Bench Press Scapula Retraction/How You Bench Press Question

[tonyjaguar]

(read whole thing) Hi, I was wondering if the bench press is essentially retracting the scapula than pressing against the bench w/ your upper back to get the bar up. B/c I have been focusing on scapula retraction and driving my upper back into the bench but my scapula always spreads at the top of the lift. My set-up is good, it's just the scapula always ends up spreading because I'm always trying to push/press the bar up with my arms also. So, I was wondering if the bench press is essentially getting a maximum pinched retracted scapula (holding the retraction for the whole lift) while trying to drive your upper back into the bench, in order to do this you should detatch your arms from the equation of trying to get the bar up. Just wondering.. Because if so I have a lot to work on.. Thanks.

[Adam Franklin]

Welcome to the forums!

Sounds like you are too worried about how high you are pushing the bar. In the bench, setup with retracted shoulder blades and hold this position the entire set. When pressing the rep up to lockout, thing about wedging yourself between the bench and the bar in order to push the two apart. Almost like moving a heavy piece of furniture away from a wall. Don't overreach at the top of the rep. The rep is done when the bar is over the shoulder joint, elbows locked in extension, and scapulae retracted.

Just to be sure, upload a vid of your bench with some basic training stats and we can give you better feedback.

[tonyjaguar]

When you're using the moving a heavy piece of furniture away from a wall que do you just emphasize on driving the upper back into the bench while retracting the scapula, which ends up pushing the bar? Or do you also try to push with the arms while driving the upper back into the bench while retracting the scapula?

[tonyjaguar]

I guess what I'm trying to say is, is the result of driving the upper back into the bench while retracting the scapula pushing the bar up? Or do you also try to push with the arms while driving the upper back into the bench while retracting the scapula?

[manveer]

Pecs, anterior deltoids and triceps are the prime movers. They get the bar up. Keeping your upper back tight provides a stable platform for you to push from, but does nothing to directly move the bar up. It just improves efficiency so that the force applied by the prime movers goes towards bar movement. So you definitely have to push with your arms.

[Adam Franklin]

I guess what I'm trying to say is, is the result of driving the upper back into the bench while retracting the scapula pushing the bar up? Or do you also try to push with the arms while driving the upper back into the bench while retracting the scapula?

manveer hit the nail on the head.

I think you are confusing a cue with the actual movement. When able, review the bench section of SS:BBT 3rd Ed, specifically pages 163-165. In figure 5-22, you are the lifter on the right and we want you to be the lifter on the left. We will cue lifters to think about moving the bench away from the bar so they will get and keep a tight upper back. This is the cue, not the movement. We cue lifters to focus on one aspect of the lifter in order to make them conform to the model; sometimes we cue lifters to over correct in order to get to correct form faster.

End of the day, you will have to push the bar up with your hands (and by extension your pecs, delts, triceps etc...), not your back. Period. Keeping a tight upper back allows you to move more weight; it doesn't move the weight for you.

Is easy to overthink the lifts sometimes. If you are concerned about your technique, your best bet is to film yourself and watch your form, or post a vid on the forums and we can steer you in the right direction.