Bench press technique part 3

“Setting Your Feet”

By Ian Smalley

Bench Press Technique - After locking in your upper back, you’re going to choose a comfortable foot position that allows you to both stabilize your body to hold your position, and apply leg drive during the pressing portion of the movement. Now the definition of “comfortable” will depend on which federation you choose to lift in, as different feds allow different foot positions for your Bench Press Technique.

Most multiply feds will allow you to tuck your feet completely behind you, so that only your toes touch the ground. This position is great for getting a higher arch, because bringing your legs back beneath you opens up your hips and puts your spine in a better position to arch. The down side is that by only having your toes touching the ground you can have stability issues and your body can sway as you take the weight out.

Some Federations mandate that your Bench Press Technique have your feet remaining flat on the ground, though where you place them is up to you. Most arched benchers keep their feet somewhere out to the side, allowing the hips to open somewhat, as well as providing superior stability through out the lift. This position also allows you to drive through your heals on the press, or “leg drive”, which is essentially the shift between a statically held position and a dymanic movement towards the rack as you press. The act of leg drive in your Bench Press Technique can create some momentum in the body which translates to the weight in your hands. It called “Kinetic linking”, and you will often hear the term used to describe power transfer in swing sports like golf or baseball. Starting energy from the ground and transferring it through your entire body and releasing it into the weight as you press.

A mistake that many beginning lifters make is by not planting their feet before they take the weight and letting their feet move around during the lift. If your feet are shuffling during the movement you’ve negated the whole benefit of having them there. Once you plant your feet, keep them there. Your body is contacting the bench in two positions, your butt and your upper back, but the ground in only one, so don’t forget to set your feet.

Feet Tucked behind