Let’s get this out of the way first.
It seems that every year the old traditions seem to be fading away in this country, the things that make us Americans.
I am not going to get political, but think about it. Everyone is worried about hurting someone’s feelings or they are busy getting butt hurt over the lack of inclusion or some imagined slight or offense.
How about this? We all, as Americans, celebrate the things that make us Americans?
With that said, today is Veterans Day. I don’t care where your politics lie. Without the Veterans who sacrificed so much, some sacrificed all, we would not be able to have the right to free speech and so many other things that we take for granted. Without the Veterans, we would not be the greatest country in the world, so today, take a moment and reflect on them, thank one if you see them and remember, they performed their service for all of us.
I also want thank my BFF Harry Selkow.
We have many other vets here at Team Ellite FTS as well, including:
Steve Goggins
Mark Watts
And I am sure I am missing a few more.
Thanks for your service to us and to America.
OK, let’s talk about the bench press.
I’d like to give you a quick fix that I feel will help you right now.
The handoff is a spot where you can waste a lot of energy or save a lot of energy and it can make or break a 2nd or 3rd attempt.
This guy knows a thing or two about the bench.
Let’s talk about the person giving the handoff first. I’d like to take a second and acknowledge that I learned these things from people that are much better at the bench than I am, including Vincent DiZenzo, Matt Rhodes, Mike Miller, Fred Hatfield and so many more. I’ve been lucky enough to learn from some really good lifters and coaches and I’d like to share some of it with you.
Giving the Handy
Let’s start from the top.
Ask the lifter how they take the handy. EG: they may count 1,2 take air and then you lift, or they may just give you a nod. Be sure and establish this first.
If you are giving a handoff you want to make sure the bar is centered for the lifter in the rack.
Next, roll the bar to the back of the hooks so they don’t hit their head as they set up.
Matt getting Vincent set.
Once their head has cleared the bar, roll the bar to the front of the hooks and keep it still.
I like to find out where they place their hands and then put my hands in a spot so they just have to set up their grip with them touching my hands so they don’t have to worry about being centered and even.
EG: Jane, one of my lifters uses a grip with her index finger on the ring, so I put my hands right at the ring and all she has to do is set her index finger up so it is touching my pinky. Doing this takes one thing to worry about out of the equation for them.
Once they have established their grip you need to put a lot of pressure onto the bar as they should be pushing into the bar as they set up and lock in their lats, more on that later.
The lifter will then finish their set up and when they are ready, they signal you to lift. When you lift, you take all of the weight. If there is 300 pounds on the bar, you take it all for them. You should lift just enough to clear the hooks so that you don’t give them the opportunity to overreach and lose the tension in their upper backs or shoulders.
As you lift, you must guide the bar out smoothly and say “out, out, out, settle”.
We are guiding the bar to the correct spot (pre-determined) and when it is in the right spot say “release” very loud so they know you are letting go of the bar.
Pay attention here.
Once the bar is settled and you say release, you need to let the bar slowly drift into their hands.
This is easy to do. Simply count to three.
As you let it into their hands, slowly open your hands on a slow 1-2-3 count and by the time you get to 3, they have all the weight in their hands. It’s seamless when you do it right.
If you’ve ever had a weight dumped on you at a meet or even in the gym you know how much it sucks. I had a third attempt dumped into my hands years ago at an APF meet and I still remember it. It messed with my concentration so much that I missed the lift. My fault, no excuses. I should have been mentally stronger, but the bench has always been my nemesis. After that happened, I wanted to make sure I never did that to any of my lifters or training partners.
If you take these tips you’ll be known as the guy who gives a great handy.
Maybe you won’t want that title but at least you’ll be good for something.
Taking the Handoff
This part is for the lifter.
Be sure and tell your handy man how you want the liftoff. Many of us are fortunate enough to train with a crew and they know how you like it.
Some of you train in commercial gyms and need to grab anyone willing to do it. If that is the case, heed my advice and tell them what you expect.
Now, go through your usual set up and once you set your hands into the bar at the final stage of the setup, drive yourself into the bench by pushing against the bar as hard as you can. Doing this locks your back into place as you ready for the handy.
Next, drive your toes through the ends of your shoes and try to force your butt to come off the bench.
What?
Yes.
Try to force your butt off the bench. Get your hips up to the highest point that you can. If it you can’t make it come off now, it can’t come off during the lift.
If your butt does come off, simply go through your setup again and reposition your feet, usually wider but also sometimes further back if you are tucked in.
I repeat, once you have set into the bar with your hands, try to force your butt off the bench.
Next, bend the bar and tuck your elbows in.
I learned this from Vincent. This is GOLD.
Bending the bar is a source of confusion for many but it is easy to learn. Take dowel or a broomstick and stand upright. Extend your arms and make sure it is seated as deep into your hands as you can.
Vincent explaining this!
Photo credit to Eric Feigenson
To illustrate: you are standing up and you are holding the dowel with your arms locked out at chest level straight in front of you. Squeeze your shoulder blades and lats as tight as you can and shorten the distance of your stroke by pulling the bar to your chest without bending your arms.
Now: try to bend the dowel towards your feet. Imagine that you are trying to make a “C” out of it with the curve of the C at the top near your chin and the ends of the dowel bent to the floor. You do this by flexing your lats and pulling your pinkies towards your sides and forcing your thumbs away from your body.
OK, back to the setup. You are back on the bench, pushing into the bar and bending it, now bring your elbows in a little towards each other and give your handy man the signal to lift.
As they lift you want to do a tricep extension into a lat pullover.
Sounds complicated, isn’t.
Let the handy man lift the weight as you use your triceps to straighten your arms and flex your lats to pull the bar out to its final position as the handy man guides it for you.
This conserves a lot of energy and sets you up in a great position to begin the press.
Once the bar is in its final position, settle it.
This is a huge deal. When you settle you want to shorten your stroke as much as you can. It may only be ½”, but may be more. Every bit counts.
Drive your belly up and pull your shoulders and back together as tightly as you can while keeping your arms locked.
Have patience and don’t rush the setup/handoff.
Now, all there is to do is wait for the bench command and SFW.
I hope these tips help you.
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Vincere vel mori
