Tips for helping to TUCK elbows in shirt

[EmptyBarbell]

I am having a terrible problem tucking my elbows when benching in my shirt....I have watched video and think I understand what I should be doing with my elbows once I start my descent.... however it just doesn't click... for one reason or another. .... am I correct it stating my elbows should take a direct downward path? similiar if I was doing seated cable rows? in which I pull my shoulder blades together and slide my elbows straight past my lats?... if correct.. what if anything can I practice to help me achieve this better?
Thanks!!

[barbell01]

watch youtube videos, lots of them

[Schameson]

I second watching footage on Youtube, people using your shirt if possible.

You could always try practicing the movement raw, with an empty bar, until it "clicks."

I'm no expert but those are two things that come to mind.

[Jonah]

Practice the movement itself.

Have someone yell it out to you while benching.

High Board work to overemphasize the elbow flair.

[george okunev]

I bought some bands, double them over and put them around my elbows. At the top I can straighten my elbows but as I start my descent, the bands pull my elbows in. Right at the bottom, the band tention over my lower chest gives me a small pop of the chest. I did that for 6 months and that helped alot. After that I started benching with the shirt but with lighter weights that I know I can handle and focus mainly on tucking my elbows in. It also helps alot if you have a spotter yelling at you to tuck your elbows in. The last thing I do is close grib bench press with my hands just far apart enough to clear me on either side. Then make sure that my elbows rub past me on either side. I still do all three from time to time to make sure I dont forget to tuck my elbows in.

[EmptyBarbell]

I bought some bands, double them over and put them around my elbows. At the top I can straighten my elbows but as I start my descent, the bands pull my elbows in. Right at the bottom, the band tention over my lower chest gives me a small pop of the chest. I did that for 6 months and that helped alot. After that I started benching with the shirt but with lighter weights that I know I can handle and focus mainly on tucking my elbows in. It also helps alot if you have a spotter yelling at you to tuck your elbows in. The last thing I do is close grib bench press with my hands just far apart enough to clear me on either side. Then make sure that my elbows rub past me on either side. I still do all three from time to time to make sure I dont forget to tuck my elbows in.

EUREKA!..I as thinking about something like this.. but thought it may prove to be lucridous....but your suggestion confirms that it may serve beneficial.... kind of of like that stupid looking golf 'keep your head down and watching the ball' apparatus which resembled a fish hook hanging under the chin!. haha

Thanks to all for the recommendations.. I'll go back and spend more time carefully studing video

[george okunev]

NO do not, i repepat do not buy the golf thing!!! LOL.

I can not remember where I got the idea from but it has helped me alot. I benched with my elbows right out for years. I still use the bands every few weeks. I use one mini doubled over. I have seen people use the green bands but i think its too much.

Good luck. let us know how you go. If you want, ill take a video and post it up for you.

[EmptyBarbell]

NO do not, i repepat do not buy the golf thing!!! LOL.

I can not remember where I got the idea from but it has helped me alot. I benched with my elbows right out for years. I still use the bands every few weeks. I use one mini doubled over. I have seen people use the green bands but i think its too much.

Good luck. let us know how you go. If you want, ill take a video and post it up for you.

Hey thanks alot!!. that'd be great to watch you so I can try to eumulate it!

[KarstenDD]

You need to practice the motion all the time. If you're sitting there eating Cheetos and watching cartoons, why not practice your bench form?

All I mean is pulling your shoulder blades down and back, and then basically performing the motions. You don't need to actually get on a bench to do it.

And you need training partners to give you cues.

[vdizenzo]

You need to practice the motion all the time. If you're sitting there eating Cheetos and watching cartoons, why not practice your bench form?

And you need training partners to give you cues.

I can't begin to imagine how many air benches I have done over the years. When trying to learn proper bench technique, I used to bench the bar every time I went into the gym even on non benching days.

[Darracq]

Think of doing a bent over row to your chest.

[AdamBAG]

Are you having trouble touching in the shirt?

I've always found that "leading with the elbows and not the hands" was a good way to think about it. You want to "slide" the elbows towards your feet. After a while this becomes natural.

[ScottYard]

It all begins with warm ups. Doing it right with just the bar, then 135 , then 225 ect. I used to fly through my squat warm ups and one day a friend of mine said. No wonder you cant get your knees out with a 1000, You dont even try it with 135.

technique wise you have to be sure to have your handoff guy puts the bar over your gut, before you descend as if you feel liek your going to loose it. Once you do that tucking will be easy. its alot easier to touch the right way when you start the right way.

