I don't know if it's been discussed already but i just realised something interesting.

Whenever watching people benching i've noticed they would arch their back and never knew why, i though it was cause the weight would be too much for em to handle and just let them be.

Today just to give it a try I tried to arch my back to see what it does it OMG! that's it! reason why people arch their back is because it engages the chest so much more than being flat, when ur just flat (as i was doing) it does arm n shoulders pretty much, not chest. Also, trying to put ur arms parrallel to ur body when u push ups engages the chest way more i find.


Ok maybe i sound really stupid and everyone knew it, but maybe some people didn't know as i did and still wonders, well people, ARCH UR BACK



only you can prevent forests fire.

Hahah
I felt the same thing
I was all how does their chest do that?
And then I watched this video that explained it! :D
It makes it tougher too.

yea i dont push as much as i would now, hope it goes higher faster now, as i think i really work my chest this way

??? what!

arching your back is fine but keep your ass on the bench

What's this video you spoke of, I'd be curious to see it... Link?

the only arch should be the natural one in your spine.  I'm still confused that you said arching your back is better for the chest??

ORIGINAL: dmobley01

the only arch should be the natural one in your spine.  I'm still confused that you said arching your back is better for the chest??

you can lift more because of the angle but that doesnt mean its better for stimulating the chest. shoulders are involved the more incline there is so that is a factor too.

yeah i'm aware that it allows to maybe inch out a little more i'm just confussed why he said it is better for chest when it could be a lot more harmfull than it could be good. 
 
there should be no drive off of your feet when you bench.  which if you are arching your back way up you would have to be doing.

ORIGINAL: dmobley01

yeah i'm aware that it allows to maybe inch out a little more i'm just confussed why he said it is better for chest when it could be a lot more harmfull than it could be good. 

there should be no drive off of your feet when you bench.  which if you are arching your back way up you would have to be doing.

I'm not saying make the biggest arch possible, i just found out if you slightly arch your back ( in between your shoulder blades and ur butt) you should engage the chest to work even more on the lift than say the shoulder or tricep, ill try to post the vid.

here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hsr1-xcXFL8

dont pay attention to the first stupiditys they say :O the grand daddy is SQUAT!!!!1 but its right in the start, tell me what you think about it.
Me, I trust him because I've tried yesterday and usually i would be flat flat flat on the bench, then i tried arching and I had to lower the weight a little and I feel it working much more than any other benching I would have done ever before

I ark my back alot on benches but mainly for the stretch. Just keep your ass on the bench

Isn´t that prone for an injury?  I´ve seen people get their backs so much off the bench that my lower back hurts just from watching.

^Only if your ass isnt touching the bench

Yeah i've recently started doing this due to watching a video posted on these forums

http://thefitshow.com/week3/milos_chest_med.htm

I think the origin of all my shoulder problems was from my back bein too flat while benching. Now i'm having MRI scans and all sorts of bollocks to sort them out =[

ORIGINAL: lightning5

Isn´t that prone for an injury?  I´ve seen people get their backs so much off the bench that my lower back hurts just from watching.

if you watch the video and listen to the comments on the board here, u just slightly bend so a hand can go under, dont try to reach ur abs to the ceiling...

I arch pretty hard when im doing power sets for like 3 reps with real heavy weight, but when im benching for more volume and lower weight i stay pretty flat.