Is Bench Pressing Dangerous?
Jason Price, MS, CSCS, ATC, LAT, CPT, USAW Club Coach
After the injury to USC Football Player Stafon Johnson while bench pressing many people are left asking “is bench pressing dangerous?” While all types of strength training exercise is inherently dangerous they are very safe to perform when proper techniques and spotting are followed. When this is done the risk for injury is reduced dramatically. Now I am not saying that Stafon or the Strength staff at USC was using improper technique or being negligent in anyway. Sometimes bad things happen even when proper protocol is followed. However, when things like this happen it is a good time to review good habits in the weight room so that others will learn from this tragic incident. During all lifts the lifter must be focused on the task at hand. This is especially true anytime the barbell is to be supported over the head or chest. Accidents during bench pressing have been fatal and most bench pressing accidents are preventable. Bench Pressing is one of the only exercises in the weight room where the lifter has no chance of escape if the bar is miss handled. So, with that being said let’s review some improper bench pressing habits and the proper protocol.
Bad Habit #1 – Using an open grip. Open grip bench pressing may be public enemy number one when it comes to what causes bench pressing accidents. An open grip is one where the thumb is not wrapped around the bar. So basically the bar sits in the palm of the hand unsupported. This is a bad idea. You see many very strong individuals grip this way when they bench. But, it is not the grip that made them so strong. But, it is the grip that proves they are not very bright. Benching with an open grip will most likely end up with you pulling a barbell at sometime in the near future off your chest after you dropped it. So, don’t use an open grip! Keep the thumbs around the bar.
WHY YOU DON'T USE AN OPEN GRIP!!!!!! Consider yourself warned.
Bad Habit #2 – Using a spotter who can’t handle the weight being lifted. Just 
because you have a spotter doesn’t mean you are safe. If you are benching 405 and ask the guy near you in the gym “hey can I get a spot?” and that guy is about 165 soaking wet and couldn’t lift 225 off you let alone 405. If you need a spot and the spot available is not able to give you an adequate spot then you need reinforcements either a two or three man spot or a stronger spot. Ok, now this is where some people say “well I will just bench in the smith machine so then I don’t need a spot.” If this is you I apologize for this next statement, you are an idiot and will probably hurt yourself in a weight room someday. A smith machine is NEVER a replacement for a spot. A smith machine is a piece of equipment. A spotter is someone who is keeping you safe and helping you execute a lift.
Bad Habit #3 – Pressing to rack the weight on the final repetition. What I mean here is when you press the weight from your chest towards the rack on your final rep instead of pressing the weight straight off your chest like all of the previous reps. This is a great way to drop a weight on your throat. Not saying that is what Stafon did. But, this is a very dangerous habit as in the final rep of a set the lifter is most fatigued. Cutting this corner and not finishing the rep and pressing to rack it off the chest is just a way that individuals think they are finishing a set. This habit is an easy one to break. Just finish the final rep then move the bar back to the rack or have the spotter help move the bar to the rack after the final rep is finished. If you don’t reach lock out on the final rep and return it to the rack then you fall into this category.
Bad habit #4 – Bouncing the bar off your chest. With all of the information on the internet it amazes me when I still see this. Bouncing the bar off the chest with momentum does not mean you are strong. It means that you jackass. Control the bar to the chest and then explode from the chest or control the weight back off the chest. Just because the guy next to you has 3 plates on either side of the bar and pounds the bar off the chest and does 2 or 3 reps does not mean he is correct in what he is doing. Use tempo in your bench don’t bounce and it will make you stronger in the long run.
This guy is strong but one day this "Bouncing" Bench will bit him.(no spotter too. But at least he locked out before he racked it!)
Hopefully shedding some light on these bad benching habits will help you stay safe when you are doing the bench press. Unfortunately for Stafon something happened and he got hurt. But, at least he is alive. Learn from his lesson heed my advice and be safe and strong. Happy Benching!!
This is just stupidity please watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7utkxGmuSaM
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