Lat Involvement in Benching |

[@torynichols2413]

It's funny if you picture him by himself and just crazily looking around the room or maybe talking to bunch of stuffed animals

[@freealexlee]

Lol!!

[@XFactor369]

🤣

[@alfabundy6348]

this bukake warrior has some great advice, would love to see the mobility excercises

[@samchipchase2846]

I hope you meant kabuki and not that

[@MonsterFishKeepersPH]

HAHAHA

[@nozw100]

Hahahahah oh boy

[@theajayy2258]

Damned auto correction huh?

[@alexwilliams5587]

This funny

[@miertjie94]

Chris do a video on how to get crazy eyes!

[@chrisduffin8513]

haha.

[@herresindeshoarmatent9575]

Molly

[@klydeflores7909]

Externally rotate your eyes

[@roberthance503]

Ty for the response, I will def incorporate this into my training. Just hit 315 which has been a big mile stone for me. Can't wait to see how much more this technique will do for me. Thx again.

[@kiharaaikido]

Listening to Chis lectures is like going from high school straight to graduate, best shit ever! Thanks Chris!!

[@XxXx-sc3xu]

One very important thing to note: a lot of this activation is possible once you learn how to flex the lats and the deltoids. It takes a lot of training to be able to grow the lats and then flex them properly

[@reisslindhardt9441]

Oh yeah! Once you learn how to activate your lats on command lifting weights is a whole ‘nother ball game

[@KTMONEY100]

Hey Chris, thanks so much for all the info you put out. Between you, Ed Coan, and Mike Tuchscherer, my understanding has grown exponentially. Thanks again!

[@Javaun_Powell]

What’s his last name

[@tribeard5424]

“EXTERNALLY ROTATE”

[@santtu184]

Fuck I got scared haha

[@santtu184]

Was watching this at 3 am all alone haha

[@Keranu]

​@@santtu184 Same here, three years after you

[@henrids]

Thank you!! This corresponds to Omar Isuf's lat activation between reps, and replaces the shoulders on a healthier position before reps.

[@tedallison6112]

" I can take 6 months off from benching and come back and hit a PR" from heavy lat work-----wow!~ I heard this --mulled it over many 100 times chewed on the idea then finally ------implimented it { minus taking time off from benching -hahah!} ----presto agitato---my bench is way up ---w 50 + Prs from rep records to maxes this year alone---I took Chris' lat idea to heart and see that its going to add an easy 100 pounds to my raw bench ---thank you again Mr. Chris Duffin---- your da Man!!!!

[@PistolPeteLee]

I was literally just practising this on my dining room chair, and it's safe to say I can feel my lats now that I've finished, so thank you for these tips. Externally Rotating the shoulder on a movement where your hands are fixed always kind of confused me, but you helped a lot to make me understand. So thank you!

[@kingmatt314]

Only a sith operates in absolutes

[@dofo6842]

Thanks for the info Chris been following you for a long time. My first ever meet is this Feb. 20. Been training hard for this one.

[@rubberifyable6717]

*externally rotate*

[@xuaxace]

Great video. Reinforcing some of my own observations. That article elitefts a few years back changed the way I thought the bench completely, great stuff.

[@chrisduffin8513]

thanks.

[@erikec67]

It's easy to over-train pressing movements (shoulders and elbow pain) but it seems like you can never train lats and upper back too much. I can't recall seeing a big bencher that didn't have a thick back.

[@chrisduffin8513]

exactly

[@thewestmurph]

Thanks so much for your knowledge. I look up to you.

[@wilrockq1065]

I just discovered this on my own by accident during warm-ups. When I pulled my elbows in and did the horizontal movement he's talking about (touching lower on the chest and pushing back), weight that seemed heavy before suddenly seemed light. It's an incredible discovery. Try it.

[@reisslindhardt9441]

I’ve had a similar experience. I used to push heavy weights with brute force and poor technique and started having wrist and shoulder discomfort. Then I discovered this and practiced with lighter weights for several months and then recently tried to max out again and my max went up by almost 20 pounds and NO shoulder or wrist pain 😍 Chris Duffin is my go to when I have questions about technique.

