Getting the bar out of the rack on a bench press

[CalebM]

I'm finding that getting the bar out of the rack on the bench press is difficult. I think its because I'm too far down the bench, but Im there so I can have my eyeliner south of the bar to fix my eyes on the ceiling and stay there. As I get it out of the rack it throws off my form of shoulders pinched together and makes arching the lower back more difficult.

I don't have a spotter as I train alone.

Any fix/advice?

[francesco.decaro]

I'm finding that getting the bar out of the rack on the bench press is difficult. I think its because I'm too far down the bench, but Im there so I can have my eyeliner south of the bar to fix my eyes on the ceiling and stay there. As I get it out of the rack it throws off my form of shoulders pinched together and makes arching the lower back more difficult.

I don't have a spotter as I train alone.

Any fix/advice?

I fight with this myself, if the pins have any space to roll the bar forward, do so. Make sure the bar is not set too high or to low on the rack too. Some people unrack the bar with their butt up to keep their shoulders fixed on the bench and have more push. It does put the low back in a bad position, but only for a short time

[AndrewLewis]

Pick your butt up really high to get a better angle of attack on the bar, then unrack, and put your butt down when the bar is over your shoulders. This doesn't solve the moment arm problem at really heavy weights though. You just need a spotter or the monolift attachment or something if you want to avoid this issue.

[Satch12879]

Move up the bench.

[J. Killmond]

A year ago, I started Operation Self-Unrack. I want to bench in the rack, and there's no room for a spotter. Anyway, plenty of competitive lifters don't use a lift-off. I had to take the weight down almost 15% (218, down to 190) to get it going, but haven't used a spotter in a year (235 now). Your setup does have to be more precise. You can't be way down the bench, as that creates too much of a moment arm.

[LjsIII]

Is there something magical about having your eyes below the front of the bar? I will roll the bar out on the J-hooks, and scoot up to where I'm looking straight up to the back of the bar helps with the unracking without interfering with the press.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Is there something magical about having your eyes below the front of the bar? I will roll the bar out on the J-hooks, and scoot up to where I'm looking straight up to the back of the bar helps with the unracking without interfering with the press.

If it puts you too close to the hooks, you will hit them on the way up with a correct bar path.