Power lifter? Bodybuilder? come on in!

[caper]

I will critique your bench form lol. your grip is wide (which is fine - its a personal thing) but it may be stopping you from tucking your elbows a bit more. your bar path looks fine from what I see but I don't see much leg drive. benching is NOT a comfortable position. dig your traps into the bench, pull your shoulder blades down and in, arch your back and have your butt skimming the bench. your body should be like a coil that's tight. a lot of heavy benchers have their feet UNDER them, not in front. this can help with the arch as well as keeping your knee lower than your hip, so that when you leg drive you don't lift your ass. lower the weight down and leg drive it out of the hole. after a heavy bench day my quads and calves are as sore as the rest of me. playing around with how you set up under the bar, hand width, and how you drive it up will help you possibly find a few more lbs on your bench.

[joelster]

Originally Posted by Mydivorcegift

Only thing about your form is try to dial in is keeping your elbows tucked tightly. This is the only thing that I saw that's hit and miss. And your lower body setup is good...legs spread, out in front of you but are you actually driving with your legs?

One of the fastest ways you could increase your bench is lower the weight down faster and push it up faster.

Buy some mini bands and train with them for a while.

Originally Posted by caper

I will critique your bench form lol. your grip is wide (which is fine - its a personal thing) but it may be stopping you from tucking your elbows a bit more. your bar path looks fine from what I see but I don't see much leg drive. benching is NOT a comfortable position. dig your traps into the bench, pull your shoulder blades down and in, arch your back and have your butt skimming the bench. your body should be like a coil that's tight. a lot of heavy benchers have their feet UNDER them, not in front. this can help with the arch as well as keeping your knee lower than your hip, so that when you leg drive you don't lift your ass. lower the weight down and leg drive it out of the hole. after a heavy bench day my quads and calves are as sore as the rest of me. playing around with how you set up under the bar, hand width, and how you drive it up will help you possibly find a few more lbs on your bench.

My shoulders are messed from separating both of them many years ago. I've been trying to get my grip a little narrower, but it hurts a little more. I've been using Tiger Balm, and Caprizal (sp?), and it helps a bit. I can't get my elbows in with my grip out as wide as it is. It's the most comfortable position for me right now. I will try to change up my feet position though. Feet positioning is something I've never messed with. I used to do 315 for 8 and maxed at 385 at 207 lbs. But those days are long gone. I'd settle for a 315 for 4 and a max around 350.

I do appreciate the critiques guys!

[Mydivorcegift]

Originally Posted by caper

I will critique your bench form lol. your grip is wide (which is fine - its a personal thing) but it may be stopping you from tucking your elbows a bit more. your bar path looks fine from what I see but I don't see much leg drive. benching is NOT a comfortable position. dig your traps into the bench, pull your shoulder blades down and in, arch your back and have your butt skimming the bench. your body should be like a coil that's tight. a lot of heavy benchers have their feet UNDER them, not in front. this can help with the arch as well as keeping your knee lower than your hip, so that when you leg drive you don't lift your ass. lower the weight down and leg drive it out of the hole. after a heavy bench day my quads and calves are as sore as the rest of me. playing around with how you set up under the bar, hand width, and how you drive it up will help you possibly find a few more lbs on your bench.

Amen to that.

I use to bench, many years ago, with my feet tucked under. I changed to out in front. I know there are many big benchers that tuck their feet, there's a lot of big benchers that bench with their feet out in front.

I find that I get much more leg drive that actually translates into bar movement with my feet out in front. If you think about the physics of both ways, and power application and transfer, IMHO there is no way you can get more leg drive with your feet tucked.

And Joelster...regarding tucking your elbows....grip width doesn't have anything to do with it. To prove this you don't even have to go to the gym. As you are reading this act like you are lowering the bar with your hands 6-10" apart and look at what your elbows do. They will "V" out.

You can use a closer grip as a crutch and it MAY help some but ultimately you need to learn to lock your arms into your back/shoulder blades.

[stt816]

hey guys forgot to post this from my meet (missed my third bench, cant find the video)

but, 336 squat, 226 (i think lol) bench, went for 235 which i've got in the gym before but missed for some reason, and 480 deadlift

[joelster]

I'd like to see a video explaining how this "leg drive" works for benching. I've heard it mentioned before but I just can't visualize it in my head.

[Mydivorcegift]

Originally Posted by joelster

I'd like to see a video explaining how this "leg drive" works for benching. I've heard it mentioned before but I just can't visualize it in my head.

Here is a video showing form with feet tucked under....



This is a video with feet out in front.



I'll see if I can find better later. Just busy this morning.

[Mydivorcegift]

Originally Posted by stt816

hey guys forgot to post this from my meet (missed my third bench, cant find the video)

but, 336 squat, 226 (i think lol) bench, went for 235 which i've got in the gym before but missed for some reason, and 480 deadlift

You had a great meet Steve!

[CFD]

Hi all.

Haven't been in here for a while. I was out of the gym for a while, blew out a bicep tendon, Just getting back into it but I'm bummed, At age 60 getting back to where I was is going to take a bit but I'll get there.

Good to see everyone still at it.

[Mydivorcegift]

Yesterday our WOD was in honor of Michael Murphy....so I sucked it up and did it. I challenge anyone reading the thread to do it. It is an ass kicker.



Took me 1:14....Monique finished in a little over 45 mins....

[caper]

Originally Posted by Mydivorcegift

Here is a video showing form with feet tucked under....



This is a video with feet out in front.



I'll see if I can find better later. Just busy this morning.

even with his feet in front, you can see his knees are well below his hips. I am guessing he is a shorter guy. ive done out front, and ive done tucked, and ive been in between. Adrian Larsen cant use any leg drive and still (until recently ) had the 220 world bench record - which is pretty crazy. my friend Leroy walker - ive benched with him plenty. I know he says he uses leg drive, but I just cant see it. and he is one of the strongest raw benchers in the world. also when looking for vids, try to watch raw lifters and not shirted to get a better idea of technique. some things are the same, others aren't.

you can see here garrett griffen , feet slightly tucked under but youll see they are planted very firmly! and you can see them shaking as he is pressing, and just as hes racking his feet move a bit - you can kinda see then how much pressure he was pushing through them. he is a 220lb class guy btw. sometimes cuts to 198lb class.

[joelster]

Got my girl into benching. She just did a PR of 120 at bw of 113.



State record for her age/weight is 123.

[hrpiii]

Originally Posted by joelster

Got my girl into benching. She just did a PR of 120 at bw of 113.



State record for her age/weight is 123.

that was easy for her, wow, great job.

[Mydivorcegift]

Bump.

So I had never, ever done front squats before I started CF. Started with the bar in Jan.

April I worked up to 275. Well yesterdays workout called for a front squat max. I went up to 325. It wasn't difficult. Still a lot left in the tank.

What I struggle with most is wrist flexibility and holding the weight across my shoulders with the way you hold it in CF.

Would like to get 405 by next year.

[NTENSITY]

Nice job! That's some serious weight for a front squat! I own a small boot camp studio, love to see people making progress and making great gains! Very motivational!