Bar rack to start position is shit mechanics. This is why people use hand offs to get the bar to the start position.
If you're by yourself, make sure that you optimize distance so that the problem is minimized.
There is a clear discrepancy in difficulty in my Bench Press between the lift-out portion (from the holders) and the rep itself. Though I may be able to get 5 reps with relative comfort, the most unstable part of the lift, and the part in which it feels i'm least in control of the bar, is the portion from lifting it out of the holders to moving it into the 'begin position' at the top, directly above my chest. If I judged the perceived difficulty of the coming set on the basis of how the bar feels when lifting it out of the holders, i'd confidently say, "1, maybe 2 reps".
Is this weakness in the Triceps?
How can I tackle this? How can i develop more strength and control over that small beginning part of the movement?
Troy
Bar rack to start position is shit mechanics. This is why people use hand offs to get the bar to the start position.
If you're by yourself, make sure that you optimize distance so that the problem is minimized.
If you are lifting in a rack at home, you could look into whether monolift attachments are available to fit your rack. With the monolift you can unrack in basically the regular bench press position, where you have better mechanics.
Thanks for your eloquent response.
But that's not correct. In this instance, I know what it isn't. Its nothing to do with mechanics. I've experience of benching prior to starting SS method and hadn't encountered this issue before. My form is decent, including the lift-off. I have posted a form video of my bench here in the recent past, and the response I received confirmed this.
Has anyone else encountered this problem in their lifting journey?
I started having this same problem recently just as I was coming down to the end of my NLP. My coach had me doing 2x3 and I was noticing that I really had to work hard to get the bar away from the uprights and over my shoulder. Rip's recommendation was precisely the adjustment I made. I moved just a hair further up on the bench and it made it much easier.
Of course not, Vince. Mechanics have nothing to do with a bench press lift-off.
That's obviously not what I'm saying (the key phrase was "in this instance"). What i'm saying is that the mechanical positioning isn't what's causing the weight to feel so unnaturally heavy in the lift-off. The reason I am so sure is because - I repeat - the bench isn't a new lift to me, i'm using the same form I always have, yet this is a relatively new problem.
Not only bones, but muscles are used to in the lift-off. Since the bar is closer to the head in the racked position, the lats play a role in moving and controlling the bar from the catchers to the starting position (think of the uppermost portion of a standing lat pulldown Build your LATS with Straight Arm Pulldowns | Exercise Tutorial - YouTube). Since beginning my SS NLP, the only back work i really do is the solitary work set of Deadlifts every Friday, and the odd pull-up here and there. I'm beginning to think that the reason for this weakened lift-off is due to weakened lats in relation to the chest and front delts. We know that in the bench press the lats play a stabilizing role. If the chest and front delts are getting stronger at rate A, but the lats are getting stronger at slower rate B, then it stands to reason that eventually the lats will have to be trained directly in order to enable them to 'keep up' in their task as playing the supporting role in the BP? Is this why so many great benchers insisted that when they ceased their regular pull-up regime their bench strength decreased? I know the lats play a supporting role throughout the entire movement, but it seems to me that from the lift-off to start position, the role of the lats is at least equal to that of the chest/front delts/triceps.
If what i've surnmised happens to be correct, then I suppose I ought to get back to doing pull-ups regularly to have a more stable lift-off?