It s not a preference.
You are supposed to do the proper thoracic extension, for a proper mechanical work of shoulders, so for the health of joints and proper muscles recruitment.
Probably if you see people arching their lower back, they r just emulating someone in the wrong way.
It s a thoracic extension, not low back.
(While mantaining proper scapula position,too, retraction and depression)
Yes, having the arch is protective of your lower back compared to flat/rounding it out, for sure. My coach has been drilling that into me since I have a particularly weak core after so many babies. Keep that arch!
> "We're a community targeted at female and gender non binary/gender non conforming redditors to discuss fitness. However, all genders are welcome to contribute, all we ask is that you abide by the rules."
You are supposed to arch your back even if itās just lifting your rib cage up and pulling your shoulder blades together. Itās not controversial unless you count internet trolls that canāt bench 135 lb commenting on lifters out benching them by a large margin.
I arch my back, just a normal one though. Like many have said, it happens when I pull my shoulder blades back and lengthen through my spine. Because of my glutes flat back actually feels more like a hollow hold with my pelvis tilted. It puts a lot of pressure on my lower spine where I have an imobility. It also helps a lot with shoulder instability, which is something I struggle with.
Anecdotal, but pretty much every older gym guy ive met who doesnt bench because it hurts their back...they are a flat back stickler. Thats not to say that it will injure you, just that people should be open to the idea that a small arch might be safer and more comfortable depending on your anatomy.
You should tuck your shoulder blades in and keep your elbows in like powerlifters do, but arching is more to engage your back and lower the distance the bar has to travel, so you can bench a big number. It works the chest less than a flat back. It also can tighten up your low back and hurt. Just start benching your own way. Once you become a beast you can figure out what works better for you and specialize.
For powerlifting, you do what's necessary within the rules of powerlifting to lift the weight. For hypertrophy, whatever it takes to feel your chest and chest only.
As long as your butt stays on the bench, an arch is fine and generally recommended to be able to lift heavier weight.
Your spine is not a straight line and may be more comfortable if you allow it arch naturally.
I guess if your goal is to use a compound lift for an isolation exercise, but that seems silly, why not get as many muscles as possible in one move? There are better isolation exercises. If a USA Weightlifting certified coach were to teach this lift, they would teach the arch. You want correct form even at a lighter weight because your want the body to have muscle memory for the correct form as you increase weight. You don't want to have to relearn it and it could be a matter of safety too if you fatigue and need that last bit of oomph to re-rack
Yes and the more I read into all the comments, I think that there could be a lot of variations by what is meant by the arch. There are slight ones that are a bit more natural, and exaggerated ones. There is also getting your back flat in a way that you put in effort to make it flat, and really it's complicated to discuss in this way because there are so many nuances and we can't see how much of an arch or not arch we are talking about.
I used to do it flat backed, but since I started tucking my shoulder blades down and back, retracting the entire thing basically, I feel the chesticles much more than before when pushing up.
Retracting the shoulder blades back and down like that creates a stable surface and is also much more safe on the shoulder joints!
@OP, no matter what kind of bench you want to do, you should be doing this with your shoulder blades. Even a flat bench will have a wee bit of an arch because of it.
I do! It feels more natural to me. Probably because I follow a lot of power lifters so that's the main kind of bench I see people doing. I follow the cues to keep my shoulder blades squeezed together and down, to keep myself stable, which automatically gives me an arch - so personally I don't know how I would feel like I've got a stable position without it.
I do not. It flares up the herniated discs in my cervical spine. I also am not competing so there is no benefit for me. I lift to be strong in positions I might naturally find myself in. Were something heavy to fall on me, I would not likely arch my back to lift it, like i do not arch my back like that in a push-up position. I also lift lighter weights than I could if I used leg drive, because what I am after is pressing ability, not poundage. My absolute jam is floor presses or pressing from the safety bars.Ā
So ideally, the arch is generated by extension of the thoracic spine, which supports a strong foundation for scapular stability and shoulder joint health (common bench-related injury), plus effectively transmits force generated by your leg drive into the bar. Excessive flexion of the lumbar spine is a choice some people make as well which as others have already pointed out decreases ROM but with the disadvantage that it may no longer transfer leg drive force as well. Itās the preference of the lifter if they are a competitive powerlifter. If you are not, I donāt recommend the excess flexion of the lumbar spine personally. Thoracic extension is always good to build!! Especially for those with computer jobs.
