I gotta question regarding ass lifting when benching. I’ve heard it helps lots and can add some pounds to the bench. I know it’s not allowed in a powerlifting comp. or anything, but what do you guys think about it? Think it’s cheating n shit during training and just an ego boost or?? Thanks.
Ass lifting = bad
Leg drive = good
Depending on whether you tuck your feet underneath you or out in front will somewhat condition your ass’s tendency to raise up. Once you get your arch properly set and feet locked in ass off the bench becomes a non-issue. Having said that you must initiate the press from the legs
Staley has a great article:
“Bench pressing, the forgotten hamstring exercise”
Or something like that (was up on his site at one point) 
Edit: it’s in the humor section.
It’s a pretty bad idea from my perspective. It introduces a good bit of unnecessary instability in the lumber region by arching it well beyond normal range and by taking the bench out as a support.
If you want the heavy load, do declines.
-Dan
Good feedback, do you guys recommend the feet in and on tippy toes style…or feet planted flat for base support, and having the feet back in only a little?
Raising your ass gives your stronger, lower pec area more involvement. This is why you can bench more on declines. Keep your butt on the bench. You’ll be more stable and will never be accused of doing the “stray dog hump”.
I do it sometimes to force reps, but not normally on flat bench. I practice strict form on the flat bench.
Never had that problem even when a newbie. I think it is one of those things that people start doing when they first start lifting and then it becomes very hard to stop. I have a similar problem of liting my head up- I lose upper back tighness.
Anyways, don’t do it. You’ll look like a weiner and its not cool. I hate it when people claim to bench shit like that. Shit, I might as well just start claiming my 4 board as a bench becasue it is “pretty close”.
Isn’t it proper form to lift your ass on bench when powerlifting?
you can arch your back, but lifting your ass off the bench is a no-no in competion. If you watch people in your gym or pl’s on tv, you will see many different degrees to which they arch their backs. The more limber, the more arch, and IMO the more drive you get with the legs.
ballbuster is precisely correct. A good arch will not only shortening the press distance but enhance leg drive angle and effectiveness
So how do you get leg drive without moving your butt off the bench? Are you saying that you should push with your legs and keep your butt down, causing your back to arch more? I’m not sure what you guys mean? I just bench with a little arch and feet wide to give as stable foundation as possible. I haven’t ever understood what people mean by leg drive.
Leg drive is so hard to explain. The best advice I ever got was to push your heals into the floor and push your chest up as you lower the bar, and then drive through your heels and squeeze the hell outta everything.
[quote]Hanley wrote:
Leg drive is so hard to explain. The best advice I ever got was to push your heals into the floor and push your chest up as you lower the bar, and then drive through your heels and squeeze the hell outta everything.[/quote]
Ok, so by what you are saying, “leg drive” is keeping a good arch, and staying tight. That isn’t leg drive though. Leg drive means that you should be driving your legs through in the movement. If you drive your legs when you are laying on the bench, your butt will come off the bench. If you have a good arch, and stay tight, you will stay on the bench and have a good lift.
The point of what I’m saying is that maybe people should concentrate more on setting up with a good foundation, than “driving their legs” while they are bench pressing.
When I say leg drive I mean driving with the legs as a separate component from keeping a good arch. I agree that it is harder to explain; if you drive with your legs wrong your butt will fly up. Leg drive however is exactly when people are able to get weight up sometimes when their butts come flying up.
They’re using their legs to press the weight up. The key to mastery is getting the same force of leg drive with your butt leaving the bench
[quote]tveddy wrote:
Hanley wrote:
Leg drive is so hard to explain. The best advice I ever got was to push your heals into the floor and push your chest up as you lower the bar, and then drive through your heels and squeeze the hell outta everything.
Ok, so by what you are saying, “leg drive” is keeping a good arch, and staying tight. That isn’t leg drive though. Leg drive means that you should be driving your legs through in the movement. If you drive your legs when you are laying on the bench, your butt will come off the bench. If you have a good arch, and stay tight, you will stay on the bench and have a good lift.
The point of what I’m saying is that maybe people should concentrate more on setting up with a good foundation, than “driving their legs” while they are bench pressing.[/quote]
No… That’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying that if you only bring your legs into play as the bar comes to your chest you’ll probably push your arse right up off the bench. That’s why I liek to push my heels down as I’m lowering the bar too.
[quote]tveddy wrote:
So how do you get leg drive without moving your butt off the bench? Are you saying that you should push with your legs and keep your butt down, causing your back to arch more? I’m not sure what you guys mean? I just bench with a little arch and feet wide to give as stable foundation as possible. I haven’t ever understood what people mean by leg drive.[/quote]
the best way to teach leg drive, from my experience, is from a paused position benching.
bring the bar down and allow it to rest on your chest. now try to lif the bar only using your arms. keep your legs completely still- you won’t be nearly as strong this way.
the next time, bring the bar down and allow the bar to rest on your chest. this time drive with your legs. when i say drive with your legs, it’s more of a contraction of the hamstrings. the way i do it is I pull my body under the bar and pull my feet back. then I push my body back down the bench and up onto my toes. this creates the arch and gets my feet in the most effective position for me.
when I drive with my legs, it’s more of a static leg curl. Once you learn to time the leg drive with the press, you will have much more power in the bottom.
meat
you are pushing with your legs, arching your back, and driving your lats and neck into the bench, and everything becomes one as you push the bar up