Bench Press

When your doing the free weight bench press do you HAVE to bring the barbell all the way down to touch your chest? I get it somewhat close and im still pushing it up either way.
 
Depends on how long your arms are... how tall are you?

The majority of the time I think you should, unless you have a condition preventing you from doing so.
 
Definatly bring it all the way down, you'll get used to it.

Try widening your grip a bit.
 
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im 6'4 and if i bring it all the way down my arms are at like a 45 degree angle and it takes away like all my strength that low, i think by the time my arms are at that angle it takes some other muscles to get it back up to where the chest is really pushing it. also my shoulders arent pretty screwed up so going down that low just pushes it more. i just take the weight down to where my arms are probably at about a 70 degree angle, this is about how my shorter friends arms look when they bench. when you think about it, it is harder for long armed people like me, i dont have the means to bounce it of my chest and get that spring, its alot harder bringing the weight down and pushing back up while it is in the air the whole time, espeeecially when maxing.
 
i defiantly don't go all the way down, i bring it down the same amount as wen i do the flat bench dumbell presses. if u go down to far ur work out ur back more than ur chest. i bring down enough to make a right angle with my arms, once u stop it there u can feel the pressure on ur chest.
 
Cop out. Just do it all the way down. If it takes too much energy to do it the right way, take the weight down a bit and keep trying the right way.

How could you be "working your back"? You're not pulling anything. And even if you were using your muscles, it is by FAR not as much as you use your chest and arms. The fact of the matter is, you need to work harder to push the weight back up from your chest. You're using your chest to do this, believe it or not.
 
I bet you do 1/8th squats also.. The most benefits come from the full range of motion, which is what I suggest to everyone unless you have a specific condition.

+1 on the cop out & not using your back(anymore than the rest of the movement).
 
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