bench press - a few questions

[imnotbncre8ive]

My bench press needs to hurry up and improve!!! >=[

I lent my copy of SS to a friend who is across the nation. Not much of an excuse, I know. I think my benching technique needs to be tweaked, and I was looking for video tutorials.

I'm missing the back arch and I think my elbows have a tendency to flare out a little when the weight gets heavy. I'll need practice.

A few questions:

1) Is the following youtube tutorial on bench press legit?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUcjOIZc80c

2) Know of any good benching tutorials? I know Rip has a few short clips on youtube, but the camera angle and content in those is not very helpful to me.

3) Is it better to have a spotter handoff at the start of a set?

[Tiburon]

2) Is it better to have a spotter handoff at the start of a set?

Yes, if you like your shoulders.

[imnotbncre8ive]

Also: should I be trying to 'squeeze' my shoulders together as I set up? (Kinda like how I would during high-bar squat, so that my traps pop out).

[TomC]

> I lent my copy of SS to a friend who is across the nation.

Ask him or her to send it back to you.

> Is the following youtube tutorial on bench press legit?

There are some differences between that bench technique and Rip's, but there are good things in that video. They are probably looking to limit the range of motion a bit more than Rip's style, which may or may not be what you want to do.

> Is it better to have a spotter handoff at the start of a set?

If you can find someone who isn't an idiot and won't pull you out of position when you lift the bar, then yes.

[Tiburon]

Also: should I be trying to 'squeeze' my shoulders together as I set up? (Kinda like how I would during high-bar squat, so that my traps pop out).

Yes. I think about pulling the shoulders back, to provide a firm stable base for the back to press against the bench.