I'm a new lifter and asked my physical therapist about this, who also specializes in weight training.
She said that for beginners she recommends flat back, to help give more stability and prevent injury. Arched back will help you lift heavier weights and is used after you feel really solid with the lift.
ETA I'm reading other responses now and seeing some people say arching protects against injury in the shoulders. This is interesting to me. Personally, I have some hyper mobility in my lower back and doing this lift with a flat back always feels more stable and safe in my body than arching.
I donāt think itās actually controversial because the hate only goes in one direction, from flat back benchers to arched benchers. Really people should worry about themselves and getting stronger in their preferred benching style. Most people are going to have a bit of an arch when theyāre using leg drive and have stabilized their shoulders. Bench how you like, as you improve you will probably start to cultivate a small arch, if you donāt, no biggie.
That came over wrong because Iām talking to my phone. You should always isolate the muscles that you are working your body and focus on them specifically during every repetition. Itās not a hard thing to do, but itās very easily unfocused on when you start putting other body parts into the movement. When you work out, think about the muscle, you are working out and that only. It will make you work out that muscle so much more significantly and build it up. You should never have to compensate a full body movement of any kind whether itās an arm leg but etc. you should always just focus on the muscle youāre working out and you will have incredible results!
Hi! Compound lifts specifically utilize more than one muscle group. Bench, for example, uses the pecs as a prime mover, but also involves the triceps, delts, abs, and even lats.
I also try to avoid absolutes like "always" and "never" when talking about training ;)
Yes, I do. It helps engages your lats so you can 'throw' the weight up. It is not cheating. The bench press is a compound, whole body lift. It is not just a chest exercise. The only way to increase how much you lift is to engage your back muscles.
I don't see a reason not to arch. it puts me in an advantageous position to move more weight, which puts more tension on my muscles, which stimulates them to grow. not that my arch is especially extreme, but most people I see at the gym don't bother arching at all. it also protects your shoulders better than a flat back, so for many people learning to arch could be worth it for that reason alone. I enjoy honing my bench technique and learning about the mechanics of it, although I'm far from an expert. in powerlifting, the bench press is a full-body movement involving leg drive, and I believe you need to arch in order for the power from your legs to transfer into the movement correctly. I don't plan to compete any time soon but if I were to pick a style of lifting I wanted to train, it would be powerlifting, so my bench technique more or less reflects that.
my current program has me benching 3x a week: low rep, high rep, and paused bench. I think training paused bench can kinda make up for the shorter range of motion when you're arching on your regular bench since it's more of a challenge. I suppose you could also alternate between flat back and arched, or use a flat back on warm up sets the way you might warm up without straps on deadlift, but it's not precisely the same. personally, I find that arching on warm up sets is necessary for the back stretch and to really ingrain that muscle memory.
this super detailed article is worth checking out: https://www.strongerbyscience.com/how-to-bench/
If youāre arching your back, then your ab muscles are too weak and itās too much weight. Youāre back and abs should be solid and not move during a bench press.
When you isolate muscles that youāre working than other muscles of the body shouldnāt be working are moving. Itās a very intricate workout for that muscle itself.
Arching helps protect your shoulders and engages back muscles. When you depress and retract your shoulders it naturally makes an arch in the back. It doesn't have to be extreme like some powerlifters but you do want some arch.
[squat university bench arch video](https://www.instagram.com/reel/CvikLBdA6UP/?igsh=MThvbzltcjd2ZXEwZg==)
I lay flat. I want to be able to lift the weight without arching (if possible, sometimes I do) but wonder if I will have to as a I go heavier. I currently bench 80lbs consistently.
Why is this downvoted lol?ā¦
The bench press, when executed properly is a full body movement. The arms lift, the back and core stabilize, and you can even engage the quads for leg drive.
