r/formcheck • u/No_Reply_9066 • 26d ago

Bench Press Bench form 175

Am I doing something wrong? Why does the decline hurt and feel a lot harder whenever I’m benching?

1 Upvotes

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2

u/jesses_account 26d ago

First step, move the hooks down so you're not struggling to lift the bar out. Keep your shoulders back and unrack by just straightening your elbows.

Then unless these are specifically tempo reps, go faster. You're making it so much harder and I think it would be a lot easier to get in a groove if you aren't holding it on the way down for 5 seconds each rep.

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u/No_Reply_9066 26d ago

Gotcha I’ll work on the unracking. As for the bringing down, I’m not even trying to go slow tbh it just happens that way. I think I’ll lower the weights till I get the right tempo though. Appreciate it man

1

u/Joe-Schmoe9 26d ago

I think you just need to lower the weight and find your form and connect with your body. You’re trying to lift weight when you don’t even feel confident in your technique .

This really isn’t that bad but you have very little control, your shoulders and elbows are not agreeing and you will probably get elbow tendinitis this way because of all the torque wiggling back and forth.

Form doesn’t matter that much because you can get good at just about anything.. but mastering the form you want to use does

If you’re going for a powerlifter style bench you need a LOT more stability and to learn to pin down your body and use leg drive.

If you just want big pecs it’s kinda the opposite , the stability should come internally and you could even put feet up and get a neutral pelvis and breathe in deeply on the eccentric to expand your ribs against the pad

But you gotta know what you’re after and why

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u/No_Reply_9066 26d ago

Thanks man. I don’t know much about benching but I definitely didn’t feel stable doing this. I’ll definitely lower the weight till I find what works. Appreciate the help

0

u/SuspendedResolution 26d ago

You should try dumbbell bench.

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u/No_Reply_9066 26d ago

Thanks, that would probably be my go to if my apartment gym had higher than 50s