i’m preparing 230 in same class now for 24th june…
CG bench if you ask me is not specific at all… I would rather do more bencher… i would just do more benches… it is more specific… i dont think CG bench trains the muscles at the same leverage… so not all people have the carry over…
you need motor control, movement has to be so well practised that no “nerve energy” is wasted on doing the movement (it should be so automated that all energy goes into recruiting muscles)… also… i try to use friction between lats and triceps to lower the bar, conserve energy, and build up tightness which i use to launch the bar first 2 inches up… then I start to speed up… I’m not using explosivness to start it… but if the term is right “a rebound”, i build the tightness in lats and triceps by using friction when lowering the bar, and then i’m more tight in the bottom which gives me better base to launch it… and then after initial launch, i actually start pressing and speeding up…
its late… will write more tommorow…
gavra[/quote]
Please do! I’m taking notes.
[quote]Fletch1986 wrote:
[quote]gavra wrote:
[quote]spar4tee wrote:
CG bench[/quote]
its not as simple… i do benches ONLY, i dont waste my recovery on movements that nobody can prove me can improve my bench… people always tell me about assistance work… my last raw bench was 222.5kg at 97.4kg bodyweight… in zemne, slovakia at slovakian bench press open… i’m preparing 230 in same class now for 24th june…
CG bench if you ask me is not specific at all… I would rather do more bencher… i would just do more benches… it is more specific… i dont think CG bench trains the muscles at the same leverage… so not all people have the carry over…
you need motor control, movement has to be so well practised that no “nerve energy” is wasted on doing the movement (it should be so automated that all energy goes into recruiting muscles)… also… i try to use friction between lats and triceps to lower the bar, conserve energy, and build up tightness which i use to launch the bar first 2 inches up… then I start to speed up… I’m not using explosivness to start it… but if the term is right “a rebound”, i build the tightness in lats and triceps by using friction when lowering the bar, and then i’m more tight in the bottom which gives me better base to launch it… and then after initial launch, i actually start pressing and speeding up…
its late… will write more tommorow…
gavra[/quote]
Please do! I’m taking notes.[/quote]
x2
[quote]gavra wrote:
[quote]spar4tee wrote:
CG bench[/quote]
its not as simple… i do benches ONLY, i dont waste my recovery on movements that nobody can prove me can improve my bench… people always tell me about assistance work… my last raw bench was 222.5kg at 97.4kg bodyweight… in zemne, slovakia at slovakian bench press open… i’m preparing 230 in same class now for 24th june…
CG bench if you ask me is not specific at all… I would rather do more bencher… i would just do more benches… it is more specific… i dont think CG bench trains the muscles at the same leverage… so not all people have the carry over…
you need motor control, movement has to be so well practised that no “nerve energy” is wasted on doing the movement (it should be so automated that all energy goes into recruiting muscles)… also… i try to use friction between lats and triceps to lower the bar, conserve energy, and build up tightness which i use to launch the bar first 2 inches up… then I start to speed up… I’m not using explosivness to start it… but if the term is right “a rebound”, i build the tightness in lats and triceps by using friction when lowering the bar, and then i’m more tight in the bottom which gives me better base to launch it… and then after initial launch, i actually start pressing and speeding up…
its late… will write more tommorow…
gavra[/quote]
Very valid points. I agree. My comment wasn’t made with the intent of helping the OP. I progress more strength-wise from CG bench than actual benching, so that’s why I prioritize them in my training. I use the same technique you described in my actual benching. Do you bench raw or single-ply?
[quote]spar4tee wrote:
Very valid points. I agree. My comment wasn’t made with the intent of helping the OP. I progress more strength-wise from CG bench than actual benching, so that’s why I prioritize them in my training. I use the same technique you described in my actual benching. Do you bench raw or single-ply?[/quote]
RAW… shit these days single ply is adding crazy amounts of weight… last time i tried single ply katana i got 300kg which was about 100kg over my max… its too much… i dont like it… i go raw only…
my routine is pretty simple 2x5x70, 5x90, 5x110, 5x130, 4x150, 3x170, 2x190, 1x210, and I do that between meets, when it is too easy I add some more singles at 210 or doubles at 190… and i do that every day… on meets i open with 200-210 and then see from there… (all weights are in kilograms)…
so what I sometimes do I work up to 3x170 close grip… only thing I noticed is that some muscles are less tired when I switch to comp grip and 190-210 flies up easier… but i strongly belleive in practising the movement often is what you need to excell at it…
maybe you cant fire up your muscles efficiently or stay tight with comp grip and with close grip you can, so for you it has a real carryover… remmember it is easier to keep elbows close, use friction when lowering, and by that stay tighter with close grips…
but what i see most people do is flare elbows on close grips, and how to expect from them then to keep them close to the body on wide grip… thats why i say it is better to practise competition benches in perfect form till you master it…
Thanks for the posts Gavra, very helpful. I was actually thinking about trying a routine like yours - good to know it works!
[quote]gavra wrote:
maybe you cant fire up your muscles efficiently or stay tight with comp grip and with close grip you can, so for you it has a real carryover… remmember it is easier to keep elbows close, use friction when lowering, and by that stay tighter with close grips…
[/quote]
It’s actually the other way around. Likely because I’m more efficient with comp grip, so certain muscles get left behind in stress when the weights are submaximal hindering progress in the long run. I like your strict approach to technique, but I have other goals as well and CG seems to assist me along a larger spectrum of activity.
[quote]spar4tee wrote:
CG bench[/quote]
yeah I’ve never really trained that so I’ve recently been giving it the love it deserves. For what is supposed to be a tricep move, I REALLY feel it in my shoulders
Gavra thank you very much for chiming in, you’ve made some really good points. What you said about being maybe being able to stay tighter on close-grips makes sense, as my close grip is only about 10k less than my actual bench!
[quote]spar4tee wrote:
[quote]gavra wrote:
maybe you cant fire up your muscles efficiently or stay tight with comp grip and with close grip you can, so for you it has a real carryover… remmember it is easier to keep elbows close, use friction when lowering, and by that stay tighter with close grips…
[/quote]
It’s actually the other way around. Likely because I’m more efficient with comp grip, so certain muscles get left behind in stress when the weights are submaximal hindering progress in the long run. I like your strict approach to technique, but I have other goals as well and CG seems to assist me along a larger spectrum of activity. [/quote]
the way i see it, if you recruit a muscle in a lit, you train a muscle… my lats are very developed yet I dont train them, except that i really feel them when i’m benching…
strict approach to technique is needed when you train lifts for competitions… cause training a lift and training a muscle is A LOT different… advantage that powerlifters have over other sportsmen is that their training can be 100% sports specific… there is no suprises on the field (like in sports with direct opponent) etc…
when someone asks about bench I assume they train bench as a lift/movement, not triceps/chest/shoulders/lats etc as muscles…
I’m coming from serbia, and I know a lot russian lifters who think the same, and they probably had an influence on me…
gavra
[quote]rds63799 wrote:
Gavra thank you very much for chiming in, you’ve made some really good points. What you said about being maybe being able to stay tighter on close-grips makes sense, as my close grip is only about 10k less than my actual bench![/quote]
yeah… as i said, you’re not efficient competition bencher… i mean… you bench only 10kg less in a way disadvantageus (hope its said like that) leverage position… its like fron squatting 10kg less than back squatting, something is wrong with your back squat (if we assume back squat is the lift you compete in)…
i think the difference for me is 30-40kg, between little closer than pinky on the ring vs competition grip… cause leverage is way different… stroke is shorter, you have bigger elbow angle go start with and supposedly you use more muscles…