Incline dumbell bench press advice

[Pats Fan]

Originally posted by BjsAust:
Here's the thing, I'm starting to get up to some good weight on these things, just with one problem. When I lie back and have the dumbells on my chest/shoulders...I cant lift them up. If I get my training parter to kinda nudge my elbows up a bit to get them moving, then I can pump out my reps fine, but because when I lie back the dumbells are sitting lower than my normal ROM I cant push them up to get them started.


Bottom line, if you can't do a proper rep, including getting the first rep up without help, then the weight is too heavy, no if's, and's or but's.
So I guess a couple of questions:

Am I supposed to lower the amount of weight I'm using until I can get them up on my own? Seems like a waste to do less than I can for 5 reps just because of the first half of the first rep.

Am I not using the proper ROM for all reps? It feels right, I go down fairly low, just not right down to where my hands are basically beside my chest, more to where they're about even to the top of my chest.

Anyone got advice on how I can lay back and end up with the dumbells a bit higher up off my chest than I am currently. I've always kind of sat upright with them held against my chest resting on my thighs and then lie back pulling them with me.

[Pats Fan]

Ooops, screwed it up.

Here goes again:

Bottom line, if you can't do a proper rep, including getting the first rep up without help, then the weight is too heavy, no if's, and's or but's.

If you are repping w/ the weight, but can't get the first rep up w/o help, then your form is wrong, you need lighter weight, and deeper ROM. You'll get much more out of it if you use lighter weights and do it correctly.

[Pats Fan]

Originally posted by Rev:

quote:

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Originally posted by plutes:
BjsAust

Don't mean to hijack, but it is a related question, on bench ROM. I have a similar problem (well don't know if it is a problem or is normal), but I was trying to check my 1 rep max on flat bench (target day is coming) and with a bench press I bring the bar right down onto my chest so the bar actually touches my chest and the firts couple of inches is what I cannot move. Is this "normal" that you are weaker in this sort of stretched out position? If I take the bar down only as far as my arms being parallel to the floor (inline with my chest) I can do more weight. Normally, I do not try 1 rep maes, but I am getting close to my "goal day and a 1 rep max is part of the goal so I need to check it out.

Cheers

Peter

You're weak right off the chest, it's pretty common. You need to work on acceleration and explosiveness. [/quote]

[Pats Fan]

Bottom line, if you can't do a proper rep, including getting the first rep up without help, then the weight is too heavy, no if's, and's or but's.
You should be able to very lightly touch your chest, and get the weight back up, under control. If you can't, then you can't do the weight, and its too heavy.

[Pats Fan]

Sorry, I obviously don't know how to post here.

This last reply about being able to lightly touch chest w/ weight applies to flat bench.

[ninja]

We had the ROM discussion earlier. It all comes back to your shoulder setup. Some can naturally go deeper than others.

I see what you are saying about the reps, but I can crank out clean reps with the weight, it's just getting them up there. If I were to go any lower with the weight I wouldn't be getting much benefit. The awkwardness of the setup just makes it difficult.