Close grip/ Flat bench question

[a-bomb83]

Re: Close grip/ Flat bench question

sounds like your tris are overpowering your bench. personally, especially at 6'3", you should be widening your grip. putting it in closer is going to bring your tris into the movement more. i didn't read all the posts, so it may have been said already,lol.

[NATE]

Re: Close grip/ Flat bench question

Do you bring your elbows down close to your body, or do you bring them straight out perpindicular to your body? Bringing the elbows in close will put much more emphasis on the tris, bringing them straight out puts more emphasis on the pecs. Also, a slightly wider grip will put more on the pecs too, but it sounds like you are already doing that. My close grip is substantially less than my bench. I'm talking about 90 pounds less, give or take. If your close grip is higher than your bench then you have some damn strong tris. I would concentrate on bringing the elbows straight out on bench. It will probably cause you to drop poundage but you will make that back up in no time.

thats what i was thinking....I can't go perpindicular due to my shoulder but i can get close.... i go index finger on the ring for my bench and i highly doubt goping out further will help me bc of my shoulder. The happy medium i have found must still be more tri's then chest...

Maybe some cable work with an increased rom will work??? at least that way i can keep it out of my shoulder...

[Stout1]

Re: Close grip/ Flat bench question

Sounds good.I'm 6'3" so the travel should be somewhat similar for the two of us. The way you describe the lift is exactly how i do my close grips. That said, wouldn't bringing my grip closer involve more tri's than chest? or is it a minimal amount that should be considered insignificant?

I'll try pinky on the ring and see whats up....thats a good 4" move on my hand


sound ok?

Wow, that makes sense now. I am 5'8" and I put my hands were you do and your 6'3". Move them out more. You almost benching at a medium grip all the time (for your size).

[bowbow]

Re: Close grip/ Flat bench question

i think that move would be great and for close grip i think you really need to go close and like others have said drop your elbows rigth by your side. whenever i do close grip i actually go half on the smooth and haf on the knarled part of the bar if that makes sense

Thats where my hands are also and elbows come down at my sides. Hands touching the ring at all would bring way to much chest into the movement imo. I also have about an 80-90 lb difference between my lifts.

[T-Man007]

Re: Close grip/ Flat bench question

thats what i was thinking....I can't go perpindicular due to my shoulder but i can get close.... i go index finger on the ring for my bench and i highly doubt goping out further will help me bc of my shoulder. The happy medium i have found must still be more tri's then chest...

Maybe some cable work with an increased rom will work??? at least that way i can keep it out of my shoulder...

Ok, now some things are coming into focus. Anytime you have a shoulder injury your body will automatically shift teh emphasis away from that joint. This is a double wammy for you because it also means shifting the weight from your pecs. After all, that's what the pecs do, they adduct the humerous bone at the shoulder joint. If you body is shifting the weight to your tris then my best advice would be to start some serious shoulder therapy. Get your rotator so damn strong that you body is not affraid to bring the emphasis back to where it should be. IMO