how far down should you go on your lifts?

[texasRUSH]

after my elbows go a hair past 90* on any pressing exercise i stop and go down no further for fear of shoulder problems...and pain returning in my cuffs! doesnt it put undo stress on the joints if you go all the way down to your chest? feels like you ended up pushing with your delts more so than your chest at all....the reason i asked....i got called out on my benching last night so i figured i'd address it to the crowd....


the person who called me was an exceptionally bigger guy who put up 315 off the chest for the same number or reps i put up 385 wiht my usual form. 

[Always Sore]

after my elbows go a hair past 90* on any pressing exercise i stop and go down no further for fear of shoulder problems...and pain returning in my cuffs! doesnt it put undo stress on the joints if you go all the way down to your chest? feels like you ended up pushing with your delts more so than your chest at all....the reason i asked....i got called out on my benching last night so i figured i'd address it to the crowd....


the person who called me was an exceptionally bigger guy who put up 315 off the chest for the same number or reps i put up 385 wiht my usual form. 

it really depends on your comfort zone. i have really long arms so i feel to target my muscle sometimes i have to go farther and sometime i just bring my grip closer or wider depending on the weight .everybody wants to give you the "right way" to do something based on how they do it regardless of you body type or level of training or how you feel it, just nod your head say thanks and do what you feel is right to you because thats the only person that matters.

ps just because somebody is big or lifts more does not mean they know more about working out or lifting or anything for that matter, hell if size went hand in hand with brain power i would be einstein.

[texasRUSH]

my arms are very long...

"ape hangers" according to my boss..the bastard      and your answer makes sense....i feel the stretch and with scapula position it hits stopping point on its own where everything tightens up...past that it's just painful

[HICKSON]

my arms are very long...

"ape hangers" according to my boss..the bastard      and your answer makes sense....i feel the stretch and with scapula position it hits stopping point on its own where everything tightens up...past that it's just painful

My opinion is that all of your pressing movements with freeweights is that you should not go below 10* to 15* past parallel at all. If the stretch is what you are looking for then after all of your heavy pressing movements go to the cable or machine presses to acquire the stretch you look for as a finishing movement to target the inner pecs. At least on those machines you have the ability to control the weight and plane of the movement.

[Always Sore]

My opinion is that all of your pressing movements with freeweights is that you should not go below 10* to 15* past parallel at all. If the stretch is what you are looking for then after all of your heavy pressing movements go to the cable or machine presses to acquire the stretch you look for as a finishing movement to target the inner pecs. At least on those machines you have the ability to control the weight and plane of the movement.

does that mean when lifting free weights you do not control the weight and movement???

[HICKSON]

does that mean when lifting free weights you do not control the weight and movement???

Now come on bro you know the answer to that.......

On a machine there is no chance that when fatigue set in or you lose your concentration that it can go any direction gravity takes over, only one choice it has and thats on the plane it was meant to travel on.

Does that make since?

[Always Sore]

Now come on bro you know the answer to that.......

On a machine there is no chance that when fatigue set in or you lose your concentration that it can go any direction gravity takes over, only one choice it has and thats on the plane it was meant to travel on.

Does that make since?

sorry i get a little jumpy from all the kids around here throwing weights around without regard to control and form.

plus i have had only one cup of coffee and still feel tired from leg workout yesterday.

[texasRUSH]

sorry i get a little jumpy from all the kids around here throwing weights around without regard to control and form.

just look around the gym...


dear god this kid was pressing 155 yesterday wiht one arm straight up in the air and the other arm left behind with the bar on his chest..and his buddy "spotting" him with words of encouragmetn like "get swoll" and shit...

it's shocking there's not more inuries than there are... 

[HICKSON]

I like to go as far down as I can on bench, squat, etc. Full ROM, and have had no problems.

On the bench you will if you don't pay attention to your body and understand that there is a difference between sore and injured.

[texasRUSH]

dude shit's not posta just plain hurt...if it's something that's nagging or something that stands out above hte usual i'd start to get a little worried!

[JPM]

Actually on the BP ( guess you mean the BP) the delts & triceps get most of the pushing act. The BP it's self is not a prime exercise for the chest/pec's. There can be less stress on the joints if the bar is allowed to touch or slightly bounce off the chest during the lift. Stopping with-in the 90 degree range may not always be the best idea. If DB's (or a crampted pressing bar) are used, than a fuller stretch is acheived on the pec's and results in more pec recuitement/development.  Though a fuller or over extended stretch, with max weights, could cause more joint/musclar tear damage when doing DB's rather than a BB.

If that little hair of your's, beyond 90 degrees, causes pain than there might be a potentional injury in the making.  Possible that the shoulder girdle is not flexable/warm-up enought before serious BP'ing also. Might explore different grip/hand positions.This would include the position of the elbows during the lift.  Might also set the bar on the heel of the palm when BP'ing rather than a usuall gripping action. A false grip (thumbless) would be used in this regard.  Good Luck.

SideBar: You seem to be throwing around a lot of impressive weight suggested from some of your past workout post. Mind listing some of the poundage use in one of your typical workouts?

[texasRUSH]

what kinda lifts would you like weights on?

[JPM]

Tex-R: Surprise us....be creative. Good Luck.

[texasRUSH]

lol this is get big..unless i murder someone, steal someone's 1st place trophy, or suck flowers penis..i dont see myself surprising any of you...


it's basically come down to as follows..my larger lifts are

bench: 365
seated shoulder press: 315
bent over bar bell row: 285 (cheesy...i feel this should be in the 300's)
one arm dumb bell row 150 for reps
over 1000k now on the leg press *partial reps not to my ass..still makes me happy though*
closed grip bench: 315 for reps
squat:  500 but not passed parallel
shrug: 450
decline: 425 *on a machine*
wrist curl: 225
 oh..and yeah you know that hammer strenght rowing machine...the one where you just load plates and pull it like in the levrone "full blown" video?  i can do 200 lbs a side on that thing..feels good! but i think there's somethere there..like the pulleys on the machines..that make it not quite as impressive as it should be.

and i can make a giraffe with my penis

[brianX]

I always use a full range of motion on exercises like bench presses, military presses, and weighted dips. The idea that your arms shouldn't go past parallel on the bench press is just plain wrong. You will end up with a very weak and underdeveloped chest.

[oldtimer1]

If you keep doing partial reps you will lose range of motion from a lost of flexibility.  Then you will be primed to injure the joint.  When fatigue or a lost of concentration pushs you past your normal limited range of motion something will give.  Guys that always do half and quarter squats are always hurting their back and knees.  Then they blame going to deep for the reason they hurt themself.  It's actually not going deep all the time that is the true reason for the injury.  Barring a pre existing injury I feel it's important to lift with a full range of motion.  Sure you can't impress the gym knuckle heads with your 1200lbs quarter leg presses and  150lbs. half range incline dumbbell presses but you will be taking the harder route when you use full range of motion. Some guys practice half and quarter reps in the power cage for bench presses.  Their shoulders and pecs get so tight that their bench goes up fast.  Then they suddenly start to have tears and rotator cuff problems they never had before. The worst is a pec rupture. By it's very nature the bench with a bar is a limited range of motion exercise especially if your a big fat guy.  These are my thoughts.  Ask your doctor what kind of exercise is safer for you.

[WOOO]

just stretch more and over time you will build up enough flexibility to get lower