If you want a movement that just isolates the pecs for chest development, there are better movements than the bench press. If you want to train for full body strength, benching with an arch is the way to go
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your breast tissue is not attached to your pecs. you might be able to create a fuller look on top by building your pecs, but it's not going to radically change the shape of your boobs.
various forms of chest press (cable, machine) and flys are good accessories for your pecs. Though bench is \*also\* a solid chest exercise, it just works some other muscles as well.
This is why i arch - if I don't, when I leg drive, my butt comes off the bench. I can still bench a respectable amount without leg drive/arch, but I can't push myself as close to failure.
My arch isn't extreme enough to give any ROM advantages, but it does feel much more "locked in" and stable.
If you push your butt off the bench you change the load on your body, essentially reducing the load on the muscles you *want* to work. Butt has to stay on the bench, flat or arched, butt on bench.
i bring my shoulder blades closer together on the bench to engage my chest as well as bring my legs with feet fully on the ground closer to my body and engage my butt for stability. it naturally forms a little arch, but nothing beyond that. i think when you arch your back too much, you arenāt able to complete the full range of motion for a complete bench press because your chest is much higher. hence why i consider it ego lifting bc sure youre able to lift more but imo itās not complete full reps
When i was powerlifting, my trainer used to discourage my arch. Mainly because itās a smaller range of motion and it helps develop the chest. Either way is safe and fine but it just depends on your goals, arching will give you a smaller range of motion and youāll be able to press a bit more than a strict bench press. Currently, I arch because i have shoulder issues.
Powerlifters do it because it recruits the naturally stronger lower pectoral muscles and secondary muscle groups in the shoulders and back, so that they can maximize the weight they lift in competition. In normal gym settings (geared towards bodybuilding), flat-back bench press is often preferred to isolate the movement to the pecs and triceps for targeted muscle definition.Ā
Ultimately, it comes down to your goals. Arched back will allow you to move more weight, but that's not everyone's goal. It's also worth mentioning that arched back has some nuances to it, so it's worth learning from someone who knows what they're talking about. If you do it wrong you could get injured or not execute it effectively.Ā Ā
I do arched back bc I never got out of the habit after powerlifting, but I also train incline bench to work my upper pecs.Ā
I used to do it with an arch.Ā Had to modify how I did it after I suffered a repeated shoulder injury, which is kind of funny in an ironic way, since the arch and setting your back are supposed to help prevent shoulder injury.Ā Either I was doing it wrong, or my anatomy just doesn't fit the back-arching narrative.Ā Ā
At any rate, I've switched to actively trying to press my whole back, including the small of my back, into the bench.Ā Ironically, doing this has actually made it so my form feels much more stable, even though I have to be on my tip toes instead of having my feet flat on the ground.Ā This is generally considered a form faux pas, but it's just how my anatomy works, and I'm actually able to use leg drive and core stability more effectively without the arch, so. š¤·Ā Ā
Unless you are training for a powerlifting meet, don't be afraid to try a few options for your bench set up!Ā The arch may work for you, a slight arch may work, or no arch may work: just kind of depends.Ā Ā
Arching gives you a mechanical advantage, if you want to move as much weight as possible it makes sense. Powerlifters want to lift as much weight as possible. If you want to bodybuild, the goal is to challenge the muscle as much as possible, so a big arch is working against what you are trying to do, so they tend to have a small arch or none at all, and will almost never use leg drive to get the bar up because it works directly against what they are trying to do.
It is worth noting though that even when people are working for hypertrophy sometimes the ego lifting nature of big numbers on bench will lead them to use powerlifting style techniques to seem more impressive. If you are just trying to lift as much weight as possible, then arch and leg drive and everything else as much as you can while keeping your butt on the bench to get those numbers as high as possible because that is the point of it.
I don't so much arch my back, it's more of move your feet back and squeeze the glutes. But then I don't lift a lot. I have seen some women go overboard with the arch and can't really see its purpose.
I was told by my trainer (and owner of the gym) to arch my back when bench pressing - this was a power lifting gym. Interested to see if others have heard differently.
