Bench with long arms

[CtMcBride]

Lately, while comparing videos of myself vs. other people benching, I've noticed how much longer my forearms are than most people. This produces some really disadvantageous joint angles. I'm pretty sure I just get to suck it up and accept my poor bench genes and continue to slowly improve, but thought some other eyes on it might be helpful. These are with ring fingers on the rings. Thanks!

[mgil]

I’d suggest trying a few grip widths but I have a primary guess:

Move your grip in about one inch and touch the bar a little lower on your sternum for some reps while warming up and see how that feels.

[ChasingCurls69]

I’d suggest trying a few grip widths but I have a primary guess:

Move your grip in about one inch and touch the bar a little lower on your sternum for some reps while warming up and see how that feels.

I can't watch the videos currently because mobile Chrome is shitting the bed with embedded videos, but looking at your grip width in the thumbnail of the last video, I'd cosign this.

I have similarly long arms and bringing my grip in from max width to pinkie on the rings while touching lower has made things move a little better.

[AllM1ght]

I think there's a fair bit of gains to be made improving back positioning, (more retraction and depression and keeping the lats in, down and engaged.)
And finding a leg position that allows more leg drive, and controlling the descent a bit better on the heavier singles.
The 225 kinda just gets dropped into no tension on chest and then you have to work harder to get it back up.
Compare to the more controlled 200 reps.

That's not to mention hypertrophy gains getting more hench.

So I wouldn't worry about gene limitations for a while man !

[mbasic]

Am I wrong here or is the "long fore-arms" not that big of a deal? ... if your grip/technique keeps your forearms relatively vertical?

Having a long upper arm is more of a deal breaker IMO.

[AdamSkillin]

Am I wrong here or is the "long fore-arms" not that big of a deal? ... if your grip/technique keeps your forearms relatively vertical?

Having a long upper arm is more of a deal breaker IMO.

Long forearms means longer barbell ROM. Think about elbow altitude at the bottom if you imagine a 3 inch long forearm vs. a 3 foot long forearm. Or are you asking/talking about long on a relative basis (as a ratio of total arm length)?

[mbasic]

Am I wrong here or is the "long fore-arms" not that big of a deal? ... if your grip/technique keeps your forearms relatively vertical?

Having a long upper arm is more of a deal breaker IMO.

Long forearms means longer barbell ROM.

yeah, more ROM, sure

Think about elbow altitude at the bottom if you imagine a 3 inch long forearm vs. a 3 foot long forearm.

.
[/quote]

idk. the 3 foot long forearm guy ....maybe his elbows bottom out on the floor first, and he can't even touch his chest with the bar?
three reds, every time.


Assumes both lifters have the same chest/touch height ... bigger people (longer fore-arms) are usually bigger in other ways. Not 1:1 but still ....

long upper arm would be the double fuck: bad leverages AND more ROM.

Seems like most heavy benches die a few to several inches off the chest.
IMO, the leverage of a longer humerus at the worst possible leverage angle around that "stick point" is a much bigger concern.

Going deeper because of a longer fore-arm, and coming out of that "hole",
or extending it once one is reasonably past the stick point, isn't that big of a deal-deal.

[mettkeks]

long upper arm would be the double fuck: bad leverages AND more ROM.

Seems like most heavy benches die a few to several inches off the chest.
IMO, the leverage of a longer humerus at the worst possible leverage angle around that "stick point" is a much bigger concern.

Meh. What you gain in ROM with long upper arms will be in front of your body (still better leverages), and still less ROM than with long forearms.

[AdamSkillin]

For a given chest height and humerus length, a shorter forearm is basically like putting a board on the chest. Can you bench more with 2-3 boards or all the way down? It’s a significant mechanical disadvantage to have long forearms. @mbasic

[mbasic]

Typed a long ass response, internet ate it.

For me, TnG bench ....given my grip, etc ... a 1" to 2 1/2" of additional ROM in the bottom isn't going to matter much.
I'm longer forearm phenotype, but only on a 5'10" frame.
Sure, there's is some kind of measurable difference ...in my mind its a not big deal...

Maybe with "you people's" so called competition bench (paused) press event there's a big difference.

Long ass arms from a being a tall guy in general is the bigger problem, rather than just a disproportional longer fore-arm:humerus ratio.

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For me, my grip width, etc. I like the idea of getting a nice SRF at the bottom and hitting the sticking point with some momentum.
2"-3" of extra ROM isn't going to make a huge difference coming out of that hole on a dialed in max attempt.

[AdamSkillin]

2"-3" of extra ROM isn't going to make a huge difference coming out of that hole on a dialed in max attempt.

I really couldn't disagree with this more or understand how it could possibly be the case.

[mbasic]

2"-3" of extra ROM isn't going to make a huge difference coming out of that hole on a dialed in max attempt.

I really couldn't disagree with this more or understand how it could possibly be the case.

sure, because you intentionally left out the line before it.

and note: you seem to answer with a binary/absolute negative to a statement that has quite a bit of fuzziness and with some qualifiers.

[AdamSkillin]

I’m arguing that as far as I can see, there’s no fuzziness. Your qualifiers notwithstanding, I believe additional forearm length is a mechanical disadvantage in the bench press, regardless of pause or tng or how you feel or the lifter’s height. I’ve explained my logic on the matter clearly, I think.

[mettkeks]

Typed a long ass response, internet ate it.

For me, TnG bench ....given my grip, etc ... a 1" to 2 1/2" of additional ROM in the bottom isn't going to matter much.
I'm longer forearm phenotype, but only on a 5'10" frame.
Sure, there's is some kind of measurable difference ...in my mind its a not big deal...

Maybe with "you people's" so called competition bench (paused) press event there's a big difference.

Long ass arms from a being a tall guy in general is the bigger problem, rather than just a disproportional longer fore-arm:humerus ratio.

------------------

For me, my grip width, etc. I like the idea of getting a nice SRF at the bottom and hitting the sticking point with some momentum.
2"-3" of extra ROM isn't going to make a huge difference coming out of that hole on a dialed in max attempt.

You're fixated on the lever of humerus/pec. But that's the only disadvantage there. Everything else is advantageous. Look at where OP's upperarms are parallel to the floor, it's half way up. Short forearm folks would have the bar on their chest at that point.

[Hanley]

Benching with long arms?

Chestnificent wants to have a word (dude's ROM is legit):

[gtl]

My bench ROM is around 400mm. I have long arms, but feel strongest pinky on rings. Recently, I've been experimenting with ring finger on ring, which shaves off about 20mm of ROM, but it doesn't put me in the best position for an unrack as the Jcups are now a smidge too high.