Pause on Speed Bench

[Laxman]

When speed benching, do you guys touch and go, pause for a second, or practically bounce the bar? All the articles I've read just emphasize to lift the weight as explosivley as possible, not mentioning whether to pause.

[Hazerboy]

In most powerlifting federations they make you pause, so I would do it. A few ( I beleive? ) allow touch and go, but nowhere allows a bounce.

[BigCorey75]

when doing dynamic benching i let the bar free fall and cath it right at my chest and try to throw it through the roof, there is no pause for me because its about explosiveness and i try to get all three reps in under 3 seconds


i dont pause

[Fitzg]

You don't have to pause, but you should always control the bar. Never let it fall to your chest. Pull it to your chest, picture yourself like a spring. On the way down, you load that spring, building its potential energy until it its time for that spring to unload, then you let it fly. Speed bench, as a rule when done in sets of three should take three seconds or less to complete the set. Pause benching is only for comps.

[SkinnySadMan]

I use about 60-65% of 1rm at 8 sets of 3 and 30 seconds rest inbetween sets.

I do a slow negative but then my upper back sometimes comes off the bench from pushing as hard as I can lol.

I don't pause, but I don't bounce either (although sometimes I get lazy and just let the bar bounce).

[drew]

I do it with no pause, and try to make it very fast. I used to do these with a slow negative and a pause and it did nothing for me. My bench didn't start to improve until I changed to what I'm doing now.

[Laxman]

Sounds good. As long as I am controlling the bar, go as fast and explosivley as possible, with no pause and no bounce.
"Pause benching is only for comps." Does that mean your not supposed to pause on your max effort day either?

[drew]

You should pause on your ME days if you're doing full ROM benching.

[TommyBoy]

Just remember that the pause in the bench press is just a rule, it's not a muscle action at all. So technically you don't need to train the pause at all. If your speed work is up to par (fast down and as soon as you touch the chest, explode upwards) your muscles should fire quickly when given the press command in competition.The part that helps you with the pause would be the bench shirt. It'll give you that spring from the chest; everything else is lat/shoulder/tricep power, and of course speed.

[CDONDICI]

I save the pauses for ME benching and floor presses, speed bench I do as fast as possible, controlled though, no bouncing.

[SkinnySadMan]

If I do a pause on ME days it just kills me. Lets say I can do 4 reps without the pause, I'll probably get 2 reps if I paused.

[bill]

Vincent Dienzio 800 bencher (sp) has a good brief article this on fortified iron
3 reps in one breath no pause

[bigbadwolfe]

Fast no pause, explosive explosive explosive!!!!! 3 reps in under 3 seconds but controlled!!! Dont be sloppy!!!!

Wolfy!!!!

[Bigwhitemale]

Yes, just like wolfy said. Louie Simmons said to not pause, remember to go as fast and as explosive as possible, always accelarating, the bar should not lose speed. There was a time when I used a small pause, but I don't do that anymore, I don't think is necessary. The bench shirt assists you for the pause, just don't lose the tension, and be ready to explode.