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I'm somewhat new to weight lifting- I've been going to the gym for years but never have really been consistent with it (except for maybe back when I was in high school). This seems to be a controversial opinion in the gym community, but are you supposed to be arching your back when you bench press? I noticed that when I do it my back is always flat against the surface, but when I see powerlifters do it they arch it.
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Kind of, but most importantly my feet always do the tippy taps. I am told that this is a requisite step for women who are bench pressing.
It s not a preference. You are supposed to do the proper thoracic extension, for a proper mechanical work of shoulders, so for the health of joints and proper muscles recruitment. Probably if you see people arching their lower back, they r just emulating someone in the wrong way. It s a thoracic extension, not low back. (While mantaining proper scapula position,too, retraction and depression)
Yes, having the arch is protective of your lower back compared to flat/rounding it out, for sure. My coach has been drilling that into me since I have a particularly weak core after so many babies. Keep that arch!
Yes, that's how you do it properly
As an old man, I do what everyone else does about the shoulder blades but I also tighten my core simultaneously. It's alot but I never have been pain.
>As an old man What exactly is your purpose here?
ššhis comment was funny on its own but your response is great.
> "We're a community targeted at female and gender non binary/gender non conforming redditors to discuss fitness. However, all genders are welcome to contribute, all we ask is that you abide by the rules."
Telling him to tighten his core so he doesn't have back pain
*Her core most likely. Check the subreddit you are in before posting. This is not xy fitness.
*her, she
You are supposed to arch your back even if itās just lifting your rib cage up and pulling your shoulder blades together. Itās not controversial unless you count internet trolls that canāt bench 135 lb commenting on lifters out benching them by a large margin.
I arch my back, just a normal one though. Like many have said, it happens when I pull my shoulder blades back and lengthen through my spine. Because of my glutes flat back actually feels more like a hollow hold with my pelvis tilted. It puts a lot of pressure on my lower spine where I have an imobility. It also helps a lot with shoulder instability, which is something I struggle with. Anecdotal, but pretty much every older gym guy ive met who doesnt bench because it hurts their back...they are a flat back stickler. Thats not to say that it will injure you, just that people should be open to the idea that a small arch might be safer and more comfortable depending on your anatomy.
You should tuck your shoulder blades in and keep your elbows in like powerlifters do, but arching is more to engage your back and lower the distance the bar has to travel, so you can bench a big number. It works the chest less than a flat back. It also can tighten up your low back and hurt. Just start benching your own way. Once you become a beast you can figure out what works better for you and specialize.
I aināt got a choice, baby got back and my back has never been flush to anything In its life
Me too! I have never been able to lay flat on my back since I was 20+
š«”
Amen sister
For powerlifting, you do what's necessary within the rules of powerlifting to lift the weight. For hypertrophy, whatever it takes to feel your chest and chest only.
As long as your butt stays on the bench, an arch is fine and generally recommended to be able to lift heavier weight. Your spine is not a straight line and may be more comfortable if you allow it arch naturally.
No
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Because it's not correct lifting form.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I guess if your goal is to use a compound lift for an isolation exercise, but that seems silly, why not get as many muscles as possible in one move? There are better isolation exercises. If a USA Weightlifting certified coach were to teach this lift, they would teach the arch. You want correct form even at a lighter weight because your want the body to have muscle memory for the correct form as you increase weight. You don't want to have to relearn it and it could be a matter of safety too if you fatigue and need that last bit of oomph to re-rack
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Yes and the more I read into all the comments, I think that there could be a lot of variations by what is meant by the arch. There are slight ones that are a bit more natural, and exaggerated ones. There is also getting your back flat in a way that you put in effort to make it flat, and really it's complicated to discuss in this way because there are so many nuances and we can't see how much of an arch or not arch we are talking about.
I used to do it flat backed, but since I started tucking my shoulder blades down and back, retracting the entire thing basically, I feel the chesticles much more than before when pushing up.
