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Group: General Fitness & Exercise

question about bench press

sfsapper Posts: 22 Joined: 2005/06/30	2005/06/30, 03:43 PM i have noticed that while bench pressing it doesnt seem to work my chest that much.. am i doing something wrong? when i bench the next day i feel soreness in my arms and shoulders but it doesnt feel like it did anything to my chest.. almost like my arms were the only thing that got a work out.. even when im lifting i can feel the strain in my arms but not my chest.. i have noticed both with free wieghts and with machines.. is it something im doing wrong or something i can do differantly to make sure my chest is getting teh work out it is supposed to?
rpacheco Posts: 3,770 Joined: 2001/12/13	2005/06/30, 04:59 PM You are probably not squeezing at the top of the movement. You'll know what I mean if you do the following: sit straight up on a bench and do a fly with plate weights (the lighter the better). Now, when you do the flys, squeeze as you bring the plate weights together. -------------- **_Robert_** Pain is temporary; glory is forever! E-mail: rpacheco@freetrainers.com
bigandrew Posts: 5,146 Joined: 2002/10/21	2005/06/30, 07:09 PM also don't lock yoru arms out....keep a few degree of bend in them......and "pull" from the middle of your chest. Most of it is just concentration.....keep yoru elbows at 90 degrees.....this should minimize tricep work. -------------- gravity is not a law, only a obstacle
DX14AG Posts: 1,055 Joined: 2004/07/22	2005/06/30, 08:32 PM Another thing you should make sure you are doing is to come all the way down to the chest and then explode up. Just as Andrew said, don't lock out your arms at the end of the movement. Bring it down slowly all the way down to the chest again and repeat. Lower the weight if you cannot bring it all the way down to the chest. This should really get you to feel the workout in the chest area. By all means do not bounce off the chest! Many people think that they get some sort of benefit from doing this. They can really get hurt though. Also try dumbell presses. I find that I can feel it in the chest much more with the dumbells. But that's just me. Goodluck. DX
sfsapper Posts: 22 Joined: 2005/06/30	2005/07/01, 12:35 PM i tried the squeezing last night when i did legs.. that works great.. i never realy i guess concentrated on actualy flexing the muscle im trying to work at the end of the mrep.. ill have to try when i do chect again next week.. and i also didnt know you wernet supposed to lock your elbows.. ill try that also .. thanks for the help
ringo3183 Posts: 4 Joined: 2005/07/01	2005/07/01, 01:17 PM is it true that its harder for ppl with long arms to get their bench press up??? i have long arms compared to my body height and my bench is prolly my weakest and most embarrassing exercise. i really want to get the weight up there, and within a reasonable time, any suggestions???
DX14AG Posts: 1,055 Joined: 2004/07/22	2005/07/01, 02:33 PM It is true yes.
ringo3183 Posts: 4 Joined: 2005/07/01	2005/07/01, 05:17 PM well that sucks...is there anything in particular i can do to jack up my bench???