Starting Strength, 3rd Edition - Mark Rippetoe [92]
Learning to Bench Press
When you’re learning how to bench, it might be prudent to use a spotter if one is available. Spotting the bench press will be dealt with in detail later, but for our purposes in this early phase of learning, a spotter is there to keep the unracking and racking of the bar safe for the lifter. The leverage disadvantage of having the bar several inches behind the shoulders is not a problem at lighter weights, but as the load increases, it becomes one rather quickly. With the right equipment, i.e., you are working inside a correctly set-up power rack, a spotter is not absolutely necessary. Even on an open bench, you are using very light weights during the learning phase, and you should not have enough weight on the bar to give a spotter anything to do. A bad spotter who will not stay out of your way while you train is actually a detriment and can quite often cause more problems for you than he can prevent. If you are just learning to bench and you’re worried about your ability to handle the bar, you have too much weight on it. If a 45-pound bar is too heavy – as it might be in your particular circumstances – use a lighter bar. If you are concerned, use a spotter, but make sure to use an experienced, competent, patient individual who will not insist on “helping” you just for the sake of participating in your exercise program. If you are forced to use an inexperienced spotter, explain as thoroughly as possible the specifics of the job, described in detail at the end of this chapter.
Figure 5-3. Three ways to use equipment for the bench press. (A) The upright-support bench is preferred by most lifters, but the power rack (B) offers adjustability and a better use of space and limited resources. (C) It also allows you to safely train the bench press without a spotter.
As usual, start with an empty bar. ALWAYS start every lift with an empty bar, whether learning the lift for the first time or warming up for a personal record. Lie down on the bench with your eyes looking straight up. In this position, you should be far enough down (“down” always meaning toward the foot end of the bench) from the bar that when you look up, your eyes are focused on the down side of the bar (Figure 5-4). This means just a short distance, not several inches, which would increase the difficulty of getting the bar unracked.
Figure 5-4. Eye position for the setup. The eyes look just past the bar, placing the body the correct distance down the bench.
Your feet should be flat on the ground in a comfortable spacing comparable to the squat stance, with your shins approximately vertical. Your upper back should be flat against the bench, with your lower back in an anatomically normal arched position – at first. We’ll modify the back arch later.
Figure 5-5. Foot and leg position on the bench.
After getting into position, take an overhand grip on the bar. Your grip should be somewhere between 22 and 24 inches, measured between the index fingers; the variation is based on differences in shoulder width. This grip width will produce a vertical forearm for most people when the bar is on the chest, a position that produces the most range of motion around the shoulder joint during the movement. The bar should rest on the heel of your palm (not up near the fingers), and directly over the bones of the forearm, so that power being transmitted up the arms and to the bar goes directly to the bar without being channeled through