[@marino4691]

awesome video and he took actually the time to voice over and remove mistakes! thanks for that!

[@MelonTunes]

Si

[@marshallfoulkes1383]

externally rotate x 1 billion. Chad is Hilarious. Awesome video Chris

[@PurpleNightmare52]

This video is excellent. Thank you for such a fantastic demonstration. Now I have something to show guys that insist I'm wrong that the lats can be used to drive a bar off the chest in the bench.

[@chrisduffin8513]

glad you liked.

[@tylerfarrell5525]

Great info man, I always heard "use your lats but never knew how Subbed

[@754123000]

this is one of the most effective peace of art sir. thank you for this information. my lats are pretty decent but tonight i can take a step further to use them as you stated in this video. i always have problem benching which means my shoulders always getting injured so i guess ill will certainly use this technique i cant wait thank you

[@ChristianRenault23]

Awesome video Chris. Thanks for posting.

[@chrisduffin8513]

glad you liked

[@phisyka]

I read somewhere that for every upper body pressing movement you should be doing twice as much pulling. Seems like this video confirmed that for me. Time to double my pull ups and rows.

[@chrisduffin8513]

I concur

[@patrickvanmeter2922]

Wenning agrees.

[@lb4941]

enjoy the tutorial videos. excellent description.

[@lekhoapnt]

This's might the reason why my bench suck, thanks for your sharing

[@amitasayag8856]

very helpful video! thank you so much!

[@strengthteam8535]

Awesome knowledge channel. Just subscribed. Stay strong big man

[@DanielOgburn]

I completed a few mathematics/physics degrees in the last 10 years. I really enjoy watching Chris' videos. It's clear that he puts some intelligence into his lifting and technique, as well the new bar construction (very good example of continuum mechanics -- might use that video for future classes or tutorials). I was actually surprised that this video doesn't have 10 times as many views. It's these sorts of intricate details in a lift that set people apart -- at least, from the perspective of someone training under a good coach. Maybe people just want quick solutions without having to think too much. I'm not sure.

[@stevengreer22]

Daniel Ogburn I agree. I’m the same except I’m more biology and nursing but love watching physics lectures for fun (Richard Feynman, Walter lewin, Brian Cox, etc). This guy is great. Love the terminology and evidence lol.

[@Exekutioncro]

Why exactly was it necessary to mention your degrees lmfao

[@worldwidewinter]

Hey Chris, what do you think of my take? First, the lats are stiffened at the top of the lift to reinforce their origin aka the lifters global arch position which is generally understood. From there the confusion I believe is that in the bench position, external rotation is also coupled with adduction, which is another action the lats perform and therefore people believe the lats are external rotators, which is not the case. so including the their action on the spine and rib cage, the lats serve to control unwanted abduction/flexion and scapular elevation, while the posterior cuff provides the rotational force, which help resist the internal rotation which accompanies the abduction associated with flaring the elbows, weaking action of the lats and allowing the arm to flex backward causing the angled bar path. so really the form you are discussing is about syncing the lats and the rotator cuff for control of the bar path and enhancing shoulders stability. thoughts?

[@chrisduffin8513]

sounds reasonable.

[@BigBADArt89]

i always knew it, i was always went hard with t-bars, and that accessory got me to dead-lift 600 in about 1.5 year of deadlifting.

[@scannon90]

I've been hearing "bend the bar" for more than 20 years, never knew what it meant till now. I'll give it a try tomorrow. On the other hand, "two + hours workout"--as a family man, I wish I had the time. In and out in one hour, four times a week is all I can spare.

[@scannon90]

***** Thanks for the response. Tried what you said today, and there's a definite learning curve here for someone who already has their technique fixed. ("Practice doesn't make perfect, it makes permanent," dance instructor Marcus Koch) You described an "external rotation," which I believe means rotate your thumbs to the floor. I noticed that when doing this--in order to get the kind of resistance from the lats that you discussed in the video (it sort of feels like your back has become a bench shirt)--that you have to flare your elbows to get it. This seems to be at odds with the Westside system which teaches to keep the elbows in when benching to get maximal tricep involvement. So it would seem that you are teaching a bench press that relies more on the pecs and less on the tris. Is this correct?