Retracting the shoulder blades back and down like that creates a stable surface and is also much more safe on the shoulder joints! @OP, no matter what kind of bench you want to do, you should be doing this with your shoulder blades. Even a flat bench will have a wee bit of an arch because of it.
I do! It feels more natural to me. Probably because I follow a lot of power lifters so that's the main kind of bench I see people doing. I follow the cues to keep my shoulder blades squeezed together and down, to keep myself stable, which automatically gives me an arch - so personally I don't know how I would feel like I've got a stable position without it.
Yeah this is the exact same for me, itās almost instinctive atp to arch
Same for me! I took classes at a powerlifting gym and this is how I was taught to bench
I do not. It flares up the herniated discs in my cervical spine. I also am not competing so there is no benefit for me. I lift to be strong in positions I might naturally find myself in. Were something heavy to fall on me, I would not likely arch my back to lift it, like i do not arch my back like that in a push-up position. I also lift lighter weights than I could if I used leg drive, because what I am after is pressing ability, not poundage. My absolute jam is floor presses or pressing from the safety bars.Ā
So ideally, the arch is generated by extension of the thoracic spine, which supports a strong foundation for scapular stability and shoulder joint health (common bench-related injury), plus effectively transmits force generated by your leg drive into the bar. Excessive flexion of the lumbar spine is a choice some people make as well which as others have already pointed out decreases ROM but with the disadvantage that it may no longer transfer leg drive force as well. Itās the preference of the lifter if they are a competitive powerlifter. If you are not, I donāt recommend the excess flexion of the lumbar spine personally. Thoracic extension is always good to build!! Especially for those with computer jobs.
yeah, i think it's common to arch your back in bench press. it helps with stability and lets you lift more weight.
I'm a new lifter and asked my physical therapist about this, who also specializes in weight training. She said that for beginners she recommends flat back, to help give more stability and prevent injury. Arched back will help you lift heavier weights and is used after you feel really solid with the lift. ETA I'm reading other responses now and seeing some people say arching protects against injury in the shoulders. This is interesting to me. Personally, I have some hyper mobility in my lower back and doing this lift with a flat back always feels more stable and safe in my body than arching.
I donāt think itās actually controversial because the hate only goes in one direction, from flat back benchers to arched benchers. Really people should worry about themselves and getting stronger in their preferred benching style. Most people are going to have a bit of an arch when theyāre using leg drive and have stabilized their shoulders. Bench how you like, as you improve you will probably start to cultivate a small arch, if you donāt, no biggie.
That came over wrong because Iām talking to my phone. You should always isolate the muscles that you are working your body and focus on them specifically during every repetition. Itās not a hard thing to do, but itās very easily unfocused on when you start putting other body parts into the movement. When you work out, think about the muscle, you are working out and that only. It will make you work out that muscle so much more significantly and build it up. You should never have to compensate a full body movement of any kind whether itās an arm leg but etc. you should always just focus on the muscle youāre working out and you will have incredible results!
Hi! Compound lifts specifically utilize more than one muscle group. Bench, for example, uses the pecs as a prime mover, but also involves the triceps, delts, abs, and even lats. I also try to avoid absolutes like "always" and "never" when talking about training ;)
Yes, I do. It helps engages your lats so you can 'throw' the weight up. It is not cheating. The bench press is a compound, whole body lift. It is not just a chest exercise. The only way to increase how much you lift is to engage your back muscles.
I donāt- Iāve heard people say itās like ācheatingā I guess it shortens the ROM and thatās why š¤·š»āāļø
I don't see a reason not to arch. it puts me in an advantageous position to move more weight, which puts more tension on my muscles, which stimulates them to grow. not that my arch is especially extreme, but most people I see at the gym don't bother arching at all. it also protects your shoulders better than a flat back, so for many people learning to arch could be worth it for that reason alone. I enjoy honing my bench technique and learning about the mechanics of it, although I'm far from an expert. in powerlifting, the bench press is a full-body movement involving leg drive, and I believe you need to arch in order for the power from your legs to transfer into the movement correctly. I don't plan to compete any time soon but if I were to pick a style of lifting I wanted to train, it would be powerlifting, so my bench technique more or less reflects that. my current program has me benching 3x a week: low rep, high rep, and paused bench. I think training paused bench can kinda make up for the shorter range of motion when you're arching on your regular bench since it's more of a challenge. I suppose you could also alternate between flat back and arched, or use a flat back on warm up sets the way you might warm up without straps on deadlift, but it's not precisely the same. personally, I find that arching on warm up sets is necessary for the back stretch and to really ingrain that muscle memory. this super detailed article is worth checking out: https://www.strongerbyscience.com/how-to-bench/
For all the beginners telling the strong people theyāre wrong, I beg you to read this source.
