How do i use my chest and not my shoulders when bench pressing?
I have been trying to get a better form when bench pressing but no matter what i try i feel it in my shoulders and not in my chest.
My legs are plased flat on the ground, but on the bench back slightly up, chest up and shoulders back.
But when i push the barbell my shoulders still does all the work.
HALP!
retract your scapula like you're squeezing a tennis ball on your back with your shoulder blades. Do that all the way thru the ROM. Don't flare your elbows out. Focus on flexing and using your pecs. Warm up with this form in mind then do your heavy sets
>>35710049
Shoulders pulled back and down, back arched. Use slightly narrower grip and a short pause at the bottom. Try to think about pushing with your pecs when you warm up.
>>35710049
Incline bench
>>35710065
>narrower grip
I usually place my little fingers at the little marks. Is that to far out ?
>>35710049
You're probably letting your elbows too far out. Keep them closer to your body, aka decrease angle of your armpit
>>35710190
Thats a good tip. I will keep it in mind.
There is really a lot more to bench press than you would think.
>>35710097
I use the middle finger in the marks. It's a nice opening. Not too wide or narrow.
6' 205 lb here
>>35710190
Would that be the same with db press?
Make sure you keep your elbows at around 75 degrees from your body. Flaring them out engages much more shoulder.
>>35710319
Yes. If you keep your upper arm perpendicular to your torso, you will fuck up your shoulders on top of not putting any emphasis on your chest. Lie on the bench with arms out, like you're crucified. Now move your elbows halfway towards your waist. That isn't the bottom of the rep, but your elbows should pass through that point during your rep
>>35710049
whenever I lie down on a bench, one of my shoulders falls behind and I can't keep both of my shoulders on the bench
that gave my shit tons of shoulder pain but thank god i switched to dumbbells and found a wider bench
>>35710049
Also bar above the base of your sternum
>flat bench
>chest
Lol
>>35710049
Find something roughly your size and push it away from you as hard as you can. note the position of your hands and position of your elbows through the range of motion. This is how you hold the bar for bench.
>>35712462
>>flat bench
>>chest
>Lol
lol
>>35710049
Have someone take a video at a 45 degree angle and post it to /plg/. As everyone else said, shoulder blades back and down, and think about meeting the bar with your sternum/ribcage. Helps keep the arch and the retraction you want. If it's all shoulders, you're letting your scapulae slide.
>>35710049
>been bench pressing for over a year
>NEVER feel it on my chest
>watch the latest Wealthy Piano video
>do it totally controlled
>pause at the bottom
>squeeze at the top
>hold the negative tension
>feel every rep
>suddenly my chest feels amazing
He really is based.
>>35712462
>squats
>quads
Lol
>>35710049
You just have weak shoulders. You are using your chest, but you feel in your shoulders because they are weaker and give out first.
It's impossible to do the bench press and "not use the chest".
Just keep benching.
>>35713243
Actually if anything his shoulders are probably compensating for his chest.
>>35710435
>found a wider bench
This could be the problem maybe. It's like my shoulder blades fall off the bench.
Pushups helped me learn to "activate" my chest.
Also paused at the bottom is good for chest and dumbell press I really feel in chest
>>35712462
>Deadlift
>hamstrings
Lol
bench in the smith desu
once you shrug up, pull your shoulders back then down, tucked in your lats, the smith will force you to stay in that position
