I have always had a problem with my lock out on the bench press. I could get the weight launched off my chest and to about half way up then I would stall. I watched a number of tubes on it and studied L. Simmons take on it, and came down to a couple of conclusions. The weight may not be moving fast enough off my chest to get the weight to the point where I could lock it out, and/or I needed to strengthen the lift from the point it stalled to the lock out position.
For the speed end of the equation, I started using less weight on the bar and a lot heavier band tension. I used the heavier green jump stretch bands and tied them to the bottom of the bench press bench on each side by looping ( multiple loops depending on the tightness I wanted at the top) them around the bottom cross members of the weight support bars. I would then pull the bands up on each side and wrap them around the bar and move them to just out side the farthest ring so they would not interfere with my hand placement. By using the heavier bands and getting them very tight, I know I would need help from a spotter to get the weight out over my chest for benching. I only put on one 45 a side for my work sets. The bar's heaviness would drop to about maybe 225-250lbs at the bottom ( that is how tight I had the bands ) but would be from 400 – 475lbs at the top. This type of lift increased my speed at the bottom cause I had to explode off the bottom or the tension at the top would just snap the bar back down if I didn't get it to lock out. I did 3-4 work sets of those of 2 -3 reps a couple times a week when I was trying to increase BP speed. That is mostly I did for speed work along with paused bench presses at the bottom no bands And it helped significantly
To strengthen the top part of my lift ( half way up to lockout) I used the smith machine set at mid point height for the bench and pin presses in the squat rack set up for benching from mid point of the BP as well. I would do my warm up sets first to flush the benching muscles with blood. Then the weight would be piled on the smith machine to about 3 ¾ plates a side (340 lbs) and I would crawl under the bar and push to lockout for 3-4 reps then start increasing the weight. I would increase the weight so that on about the forth set I was struggling quite hard for a couple maybe one rep. Pin presses put a lot of strain on the shoulder stabilizers so I was very careful with this exercise and tried to achieve very good technique. I would crawl under the bar, squeeze it, tightening the back and squeeze the shoulders into their sockets and push them back and down toward my butt so I got an arch without bringing my butt off the bench, I also set my legs so they were tight as well before I benched. It was important to be tight everywhere especially the prime movers prior to doing the lift as the stabilizers were then supported and protected during the lift (no one wans strained shoulder muscles or impingement – I hate shoulder pain).
With the smith machine the stabilizers are removed mostly from the lift so shoulder issues were never a problem. I would do the same sets and reps as on the smith machine adding weight on so my last set I was lucky to grind out 1 or 2. I found with the pin presses at mid height with heavy weight you really had to push like hell to get the weight going off the pins ... but once it was up and going you mostly succeeded with the lock out. After these 2 exercises on one day I would stop as I knew I would be sore as hell the next day.
Using these techniques I was able to break through my bench weakness ... dying half way up on the lift
What has everyone else done?
For the speed end of the equation, I started using less weight on the bar and a lot heavier band tension. I used the heavier green jump stretch bands and tied them to the bottom of the bench press bench on each side by looping ( multiple loops depending on the tightness I wanted at the top) them around the bottom cross members of the weight support bars. I would then pull the bands up on each side and wrap them around the bar and move them to just out side the farthest ring so they would not interfere with my hand placement. By using the heavier bands and getting them very tight, I know I would need help from a spotter to get the weight out over my chest for benching. I only put on one 45 a side for my work sets. The bar's heaviness would drop to about maybe 225-250lbs at the bottom ( that is how tight I had the bands ) but would be from 400 – 475lbs at the top. This type of lift increased my speed at the bottom cause I had to explode off the bottom or the tension at the top would just snap the bar back down if I didn't get it to lock out. I did 3-4 work sets of those of 2 -3 reps a couple times a week when I was trying to increase BP speed. That is mostly I did for speed work along with paused bench presses at the bottom no bands And it helped significantly
To strengthen the top part of my lift ( half way up to lockout) I used the smith machine set at mid point height for the bench and pin presses in the squat rack set up for benching from mid point of the BP as well. I would do my warm up sets first to flush the benching muscles with blood. Then the weight would be piled on the smith machine to about 3 ¾ plates a side (340 lbs) and I would crawl under the bar and push to lockout for 3-4 reps then start increasing the weight. I would increase the weight so that on about the forth set I was struggling quite hard for a couple maybe one rep. Pin presses put a lot of strain on the shoulder stabilizers so I was very careful with this exercise and tried to achieve very good technique. I would crawl under the bar, squeeze it, tightening the back and squeeze the shoulders into their sockets and push them back and down toward my butt so I got an arch without bringing my butt off the bench, I also set my legs so they were tight as well before I benched. It was important to be tight everywhere especially the prime movers prior to doing the lift as the stabilizers were then supported and protected during the lift (no one wans strained shoulder muscles or impingement – I hate shoulder pain).
With the smith machine the stabilizers are removed mostly from the lift so shoulder issues were never a problem. I would do the same sets and reps as on the smith machine adding weight on so my last set I was lucky to grind out 1 or 2. I found with the pin presses at mid height with heavy weight you really had to push like hell to get the weight going off the pins ... but once it was up and going you mostly succeeded with the lock out. After these 2 exercises on one day I would stop as I knew I would be sore as hell the next day.
Using these techniques I was able to break through my bench weakness ... dying half way up on the lift
What has everyone else done?