yeah idk why I bothered writing all that other stuff tbh, Greg Nuckols already wrote everything you need
Itās still a great comment, but Greg has the cred.
Yes, but I started as a powerlifter.
I always arch when I bench. I feel very connected through my whole body when I do, and itās how Iāve gotten my PRs
Not a mega arch, but yes I do arch
Right, we donāt need to be dramatic about it, but maintaining a curved spine and a powerlifting arch are different, imo!
If youāre arching your back, then your ab muscles are too weak and itās too much weight. Youāre back and abs should be solid and not move during a bench press.
Your back and abs can be solid in an arch.
When you isolate muscles that youāre working than other muscles of the body shouldnāt be working are moving. Itās a very intricate workout for that muscle itself.
Beyond wrong
Arching helps protect your shoulders and engages back muscles. When you depress and retract your shoulders it naturally makes an arch in the back. It doesn't have to be extreme like some powerlifters but you do want some arch. [squat university bench arch video](https://www.instagram.com/reel/CvikLBdA6UP/?igsh=MThvbzltcjd2ZXEwZg==)
I lay flat. I want to be able to lift the weight without arching (if possible, sometimes I do) but wonder if I will have to as a I go heavier. I currently bench 80lbs consistently. Why is this downvoted lol?ā¦
I didn't downvote you, but why is it important to lift the weight without arching to you?
I would just like to be able to without having to use my shoulders / back muscles, thatās all!
The bench press, when executed properly is a full body movement. The arms lift, the back and core stabilize, and you can even engage the quads for leg drive. If you want a movement that just isolates the pecs for chest development, there are better movements than the bench press. If you want to train for full body strength, benching with an arch is the way to go
give me some isolated pecs lifts please...for ladies of course, to perk up the girls, thanks
that's not how things work, and lifts are not gendered
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
If my comment triggered you, maybe you should reflect on that. Has nothing to do with āwokenessā
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
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your breast tissue is not attached to your pecs. you might be able to create a fuller look on top by building your pecs, but it's not going to radically change the shape of your boobs. various forms of chest press (cable, machine) and flys are good accessories for your pecs. Though bench is \*also\* a solid chest exercise, it just works some other muscles as well.
cool thanx
Interesting! I see very determined opinions either way on the bench press.
Lol the downvotes are odd. It seems arching is the only way! Even if asking for opinions on personal experience in a diverse group...
Agreed!
Not an arch, but when I go really heavy I push with my heels and squeeze my glutes which makes my butt pop off the bench.Ā
This is why i arch - if I don't, when I leg drive, my butt comes off the bench. I can still bench a respectable amount without leg drive/arch, but I can't push myself as close to failure. My arch isn't extreme enough to give any ROM advantages, but it does feel much more "locked in" and stable.
If you push your butt off the bench you change the load on your body, essentially reducing the load on the muscles you *want* to work. Butt has to stay on the bench, flat or arched, butt on bench.
That's pushing your body into a decline bench position. Definitely makes it easier to move more weight that way. :)
I donāt arch at all
i bring my shoulder blades closer together on the bench to engage my chest as well as bring my legs with feet fully on the ground closer to my body and engage my butt for stability. it naturally forms a little arch, but nothing beyond that. i think when you arch your back too much, you arenāt able to complete the full range of motion for a complete bench press because your chest is much higher. hence why i consider it ego lifting bc sure youre able to lift more but imo itās not complete full reps
I think some of the bantering on this thread is in regards to the degree of the arch.
