First Bench Press Eccentric

[michael]

The eccentric on my first bench press rep is way too slow.

Has anyone else had this problem?

I'd like to fix it.

[RobUK]

I can't help (sorry) but I can tell you you're not alone.

I don't know what's going on at the moment but I have the feeling at the moment if I lowered the bar at 'normal pace' my right elbow will buckle. After the first rep it's fine though.

I have the exact same problem with dips - even bw - at the moment but in my left elbow and I have collapsed when trying to ignore it (not going to risk that with bench obviously).

Pretty sure it's a mental thing connected to the pain I"ve been getting in my elbows from squatting but it's very odd.

[Manveer]

I think it is mostly from thinking too much/lack of confidence/feeling things out.

What’s your warmup scheme like?

[Cody]

Mine is slow, too. I have to actively think about pulling the bar to my chest as fast as possible while staying tight. Helps some, but it's still slower than the other reps.

[perman]

I have the exact same problem with dips - even bw - at the moment but in my left elbow and I have collapsed when trying to ignore it (not going to risk that with bench obviously).

I have the same thing with dips too, but I think that's a different phenomenon. I perceive it to be a balancing issue for dips in that your body angle changes as you descend, so that in order to keep your center of mass aligned with your hands, you sort of have to find your "body path". After the first rep on dips, the next reps feel more smith-machineish to me. Like I've found the track my body needs to run on.

[RobUK]

I have the exact same problem with dips - even bw - at the moment but in my left elbow and I have collapsed when trying to ignore it (not going to risk that with bench obviously).

I have the same thing with dips too, but I think that's a different phenomenon. I perceive it to be a balancing issue for dips in that your body angle changes as you descend, so that in order to keep your center of mass aligned with your hands, you sort of have to find your "body path". After the first rep on dips, the next reps feel more smith-machineish to me. Like I've found the track my body needs to run on.

I know what you mean but this is something new for me, never had any problems before. It feels very similar to the bench issue just in the opposite elbow!

[michael]

What’s your warmup scheme like?

45x5x2
95x5
135x3
185x1
225x1
255x1
280x5 (work set)

[cwd]

My first eccentric on *all* lifts that start at the top is a little slower. I have to remind myself of the path.

If I go full-speed on the first rep, I end up out of position at the bottom and it's a shitty rep. Squats, bench, dips, same.

[Hanley]

I think it is mostly from thinking too much/lack of confidence/feeling things out.

What’s your warmup scheme like?

This.

The first rep slow eccentric is really common.

Have you every had a recent elbow injury or elbow pain? That'll hard-wire in a slow eccentric.

[michael]

@Hanley No elbow pain. My right shoulder isn't perfect, but it doesn't hurt.

Like @cwd I seem to be guiding the bar to my touch point. This only happens on bench for me though. I think because I naturally let the bar path drop straight down, but the bench doesn't have a straight bar path.

[slowmotion]

So it's not just me, but a common occurrence. I thought I was the only one with a really slow first rep bench eccentric.

[RobUK]

Have you every had a recent elbow injury or elbow pain? That'll hard-wire in a slow eccentric.

That would be me then, bloody squats.

[RobUK]

Like @cwd I seem to be guiding the bar to my touch point. This only happens on bench for me though. I think because I naturally let the bar path drop straight down, but the bench doesn't have a straight bar path.

That's a good point about bar path. I don't know about you but I am also constantly messing about with my technique too which probably doesn't help.