Question for Lou Regarding "New Rules"

[Bulking Up]

Lou,
I just finished reading "New Rules of Lifting" and I really enjoyed the book. I just have one question for you. During the bench press segment, you mentioned that bringing the bar all the down versus stopping when your upper arms are even with your body makes no difference for shoulder safety. I finished "Scrawny to Brawny" a few months ago, and Mike Mejia suggested stopping when upper arms are parallel. I am a very skinny guy with long, monkey arms. I have been stopping when the arms are even. Will I get more muscle building benefits going all the way to my chest? Thanks.
BU

[Keith S.]

BU,

I think that by bringing the bar all the way down, you get a larger ROM, which will increase flexibility and also help in building more muscle, because you're essectially "tearing" your muscle more than you would if you had stopped thus when the muscle recovers (using protein) it builds up larger and stronger.

*Note: I am not Lou or even a PT, I'm actually trying to understand thsi stuff for myself. This seems to me like the correct answer, through the reading and understanding I've done. I hope I'm right, if I'm not I would surely like to know where my explination goes awry.

[18 Marian Hossa]

Again, I'm not Lou or a CSCS.

In my experience, you should always use a full range of motion unless there is a reason you cannot.

[laxcdn]

In S2B Mike says going down past parallel will put too much stress on the shoulders.

[Lou Schuler]

If Bill Hartman wants to disagree, I won't argue. Personally, I don't know of any evidence that a full-range-of-motion barbell bench press is injurious to shoulders.

I absolutely don't think there's any reason to go beyond that range of motion, which a lot of guys try to do with DB flies and cable crossovers.

You can also shorter the ROM on barbell BPs with a lower-back arch and by pinching your shoulder blades together in back. The latter action creates a stronger and more stable platform for the lift, and forces you to tighten up everything in the shoulder girdle.

[Bulking Up]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I will continue to do full range of motion BP's.
BU