[DtownHunter]

hey im going for about 325lbs on bench by new years. but recently when i have been doing heavy weight i have noticed that my problem is that first few inches off my chest, once past there the weight is up easy. Does anyone know specific training techniques to help with that initial surge? will negatives help with this

[mvillelifter]

maybe try using a decent amount of weight and just pushing it up through that spot than back down.....like 4 inch reps. Do regular bench, but also work on that week spot.

[mabo]

That's a pretty common sticking point for a raw bencher, doing some dumbbell benching will help you out of the bottom.

[deadlift14]

do 21's with bench. do 7 reps (not max, but heavy enough weight) really close to your chest. up and down but only like 6 inches off your chest, then do the top few 6 inches, then do a full rep. worked for my bench plateau even.

[DtownHunter]

yeh i thought about doing those half reps. i figure powerlifters would have a good idea on how to cure this

[KEN777]

eveybody has that bro..just keep doing it and ur strength will increase...remember there IS a limit

[Thomas_Rivera]

Another thing you can try to do is train explosively when your using warm up reps to get your body used to exerting alot of force as soon as possible.

[Texasmuscle]

my training partner had the same problem.. He was having trouble getting the bar off the chest but once he got over that sticking point he could go pretty heavy.

We put a lighter load on the bar and I would be spotting him, then while he lowered the weight I would push down on the bar to make it feel heavier, then when he goes to push up I would really make him work for those first 4-5 inches where he normally struggled then I would let up so he could finish his rep.

It helped him develop even strength throughout the entire rep range so if you train with a partner I suggest you give it a try.