[EmptyBarbell]

Are you having trouble touching in the shirt?

I've always found that "leading with the elbows and not the hands" was a good way to think about it. You want to "slide" the elbows towards your feet. After a while this becomes natural.

Yea... you are correct. it's a SD Phenom....I switched over after ripping m 2x Phenom....I've had some good 3x board work with 425 which went up easily.. but ( and yes my great training partners are yelling TUCK TUCK TUCK) to me.. but I'm just ( in my mind) battling how to properly think about what the actual movement should be......

The 'empty' practicing is something I try to do often at the gym 3x a week where I get set up and grab the bar and focus on it. .. but for some reason my elbows just don't seem to want to comply....it's like it's almost causing some 'binding' in my elbow area when I try to do it....

The time I did do it good was when I took the bar at lock-out and just .. as you said. sort of let my elbows lead.. and just thought of them sliding straight down... but then I'm still getting pinged on NOT TUCKING....

I realize to most of you great guys it's simple... but to me it's almost complex??. if that makes sense.

[AdamBAG]

Yea... you are correct. it's a SD Phenom....I switched over after ripping m 2x Phenom....I've had some good 3x board work with 425 which went up easily.. but ( and yes my great training partners are yelling TUCK TUCK TUCK) to me.. but I'm just ( in my mind) battling how to properly think about what the actual movement should be......

The 'empty' practicing is something I try to do often at the gym 3x a week where I get set up and grab the bar and focus on it. .. but for some reason my elbows just don't seem to want to comply....it's like it's almost causing some 'binding' in my elbow area when I try to do it....

The time I did do it good was when I took the bar at lock-out and just .. as you said. sort of let my elbows lead.. and just thought of them sliding straight down... but then I'm still getting pinged on NOT TUCKING....

I realize to most of you great guys it's simple... but to me it's almost complex??. if that makes sense.

Slide the elbows horizontally, not straight down. Belly to the bar to touch.

In my opinion board work above a 2 board can be bad for a shirted bencher if they aren't comfortable touching in their shirt. This is fine for experienced guys, but if you have a problem touching then pull the boards out and learn the groove, even if you can't touch. Just "float" the weights and try to get them down farther every time.

[barbell01]

Practice the movement itself.

Have someone yell it out to you while benching.

High Board work to overemphasize the elbow flair.

high board work will NOT help. you need to do reps with NO boards.

[douglasoh5]

Try and get a video...and i agree with the boards....dont use them until you know for sure you know that shirt by heart...board give you a false sence of security. take it away and you feel naked. same goes for box squating. both are good tools but if you cant touch or squat to depth no use and using them. and again get a video...we can tell you 100 reason why we think ur bench sucks rite now but you wont know just by reading all this.

[KarstenDD]

high board work will NOT help. you need to do reps with NO boards.

I hope JBone meant high boards RAW, making sure to emphasize the elbow flair at lockout. Our crew does very little board work in shirts, and then we never go over a 3 board.

Triples in the shirt are always a good idea.

[Rob Luyando]

Reguardless weather your training raw brds for lockouts or shirt work the movement should be the same. aim your elbows for your feet and try to bring them down right along your latts and then flair out on the press. Keep your wrist and elbow in a straight line.

[MarcusWild]

Try hanging bands from the top of a power rack and row the bar down. You can do it as an accessory. It's basically another row movement but you're setup like a bench press. Row to where you want to touch in the shirt.

[formerbencher]

tuck your arms to your side like a chicken wingso your elbows are on your side.....visualize it and practice it. thats all

[Jonah]

I hope JBone meant high boards RAW, making sure to emphasize the elbow flair at lockout. Our crew does very little board work in shirts, and then we never go over a 3 board.

Triples in the shirt are always a good idea.

Yea, this is what I meant. my bad.

[robchris]

I often use a broomstick or PVC pipe and practice my form on my off days... You're just developing the coordination and muscle memory.

Be patient and work at it and soon it'll be like 2nd nature.

[ironheadPL]

Reguardless weather your training raw brds for lockouts or shirt work the movement should be the same. aim your elbows for your feet and try to bring them down right along your latts and then flair out on the press. Keep your wrist and elbow in a straight line.

Rob,
Are you saying to only tuck elbows on the way down, then flare out on the way up??

[douglasoh5]

ironhead yes...turn the elbows in on the way down...then turn them out on the way up