bench question.

thekid24 · Post by **thekid24** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 12:51 am

reading from articles and sites (t-nation, elitefts), tucking your elbows is the correct and best way to bench. now i have strong triceps but i was wondering, if you tuck your elbows, then the triceps come to play right? and isnt that almost the same as using a close grip? and from what i know, using a close grip will mainly work your triceps, taking away the chest.????

thekid24 · Post by **thekid24** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 10:44 am

no worries katie

im just curious about tucking elbows cause i wanna put more emphasis on the chest for growth.

TheAmazingOti · Post by **TheAmazingOti** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 3:18 pm

According to Frederic Delaviar's Strength Training Anatomy (a very great book, by the way), you shouldn't focus on your elbows unless they're really flaring out to the sides and, for some reason, it's hurting you. Let them go where they want to go as long as it doesn't hurt you.

Also, he says that keeping the elbows in will put more work on the anterior deltoid which, to me, honestly, is pointless. It's a chest exercise.

I hope that helps.

mzaruba423 · Post by **mzaruba423** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 4:22 pm

a wide grip bench press will emphasize your chest and shoulders whereas if you do a close grip bench press takes less stress off of your chest and focuses more on your arms ie triceps. if you were doing close grip i'd also move your elbows close to your sides and try to keep them in

swanso5 · Post by **swanso5** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 5:55 pm

reading from articles and sites (t-nation, elitefts), tucking your elbows is the correct and best way to bench. now i have strong triceps but i was wondering, if you tuck your elbows, then the triceps come to play right? and isnt that almost the same as using a close grip? and from what i know, using a close grip will mainly work your triceps, taking away the chest.????

elboes right at your sides will tax them more...aim for a 45 degree angle at the shoulder at the bottom position and all 3 major muscles (chest, ant delts and tri's) get an even use ratio and it's also mechanically your strongest line of pull...it's not the grip that is close but the angle of the shoulder in relation to the torso

According to Frederic Delaviar's Strength Training Anatomy (a very great book, by the way), you shouldn't focus on your elbows unless they're really flaring out to the sides and, for some reason, it's hurting you. Let them go where they want to go as long as it doesn't hurt you.

Also, he says that keeping the elbows in will put more work on the anterior deltoid which, to me, honestly, is pointless. It's a chest exercise.

this is why you should train m ovements, not muscles...you can't help but use the front delts during any pressing movement...the body recognises movement better too

a wide grip bench press will emphasize your chest and shoulders whereas if you do a close grip bench press takes less stress off of your chest and focuses more on your arms ie triceps. if you were doing close grip i'd also move your elbows close to your sides and try to keep them in

wise grip is not great for the shoulders, not great at all...you wanna hit the chest more? lift heavier wts

mzaruba423 · Post by **mzaruba423** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 4:32 pm

swanso5 wrote: wise grip is not great for the shoulders, not great at all...you wanna hit the chest more? lift heavier wts

Eh all I meant is that depending on where you place your hands on the bar, different muscles can be emphasized.

TheAmazingOti · Post by **TheAmazingOti** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 11:30 pm

Yeah, a wide grip is fine. As long as it's not uncomfortably wide.