Bench Competition Questions

[Eric Renzo NH]

My gym is having a Bench Press competition and I was curious as to what constitutes a good Bench Press in weightlifting competition. Do you need to touch your chest? How do competitions usually judge it? Thanks in advance for any answers!

[big_john127]

Pl Rules:
Bench must be lowered to touch the chest, then remain there until the lifter is given the command to lift. Then, without stalling or much difference in the level of the bar the bar must be lifted to lockout.

I'd ask at your gym though, for some reason I doubt they use official rules.

[Oblivian]

Originally Posted by big_john127

I'd ask at your gym though, for some reason I doubt they use official rules.

If it's at a normal commercial gym, I can guarantee you it will be anything goes. Bouncing, ass of bench, feet moving all over the place, etc. There was one at the commercial gym I went to for a bit and it's ridiculous. It's basically to cause hype/market the gym, not for legit competition.

[Cap'n]

I'd love to put on a squat competition at my local World Gym. Hilarity would ensue. Or no one would show up when they saw the rule of going to parallel.

[IX Micheal XI]

My college gym had a comp one time, but I was a bit disappointed when I found out it was based on # of reps of your body weight. Didn't waste my time.

[Klotz]

Originally Posted by Cap'n

I'd love to put on a squat competition at my local World Gym. Hilarity would ensue. Or no one would show up when they saw the rule of going to parallel.

My shins were totally parallel to the wall, bro.

[big_john127]

Originally Posted by IX Micheal XI

My college gym had a comp one time, but I was a bit disappointed when I found out it was based on # of reps of your body weight. Didn't waste my time.

Hmmmm, I could probably get six or so. I wonder how that stacks up.

[Sohan]

I organized and directed a bench meet at a gym called Fitness Today in Atlanta back in February of 1992. I had never worked a meet before, only competed in them. We signed up about 40 entries, and created my own weight classes to even out the distribution of awards. As far as rules went, I allowed touch and go, but put on a brief clinic with my recruited judges to ensure that they understood the rules and were ready to enforce them.

Essentially the rules were USPF, but with the T&G and NO BENCH SHIRTS added.

It was a fun meet. I think I charged $10 for entry, and trophies were given to the top 3 in each class. Everyone seemed happy, and the benches ranged from 65 to 425 lbs, which was done by a 188 lb guy who was on loan from a halfway house. We had a 130 lb wrestler who had never competed who put up a 300 bench, and my training partner did a 350 at 175 paused (he always paused every rep, and claimed he couldn't bench T&G).

One of the more interesting entries was when the gym bench monkey, a 240 lb spandex ripped-T braggart who claimed a 405 bench with his ass way up in the air and bouncing off his chest with a little buddy help, saw him barely bench 325 under the stricter rules of my meet.

The coolest thing was that the gym let me do the meet, and never asked me for a penny. I convinced them it would be good pub for them, and they let me use all their equipment, solicit their members, and use their gym space for the event. They didn't even ask for any insurance protection, though I played it smart and obtained a policy.

This would NEVER happen today.

Fun times. I might host a BP/DL meet sometime soon in Atlanta, just for shits and giggles, or at least a smoker.