[@SlammedBeretta]

Your videos are awesome, So much useable information in every one! Thanks a lot chris!

[@chrisduffin8513]

SlammedBeretta Thanks Slammed

[@baloosd]

i engage the lats naturally on decline press (and do 380x6), but really struggle with form on flat press (and only do 205x6), halp

[@matttzzz2]

Jesus christ what a discrepancy

[@baloosd]

@@matttzzz2 my flat bench has gone up to 255x6, but still nothing remotely close to my decline or weighted dips numbers tho.

[@Njderig]

Sounds like this would apply more to shirted benchers. I have good lats and know they are important for a stable base but I personally don't involve my lats when I bench. However I have fairly long arms and I do arch a bit. I bring the bar low on my chest.

[@edmyogacat]

Wow very informational video. Definitely makes sense to me. Gonna utilize this info next time I bench!

[@fernandos9999]

Thanks for this. Awesome explanation. Definitely training lats today

[@baloosd]

This video deserves a re-shoot with a better camera angles.

[@MalandroNY]

Thanks my brother for this video this is Gold !🙌

[@dragontav]

Tried using the lats to pull my shoulders down towards my hips today. Pecs felt super tight, and the eccentric was slooow despite me trying to spend less time in it. Is this type of form good for reps or mainly for 1RMs?

[@TheTommyjohn119]

Ok awesome thanks for your quick responses -tommy john

[@KestDZ]

Very interesting! The best way to teach lats bench i found is paused press, but not just pause the bar on the chest, but when it touches squeeze the lats harder and try to drive the bar in to the body and then press

[@chrisduffin8513]

interesting I could see that.

[@XxGrandSTORMZxX]

Damn, what a truly informative video. I learned a lot. What you have described in the video reinforces what I have been doing without knowing since time. Sub'd

[@chadashton7029]

Great info. Since my shoulders are fried...this gives me motivation to really slam my back/lats so that I can lay off the heavy bench but still maintain/increase my current bench numbers. I just found your channel honestly...so I haven't gone through all the vids yet but I'm working on it. Do you have one that shows your back work and if not...is that something you might consider doing for a future video? Thanks Chris...I really appreciate the information you are putting out there.

[@michaelbarrett2968]

Great talk man, I learned a lot.

[@chrisduffin8513]

thanks

[@1bullneck1]

a way i found to get the idea of how the lats should work on the benchpress is by doing pin presses from like 3 inches off your chest, but before you press you row yourself up, then you literally drive yourself through the bench finishing with pressing the bar up. when i do these i have the feeling that my lats actually hit failure before my pressing muscles.

[@chrisduffin8513]

1bullneck1 excellent.

[@jaredlee8371]

If everyone has their own recipe for the lift: (No one system works across the board for all) I will for sure add more than just a dash of this to mine. Thanks a lot for the video!

[@yvesflorelius1326]

Awesome video, Chris.. A real eye-opener concerning the use of lats while benching. Thanks..!! Are you able to use lats involvment the same degree when benching with a shirt..?

[@jbfitness101]

Chris, you look like you have crazy eyes in all your videos :-P

[@johnwalton6318]

+JB Fitness Pre workout brah, pre workout, absolute piss.

[@user-cy5zq3bv8k]

Lmao Chris looking wired on preworkout from the get go.

[@dubson965]

Duffin is a Legend.

[@penguino8440]

This guy is really awesome

[@coachpaul-vedicfitness]

I hear what you say but I’ve always been told that the Lat is an internal rotator of the arm. So it’s getting confusing unless we can explain it by the extreme position of the upper body that makes then the lat more of an external rotator du to the relation between torso and humerus

[@cavvz1]

Great video. I felt out of breath watching it though

[@haitsjesse]

"doesn't matter because we are only working against gravity" Any physicist would appreciate and immediately understand your argumentation! Great stuff. I would also add that it is actually less work because you are decreasing the moment arm of the shoulder joint. A straight press requires more work in order to counteract the rotational forces

[@ultrabellowman]

I tried to involve my lats for my bench press to push it off the first three inches off the chest by externally rotating but after a couple of weeks, the inside of my elbow hurts. I don't externally rotation all the way up like at 9:32. Is that why you do for competition or do you externally rotated for the first three inches and then flare out and internally rotated to finish the pecs? I do see you internally rotating to finish the lift at 9:56 for your bench reps

[@fatbrad412]

Great video as always.

