Mark Rippetoe: Bench Press Positioning

[ProfitMuhammed]

he is hench

[secutorclaudius]

best grip for max power? i've heard numerous things. i'm afraid i've been using too wide for all these years, have right shoulder pain. i'm 5'10", pinkie on the rings. any input?

[sbowesuk]

Personally I adapt Rippetoe's bench press technique by reducing grip width and applying a 45 degree elbow angle. I do this because if I don't, my triceps end up lagging behind and stifling my bench press ability. Weak triceps = a weak bench press, at least in my case.

Since I made said alterations my bench press has shot up at a surprising rate. Just some food for thought :)

[Rattattattatt]

@ILykToDoDuhDrifting Because your natural back position has a slight arch in it.

[ILykToDoDuhDrifting]

how the fuck is he going to say reducing ROM by wide grip is bad and arching back to reduce ROM is great?

[MightyJoeBlack95]

@ILykToDoDuhDrifting The arch emphasizes the chest while not taking away from the triceps and is also safer way of increasing the weight you can lift than going wide is.

[riddleman65]

@ILykToDoDuhDrifting

Arching the back helps work the chest as well as giving stability for the lift. What he's saying is to not over exaggerate the arch like powerlifters do, yet there is still a benefit to a slight arch.

[pwndbydafatboy]

Someday when I grow up, I want Mark Rippetoe to be my trainer.

[ryanedwardhache]

HA! He said " pretty decent kyphotic extension", should have been lordotic lumbar extension. If your lower back is kyphotic during the bench press movement you have big problems.

[r10badboy]

"our concern is not seeing how much weight we can bench press, our concern is using the bench press to get stronger" all that male ego in the gyms need to hear that

[YetAnotherBadYT]

Rippetoe should be a batman villain who uses his toes to eviscerate people.

[LimpBG]

Why is he fat?

[wesleyhosey]

umm....that kid cant be 18 yet. Even if thats light weight, no one that young should even be in a gym. Bad call this time rip

[PaintballRat]

@wesleyhosey

Really? What's wrong with a little general strength training? Of course heavy muscle building is unnatural and can be detrimental to development, but increasing strength during development makes sense to me. Just because you are under 18 doesn't mean your muscles shouldn't be used and you shouldn't be strong. Athletics keep young people fit and muscles active, but if not, hitting the gym for some strength and cardio training has got to be better than nothing at all..

[bonebagg]

@wesleyhosey that kid weights over 55 pounds, thats equivalent to him doing a push up when he falls down. relax

[AdangerousRETARD]

@wesleyhosey there is no evidence that younger people should not lift

[ryanwegner2010]

@wesleyhosey No harm whatsoever in weight training at any age, as long as it's done properly.

[seanarama1234]

their bench is backwards. the butt pad is at the top where it should not be lolol

[mcturk17]

every time i lay on the flat bench press its always Crockett. even if the bench press it selft straight the par is never even like the middle part of the bar is never even wit my eyes and when i make it even then one side is always sticking out more then the other so when i bench it hurts my shoulder. is it me or is it the bench press or is it the bar?

[finthallon]

@mcturk17 You are holding the bar uneven, and it's called a bench, the exercise is called "bench press".

[mcturk17]

@finthallon ik wat its called. just didnt feel like giving details but even when the bench is straight and i lay down and bring that middle part to my level one end of the bar sticks out more then other from the sides so when i even the sides out then the middle is off center.

[RealspitHiphop604]

haha who is that kid justin bieba?

[fukidomev2]

rips is good.....wide grip has wrecked my shoulders.

[fukidomev2]

rips is good.....

[tldevilsh]

i don't like bench press.  i don't have bench in the first place. i just deadlift front squat and stand press. if i want some chest action i just do floor press, shoulder get more irritation for bench

[FloydofOz]

I can't believe Rip didn't make him take off that hat.

[sk8erh8er723]

is that bench backwards?

[zulu2829]

wider grip decreases ROM and narrower increases it, not what rippetoe is saying!!

[rusticola]

@zulu2829 that's exactly what he is saying you dum dum

[NidisListenstoShit]

@zulu2829 Learn to write in your only fucking language. Right now, everything you write is ambiguous and weak.

[scorpioblack06]

@DickKnowsBest Its true that Rip is the best when it comes to Barbell technique and SSBBT is the best foundation for anyone starting out or even for the middle aged guy looking to get stronger. But you make a mistake when you say squats are ATG. Rip does not encourage ATG and rightfully so. It must below parallel without a butt wink that is is correct form. Not ATG.

[strata88]

everybody who enters a gym to lift weights for the first time should be forced to watch all of Rippetoe's vids...

It's the best general foundation for lifting out there imo...

[Zildjian285]

Agreed.

[smoothMousePad]

@strata88 I agree! I have discovered Mark Rippetoe about a month and a half ago, and then I came into possession of his book "Starting Strength" and its accompanying videos on exercise execution. I am doing a strict Starting Strength program for a month now. My strength gains are CRAZY. In just one month, my squat has gone from 30kg to 80 kg(!!!). My press from 32kg to 40kg. My bench press from 40kg to 58kg. I mean, it's just crazy. Not to mention that I am ALWAYS hungry.

[aks73]

This guy talks a lot of sense i wish i found out about him sooner.

[Markohoppis]

He always talks about the evil of power lifters, but doesn't even mention bodybuilders. lol

[bigtomw87]

thats because he isnt about building muscle but correct technique

[lococow33]

that's because he's a strength coach who is concerned with building proper technique and strength. the SPORT of powerlifting is about how much weight you can move. that's it.

[mailmepizza]

What he teaches applies to bodybuilders as well as those looking mostly for functional strength. For those looking for either of the aforementioned proper form and using all the musculature in an efficient manner in a compound lift are both very important. Bodybuilders simply use different weights, volume, and set/rep schemes

[elbowstrike]

^ This post is exactly right.

[livingdeadmoose]

@mailmepizza Thank you for saying this. A lot of idiots out there think that strength training isn't important in bodybuilding.