Bench press technique part 2

“Locking in Your Back”

By Ian Smalley

Once you get arched up, in order to stay there you need to get your upper back locked into the bench. This is probably the most important aspect of bench press set up there is, primarily because it is what holds you in position throughout the movement. Loss of tightness in the upper back can lead to a whole host of problems which will sabotage your bench press technique at any point in the lift that it occurs.

There are two main movements necessary to be in the correct pressing position after you’ve arched up. First, you need to get as high up onto your upper traps as you can, which is done as you arch, and second you have to squeeze your shoulder blades together and tuck them underneath you. To get up on your traps, grab the bar loosely as you get into your arch. As you come down and get in contact with the bench, fight to touch the bench as high up your traps, or at the base of your neck as you can. Once you get into this position, start wrenching your shoulder blades together, and as you do this you should see your chest rise up. Now the difficult part. As your squeezing, pull your shoulders down toward your feet with you lats, thus setting them underneath your body.

If you do this wrong like most people you will do something like a shrug while lying on the bench. You’ll pinch your shoulder blades together, but raise your shoulders up toward your ears instead of underneath you. What happens here is that you’re in a very strong position to “hold” a ton of weight, like doing lockouts or high board work, but a horrible position to press from off of your chest/belly. If your shoulders slip out when you un- rack the weight, you’ll flatten out as you lower the weight and be left in a lurch leverage wise when you go to press. This is especially common with shirted bench press technique . If you buy a shirt that is designed with angled sleeves, meaning for arched benching, and you flatten out then the shirt will completely de-load at the bottom and you’ll get pinned or dump.

Pinching back Muscles for Bench Pressing