Bench press – shoulders down and back?

Asked by: Alma Lopez

How do I keep my shoulders down and back bench press?

Pull your chest up squeezing your upper back together. And your shoulders down and back pretty much wedging them.

How should my shoulders be during bench press?

Shouldn't. It be straight up and down it should actually start above your shoulder. Come down to around the level of your sternum.

Should you depress your scapula when benching?

During a bench press the scapula should start in depression, it should then move into retraction, and finally into slight protraction. Moving through each of these positions is incredibly important for surrounding musculature to do their job without overly relying on accessory stability musculature.

Should you arch your back when you bench?

A | It’s actually healthier if you maintain a slight arch while bench pressing because your lower back is naturally curved. According to Jordan Syatt, world-record powerlifter and strength coach, an arch makes it easier to tuck your shoulder blades together, protecting them from injury.

Why don’t I feel my chest when doing bench press?

When you’re bench pressing and you have a flat back, when you lower the bar to your chest, your shoulders will roll forward, due to mobility constraints. Even the most flexible people witness this response. Keeping your shoulders back with a flat back at full bar depression is very hard to to.

Should you pinch your shoulder blades together when benching?

Your Takeaway: pinching your shoulder blades together as hard as possible is NOT necessary for optimal bench performance and may inhibit your strength. Instead, focus on scapular depression (put your shoulder blades in your back pockets) with slight scapular retraction.

Should you keep your back flat when bench pressing?

To keep your shoulders safe during the Bench Press, you MUST keep the “ball” in the “socket.” Arching your back helps draw the ball deeper into the socket and allows you to use your upper-back muscles to pull your shoulder blades down and back into a stable position.

Why do guys arch your back when benching?

Why Do People Arch Their Back When Bench Pressing? Simply put, the point of the back arch is to help you lift more weight. It accomplishes this by reducing range of motion, increasing stability, and recruiting other muscle groups to help you generate more power.

How do you keep your butt down on a bench?

If I'm pushing through my heels straight up then my books gonna lift up like a glute bridge as opposed to almost trying to drive the floor. Away from me and out from the bench.

Does your butt need to touch the bench when bench pressing?

The hips are extended with the glutes and quads extending the butt off the bench. The hamstrings are extending the pubic bone off of the bench. All of this provides a little bit more force to be driven to the shoulder while pressing. The answer is yes: you can lift more weight when lifting the butt in the bench press.

How do I get a perfect bench press form?

“Initiate each rep by bending your elbows to lower the bar slowly and under control until it touches your chest near the nipples,” says McKenzie. “Perfect form means keeping your elbows as close to your sides as possible as you lower the weight, then press back up powerfully.”