[@chrisduffin8513]

thanks sir

[@askcoacheric]

Is this type of benching allowed in the IPF? I feel like the raising the butt would be a miss, thanks

[@--SPQR--]

Yup. Except now it's been ten years since your question and the miss has become a Mrs.

[@drinkinouttacups2665]

​@@--SPQR-- lmao

[@leonflowers2073]

Very informative. Thanks. What are some good lat exercises I can use to help develop my lats. Reps set and how often?

[@VincentLegent]

Really good video. What do you like to work the lats?

[@chrisduffin8513]

Vincent Legent I post a weekly video summary of my workouts. There are links to written summarys on my website and I will be in the features log section on EliteFTS shortly.

[@VincentLegent]

Okay thanks a lot!

[@beasthetic_]

Thanks a lot. I think i was lacking on this and imma do it 🔥

[@IRONWILLSTRENGTH12]

Chris, I have a serious issue with my RIGHT ARM/ LAT activaiton when pressing. It's almost like my right rm is nit even there. Each time I lift heavy or try a full range ME movement, my right arm/ lat fails to engage past mid range on the descent. This causes my arm come loose at the bottom and miss the lift or lift it unevenly. Im not sure if it is a scapulae inhibition, weak right arm (which my grip, and arm is much weaker than my left), or what. If you could can you give me some advice. P.S. I have a recent vid that shows the issue. I fyou would be willing to take a look and see what it could be.

[@Dr_Footbrake]

I've got a similar issue. You'll have blocked fascia though the serratus and lat

[@Andrew-eo2iz]

Hi Chris, great video. What type of Lat exercises were you doing to get them so strong that you managed to increase your bench whilst rehabbing your pec? Does it even matter?

[@Andrew-eo2iz]

***** Thanks man!

[@1981mlayton]

***** does it matter over hand or under? I know they work different areas of lats, or just do both?

[@mcbride997032]

Currently I'm doing 315 for 5 reps for 4 sets but it seems I'm hitting a plateau. My goal is to get my 1 RM to 405lbs. Not sure if I should do more reps with lighter weights or go heavier with less reps. My current 1 RM is 365.

[@seandavis884]

ONLY A SITH DEALS IN ABSOLUTES!

[@Nippon1971]

Yes but not so true for raw benching but for shirted where you have to actually pull the bar down due to ultra hyper extremely tight shirt which add even up to 200 lbs in your bench..............

[@toastman1111]

Thanks for your awesome video! Today I tried to fix my bp. I thoght it was harder to do bp in this way. Do I need to keep the same posture when down and up? Thanks again!

[@toastman1111]

I mean when down the hands are closer to body but up no.

[@toastman1111]

I made my shoulders internal rotated and my elbows were nearly touch my body, but it was so hard to push the barbell. Is it normal? Or I rotated too much. Thanks!

[@ultrabellowman]

too close to the body. That is a like a close grip press for tricpes

[@FiremanSimon]

Brilliant video man. What are ur favourite exercises when doing your Lat hypertrophy work chris ??

[@chrisduffin8513]

Bent rows and pullups. would like to do some supported rows but don't have the equipment yet

[@FiremanSimon]

Chris Duffin Any particular bent rows.. i.e. Pendlay, underhand, 45degrees, yates row ?? Or just row and pulls in general ??

[@VS-iv5uw]

So is it external rotation at the beginning and external rotation for the press?

[@itsjustrobbieok]

Brilliant, only found your channel the other day and now working my way through your videos. Over my last two training cycles I've added in lat work and if nothing else my back has exploded in size! What direct lat exercises do you favour?

[@chrisduffin8513]

Deep bent over rows are my favorite. Also mix it up with one arm dumbbell rows. I'll add in some pullups at the end of the workout..

[@luiscastaneda5676]

He's on that rush aha but good info👌

[@sollyxdoomyx7905]

Why did i see leg press and not the lats???

[@loganplumley10]

When you say externally rotate, do you mean of the shoulder or elbow?

