Bench Form Check and Chest Lagging Size

[jasper41]

Coach, I’m using the below drill as per your advice after each workout. I’ve found that this drill is ingraining the shoulders back and down pattern in my set up which is good, but when I initiate the descent on the first rep I lose the shoulder shrug position. Is it normal or is it still a technique issue?

My actual concern is the shoulder health, the shoulder shrug position had helped me to bench press without any shoulder problems which used to recur very frequently earlier.

@Christian_Thibaudeau

1. Set up on the bench and hold the bar as if you were going to do your bench press.

2. Have a partner stand behind you (where a spotter would be) have have him try to pull the bar toward him, you resist him to present the bar from moving over your face. He pulls just enough so that you have something to fight against, since you are keeping the arms straight, the lats will do the work, which is the feeling you want when setting up.

3. Slowly lower the bar as if you were going to bench press it. During that time your partner goes down with you (ok that’s weird) still trying to pull the bar toward him, that will teach you how to keep the lats tight during the eccentric.

4. Then you slowly push the bar up, still with your partner doing the same thing.