Emma Jonson Where should your hands be on the bar for bench press?
Get a grip “Your hands should grip the bar about shoulder-width apart to maintain the best position to press the weight up,” says McKenzie. “If your grip is too wide you risk placing too much pressure on your shoulder joints, and going too narrow places a strain on your elbows.
Does the bar have to touch your chest powerlifting?
The barbell should touch on the area between the lower pec muscles and the lower sternum during the bench press. The narrower your grip, the lower the barbell will touch your chest.
Should your wrists be straight when benching?
So, what position should the wrists be in while bench pressing? The wrists should be in a neutral position with the hands, wrist and forearm in-line and the load of the barbell stacked over the wrist. This position is attained through proper grip width, placement of the bar, and stabilization of the wrist joint.
How far should you come down on bench press?
Touch Your Chest Whatever the case, your forearms should be at 90 degrees from the ground in this bottom position. If it’s more or less, you may lose force. If you have long arms and a narrow grip, you’ll touch farther down on your body. If you have short arms and a wide grip, the bar will touch higher on your chest.
Should you touch your chest when you bench press?
The bottom portion of the bench press is where your pecs are most heavily activated. If you don’t touch the bar to your chest, you’re cheating your pecs out of a lot of good work. Sure, it’s the most difficult portion of the lift. “The bottom portion of the bench press is where your pecs are most heavily activated.”
What are the rules for powerlifting bench press?
At their most strict, here is the rule set: The hands must be no greater than ~32” (81cm) apart as marked by the break in the knurling on a standard power bar. These breaks are known as “the power rings”. Your forefingers must be in contact with the rings for your grip width to be legal.
What’s the proper grip for a powerlifting bar?
In fact, proper grip technique entails first placing the bar at the end of the hand and only then wrapping the fingers around the bar. Most lifters reverse this order and it creates a small moment arm between the wrist and the bar. Most people carry the bar too far back in the hand (left).
How can you disqualify a bench press attempt?
Here are all the ways you can disqualify your bench press attempt: Remember, you must wait for the start command to begin lowering the bar; you must wait for the press command to begin pressing the bar back up; and, lastly, you must wait for the rack command to return the bar to the racks.
Can You bench with a thumbless grip on a bar?
This “ring” marks the maximum legal grip width. No reverse-grip benching is allowed. This rule, however, is not universal. A reverse-grip bench is exactly what it sounds like: you grip the bar with your palms facing towards you. The thumbless grip, also known as the “suicide grip”, is not allowed.