Benching for competitions?

[MikeD]

I understand that the way the bench press works in PL'ing is that the bar has to come to a complete stop on the chest before being pushed back up. I can get about a 245 lb bench at 163 lbs by tapping the chest and using the stretch reflex, but the stop-then-push method would probably bring my numbers down.

I'm just wondering, is the utilization of the stretch reflex and the stop-then-push way of benching trained completely differently? Meaning, do PL'ers do it one way for one workout then switch to a competition-style bench at another workout?

Thanks, been wondering about this.

[Mark Rippetoe]

If you're going to a meet in a federation that actually judges the bench press pause, you'd better practice doing it the legal way. I always did a lot of my benching with a pause since I knew I'd get called on a touch and go. But seems a rather obvious thing, and I can't imagine why you'd be wondering about it.

[JLascek]

I trust that the same care and thought is put into the squat and deadlift.

[Gary Gibson]

...do PL'ers do it one way for one workout then switch to a competition-style bench at another workout?

I do. The touch-and-go bench as taught in SS will get you stronger much quicker than the paused version. Sticking with touch-and-go most of the time is more productive. I practice the pause exclusively a few weeks out from a meet to get it as close to my touch-and-go numbers as possible. With a little practice I find that my strict paused bench is within 10-15 lbs of my best touch-and-go. That gap may increase as I get stronger.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Length of pauses depends on the organization and sometimes varies from judge to judge unfortunately. I've competed in an organization where the pause basically was a touch and go and I've competed where they made me pause so long spectators could have gotten up and gone to the bathroom before I got the press command. There is a marked difference in strength from a true paused bench and a touch and go bench so if you are gonna compete with a pause, you better train it.

[MikeD]

If you're going to a meet in a federation that actually judges the bench press pause, you'd better practice doing it the legal way. I always did a lot of my benching with a pause since I knew I'd get called on a touch and go. But seems a rather obvious thing, and I can't imagine why you'd be wondering about it.

I was wondering because it seems like your strength would go up faster with the touch and go, and that they would compliment each other if they were alternated. I guess I'd better start doing more benching from a pause...


I like the sound of what Gary does. Maybe even some pressing from the pins. And JLascek, I assure you that I've obsessed over the finer points of squatting even more so than the BB'ers obsess over their bicep peak, and that's saying something.

[karpasia]

All the novice and intermediate powerlifters at my club train touch and go exclusively, except for 1-2 weeks before comps, where we switch to 2-rep sets paused.

If you train the touch and go properly so that you don't lose any tightness out of the bottom, you should be able to store a lot energy in a paused rep anyway.

The advanced/elite guys use a variety of methods: touch and go, board presses of various thicknesses with and without pauses, floor presses with and without pauses.

Also keep in mind that if you compete equipped, bench shirts help you the most off the chest. With the really tight shirts, it's apparently harder to pull the bar to pause touching your chest then the first part of the press anyway. If you can get it to your chest for a pause, it will fly up.