[@chrisduffin8513]

***** shoulder. Elbow only has flexion and extension, no rotation.

[@roberthance503]

Great vid. Question though, the rotation should be done on the eccentric, concentric or after the pause at the bottom?

[@MuscleManMarcus]

I'm gonna try my hardest to be at that seminar

[@TheTommyjohn119]

Hey chris, I'm experiencing the pain you describe in the first two minutes of this video... What are some things I can do to correct the issue? Thanks, tommy john

[@chrisduffin8513]

tommy john Don't remember the content at that time in the video. Shoulder or intercostal?

[@ToosTraining]

thanks for the video man

[@dtown0514]

So you mentioned that you do a lot of hypertrophy work for them, what all does this entail? Do you do high sets higher reps or do you vary the reps and go anywhere from higher like 15 reps down to like 4-6 reps so that your lats experience heavy loads such as max effort deadlift, bench, and squat?

[@chrisduffin8513]

that's detailed in my weekly training logs and video's.

[@StrikeforceJedi]

respect dude and thanks for this video. But those thumbs...

[@TheSuperber]

Hey Chris! Will be competing in 220s or 242s in the GPA worlds? Going for a squat record or total record?

[@Whydoineedthis1]

Is it legal to raise your butt on the descent of the bench press in PL competitions?

[@Whydoineedthis1]

Thanks, just didn't know if it was allowed in a different federation.

[@dennisgranados5356]

just to infer my right pec looks similar to yours and I was wondering if it would be from distatchment on my pec as well? I wouldn't know but it sounds similar to my problem. my left pec is a formed much better than my right of structure

[@boxerfencer]

Chris: You speak of this moment arm favorably, rather than an negative which I find surprising. Isn't the moment arm between the chest and lock out positions minimized with thoracic extension? I fail to see how your lats are more engaged by raising your butt during the descent as this quickly puts you into shoulder extension, which is past the point at which lats function; the way resistance is being placed, the lats would have to assist in shoulder flexion when in extension and would equate to the gymnastics back lever position. The problem is the lats are not engaged in the lever, and if anything used as used to provide friction so as to create an artificial stretch reflex or increase proprioception, but it definitely does not actively or passively assist ... other than providing a physical shelf for the upper arms to land onto, and explode from, which would benefit from the forearms being diagonally placed outwards as with a wide grip (and not perpendicular to the floor, as I believe you suggest). Furthermore, the lats are not stretched at this position (as you say), as they'd have to be above your head to be so.

[@anikoustos2]

I thought the lats are internal rotators of the arm.

[@warrenwroth8361]

Interesting, so instead of the internal rotation you rotate externally? I'm guessing this won't work for the average gym goer..

[@outdoorcasey]

When you say don't pick up less than 400 1bs in order to grow, do you mean deadlifts?

[@IronBrotherhood4]

What are some good lat exercises to do?

[@watch3r9]

Love this vid man

[@chrisduffin8513]

glad you liked it.

[@yoman1991]

great video!!

[@GRINGEzZ]

Why couldn't you have been a lecturer at my uni, they know shit all about anything in the gym.

[@chrisduffin8513]

Matt Grainger haha I bet.

[@jenniferf.2727]

Your wrist folded over like a lawn chair

[@chrisduffin8513]

i'll look at that. I have not seen that in reviewing my actual training benches for several years no.

[@venom07786]

This info is 🔥🔥

[@Sagatta32]

Good explanation I use this strat.

[@sloppyjonuts9162]

Ethan Michell I always thought guys were supposed to keep the Elbows tight ..way I was taught,,,, gave his method a shot today ,it works ! Especially with high reps,

[@DrTopLiftDPT]

Yea with 415 his butt never touched the bench

[@TheTommyjohn119]

The shoulder

[@chrisduffin8513]

tommy john Watch my squat series 3 video. And will be having more videos on this subject coming.

[@andreylavi111]

The best!!!

[@ekaen8861]

Last do internal rotation,not external.. .

[@stefanfurdaev1277]

Find a girlfriend that looking At you the same Freak way Chris looking to camera:))

[@Hunterfury_44]

EXTERNALLY ROTATE