When i was powerlifting, my trainer used to discourage my arch. Mainly because itās a smaller range of motion and it helps develop the chest. Either way is safe and fine but it just depends on your goals, arching will give you a smaller range of motion and youāll be able to press a bit more than a strict bench press. Currently, I arch because i have shoulder issues.
Not controversial. Powerlifting has a goal of lifting as much weight as possible and shortening the range of motion makes sense.
Powerlifters do it because it recruits the naturally stronger lower pectoral muscles and secondary muscle groups in the shoulders and back, so that they can maximize the weight they lift in competition. In normal gym settings (geared towards bodybuilding), flat-back bench press is often preferred to isolate the movement to the pecs and triceps for targeted muscle definition.Ā Ultimately, it comes down to your goals. Arched back will allow you to move more weight, but that's not everyone's goal. It's also worth mentioning that arched back has some nuances to it, so it's worth learning from someone who knows what they're talking about. If you do it wrong you could get injured or not execute it effectively.Ā Ā I do arched back bc I never got out of the habit after powerlifting, but I also train incline bench to work my upper pecs.Ā
Why is incline benching harder?! Iām almost constantly 5 pounds lower than what I bench lying flat on my back. š
Different muscle groups. Bench is easier than incline, which is easier than overhead press.
Thank you!
I used to do it with an arch.Ā Had to modify how I did it after I suffered a repeated shoulder injury, which is kind of funny in an ironic way, since the arch and setting your back are supposed to help prevent shoulder injury.Ā Either I was doing it wrong, or my anatomy just doesn't fit the back-arching narrative.Ā Ā At any rate, I've switched to actively trying to press my whole back, including the small of my back, into the bench.Ā Ironically, doing this has actually made it so my form feels much more stable, even though I have to be on my tip toes instead of having my feet flat on the ground.Ā This is generally considered a form faux pas, but it's just how my anatomy works, and I'm actually able to use leg drive and core stability more effectively without the arch, so. š¤·Ā Ā Unless you are training for a powerlifting meet, don't be afraid to try a few options for your bench set up!Ā The arch may work for you, a slight arch may work, or no arch may work: just kind of depends.Ā Ā
I arch my back and make sure to have 5 points of contact - both feet planted firmly on the floor, and the butt, shoulders and head on the bench.
Arching gives you a mechanical advantage, if you want to move as much weight as possible it makes sense. Powerlifters want to lift as much weight as possible. If you want to bodybuild, the goal is to challenge the muscle as much as possible, so a big arch is working against what you are trying to do, so they tend to have a small arch or none at all, and will almost never use leg drive to get the bar up because it works directly against what they are trying to do. It is worth noting though that even when people are working for hypertrophy sometimes the ego lifting nature of big numbers on bench will lead them to use powerlifting style techniques to seem more impressive. If you are just trying to lift as much weight as possible, then arch and leg drive and everything else as much as you can while keeping your butt on the bench to get those numbers as high as possible because that is the point of it.
I don't so much arch my back, it's more of move your feet back and squeeze the glutes. But then I don't lift a lot. I have seen some women go overboard with the arch and can't really see its purpose.
I was told by my trainer (and owner of the gym) to arch my back when bench pressing - this was a power lifting gym. Interested to see if others have heard differently.
^ ***Please read [the FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/xxfitness/wiki/main), [the rules and content guidelines](https://www.reddit.com/r/xxfitness/wiki/new_rules), and [current frozen topics](https://www.reddit.com/r/xxfitness/wiki/frozen-topics) before [contacting the mod team](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fxxfitness)***. This comment is a copy of your post so mods can see the original text if your post is edited or removed. >u/Sea-Farmer4654 I'm somewhat new to weight lifting- I've been going to the gym for years but never have really been consistent with it (except for maybe back when I was in high school). This seems to be a controversial opinion in the gym community, but are you supposed to be arching your back when you bench press? I noticed that when I do it my back is always flat against the surface, but when I see powerlifters do it they arch it. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/xxfitness) if you have any questions or concerns.*