Bench: Straight or curved bar path?

[Frosty]

Can anyone tell me which is better and why? Or if it's individual, what factors would determine one method being more effective than another?

p.s. no lame answers like "straight is a shorter distance so it's better."

 

[jcp2]

Louie says keep the bar path low and straight up and down, i know I have heard Mike Miller state that the bar should travel in a natural path, i beleive it was mule who said that at least. Personally i think you should do what comes natural, but who am i to say, as long as the bar doesn't drift too far over your face or anything.

 

[Mudge]

I just push how it feels natural, a good bit below the chest.

 

[w00t]

tha natural path seems the safest to me, if you start pushin 400+ pounds and your going at an unnatural path, im not too sure that your shoulders are going to be too fond of that. ive always seen just straight up and down, and they tough the bar right below the chest.

 

[Frosty]

Sounds good to me.

Does anyone have any opposing viewpoints?

 

[70w30]

not to be a prick or anything but......I thought you knew everything?

 

[Frosty]

not to be a prick or anything but......I thought you knew everything?

I do, but I just wanted to confirm what I knew was true

 

[70w30]

Do yourself a favour.......don,t take yourself too seriously.....and go get laid

 

[Frosty]

Do yourself a favour.......don,t take yourself too seriously.....and go get laid

I'm working on that....

 

[70w30]

Can anyone tell me which is better and why? Or if it's individual, what factors would determine one method being more effective than another?

p.s. no lame answers like "straight is a shorter distance so it's better."

Curved for power definately...and straight line for ....asthetics there Frosty......isolation
How are you gonna bench for power with your feet off the ground.

 

[Frosty]

Re: Re: Bench: Straight or curved bar path?

Curved for power definately...and straight line for ....asthetics there Frosty......isolation
How are you gonna bench for power with your feet off the ground.

Why curved for power? What does it do?

 

[70w30]

Whatch any powerlifter bench......and follow the path of the bar ..it is in an arc.....why because of the whole body and all muscles trying to force the weight up......

 

[Frosty]

Whatch any powerlifter bench......and follow the path of the bar ..it is in an arc.....why because of the whole body and all muscles trying to force the weight up......

How does the rest of the body "force the weight up"? I understand about having a stable base and tensing muscles, but are you saying the rest of the body actively lifts the weights?

Are you also saying that the force from the lower body pushes the weight back? If so, how does the rest of the body transfer this force without moving the body across the bench?

 

[70w30]

Are you also saying that the force from the lower body pushes the weight back? If so, how does the rest of the body transfer this force without moving the body across the bench?

It,s called mass ..the weight being lifted

 

[70w30]

...that is why the body will not move across the bench ...you are pinned down

 

[Frosty]

It,s called mass ..the weight being lifted

I'm sorry, I don't understand. Could you please try to explain it more?

 

[Mudge]

The only time I push in a non-natural path, is if I'm struggling on a last rep I will come higher on the chest as I go up, getting ready to rack it.

 

[SCG2]

I'm sorry, I don't understand. Could you please try to explain it more?

I don't think he can explain it. Not even he understands what he's saying! Sounds like a bunch of gibberish.

I don't know if this counts for anything, but here's my experience: typically when benching, i try to keep the bar travelling a fairly straight path, low on the chest then straight up. as an example, when using this technique, I get 32-33 reps on my 225 lb bench test. using a curved path, i get about 28-29 reps. I also feeling like the straight-line path is more powerful when doing my work sets 3-5 reps. Having said that, I notice that when I'm really struggling with a rep (either the last rep of a heavy set or a 2RM attempt), the bar tends to follow more of a curved path, drifting closer toward my neck. I don't know if this is due to the curved path being more powerful in general, or if its only specific to me, perhaps due to relative tricep weakness.

 

[Frosty]

The bar traveling back when you're tired could be your body putting the weight more on the delts since they would be less fatigued than the triceps, I would assume.

 

[DADAWG]

How does the rest of the body "force the weight up"? I understand about having a stable base and tensing muscles, but are you saying the rest of the body actively lifts the weights?

Are you also saying that the force from the lower body pushes the weight back? If so, how does the rest of the body transfer this force without moving the body across the bench?

as far as path goes different powerlifters have different styles but the trend right now is to bring the bar very low onto the belly and press back up in a arc , especially when useing a shirt .
70 is right about useing your whole body . leg drive when starting the bar off the chest is very important . also the lats play a very big part in a big bench , not only are the lats used in lowering the bar some people will flare the lats and dig their elbows into the lats on the way down to save energy , flareing the lats explosively when you start to drive the bar up is crucial to a big bench , at least for me and many others