incline bench-all the way down?

[Cavalier22]

Do you all bring the bar all the way down to touch your chest when doing incline barbell bench?  I do but have recently read you should stop a couple inches to avoid possible injury.

[Mike]

Do you all bring the bar all the way down to touch your chest when doing incline barbell bench?  I do but have recently read you should stop a couple inches to avoid possible injury.

I bring it down to where my elbows are around 90 degrees, any lower and I feel too much torque on my shoulders.  Have a spotter make a fist, then put it on the area of impact on your chest and go down til you touch his fist.

[mesmorph78]

i bring it all the way down... better results...

[haider]

an inch above chest close to the neck w/ a pause. Epic chest workout.

[pobrecito]

Yes.

[triple_pickle]

all the way down

[TheAnimal]

yes

[dan18]

Do you all bring the bar all the way down to touch your chest when doing incline barbell bench?  I do but have recently read you should stop a couple inches to avoid possible injury.

better off with dumbells

[Mike]

Does anyone have any published research that indicates the proper depth of the lift besides "it works for me" or "that's just how you do it" 

Not to knock anyone, I don't have any to support my argument, but I'd like to know what the mechanical advantage is and why you would go all the way down. 

With dumbells people usually stop at 90 degrees so I'm wondering what's the difference with the barbell.  Is it because you don't want to look foolish stoping before hitting your chest?  Or is it because your chest is just the natural endpoint?

[mesmorph78]

better off with dumbells

I do partially agree here... dumbells give a better workout for me...
so i alternate one week dumbells ..one barbell
in th dumbll workout i start with incline dumbell press
..but on barbell day i start with flat presses
..
barbell tend to hit my shoulders more..
so i would give dumbells the edge over barbells fo hitting the chest

[pobrecito]

Does anyone have any published research that indicates the proper depth of the lift besides "it works for me" or "that's just how you do it" 

Not to knock anyone, I don't have any to support my argument, but I'd like to know what the mechanical advantage is and why you would go all the way down. 

With dumbells people usually stop at 90 degrees so I'm wondering what's the difference with the barbell.  Is it because you don't want to look foolish stoping before hitting your chest?  Or is it because your chest is just the natural endpoint?

W = F*D

[leonp1981]

As long as you're getting a full stretch at the bottom and a good contraction at the top, I don't think it really matters.

Try different methods and see how it feels.

[william]

I use dumbells to go the whole way down. I don't see a point if your not going the whole way down.

[thewickedtruth]

Depending on your "setup" and grip position, just like on the bench press, your body MIGHT naturally stop the movement on it's own just shy of touching your chest. If it touches and you're not a big bear of a man like wolfey here or say a few others here, you're probably doing your chest work with a FLAT back and that's a no no as far as I'm concerned. I know others feel differently.

[Lugar]

I go to about my chin....same with BN military......just easier on the cuffs....dbell and barbell alteranate weekly,,,,

[Cavalier22]

what about bouncin it off your chest like your dribbling a basketball>?

[Lugar]

Never bounce any movement.......I bring it to my raised chin so not to screm up my delts.......most people come about 6inches short.....same with flat bench....plus that keeps all the weight on the chest.....if I use the smith, I might touch and go.....

[Mike]

W = F*D

hahah, work = force X distnace, a little simple but I was looking for something more biomechanical.

[robcguns]

i used to stop a few inches short of chest and could obviously use more weight but when i started touching my chest i got a lot more thickness,sure you got  to drop the weight some but its not about the weight.

[Mike]

i used to stop a few inches short of chest and could obviously use more weight but when i started touching my chest i got a lot more thickness,sure you got  to drop the weight some but its not about the weight.

Do you believe that your increased chest "thickness" was a direct result of lowering the bar "a few inches" more?  It couldn't have been anything else?  Added calories?  Varied workout programing?  How were you able to gauge the extra "thickness"? 

[robcguns]

the extra thickness was from the extra few inches because the extra stretch at the bottom hit alot of fibers i was not hitting before,and i kept my diet and workout routine the same.The soreness i got in my pecs was like nothing i ever felt before,and just by looks,and the way my shirts fit and people told me my upper pecs locked thicker.I also was alot stricter keeping my elbows back and lower back flat on the bench which also could have done it.

[Mike]

people told me my upper pecs locked thicker.

Is this true?   What kinds of people notice these sorts of things? 

[wes]

Touch the upper pecs right at the clavicles for best results.

Half reps = half development.

[Lugar]

exactaly.....Tis why I usually use the smith or dbell press....full stretch......on a side note, when I flat bnech, I do stop about 2-3 inches pre chest......easier on the tendons, also would make the lift harder no?

[Mike]

Touch the upper pecs right at the clavicles for best results.

Half reps = half development.

What would you consider a full rep on a squat?  Til you touch the ground?  What constitutes a full rep?