Improving Bench Press Technique With Vanderbilt Baseball

John Sisk, head strength and conditioning coach, gives us an inside look into Vanderbilt baseball's bench press technique.

Vanderbilt University's head strength and conditioning coach, John Sisk, explains how to improve bench press technique through maintaining proper form. Upper body strength can be increased and injury can be avoided by following these guidelines.

TRANSCRIPT

John Sisk (Vanderbilt Head Conditioning Coach): The benefit of the bench is that guys like the bench. They like to see themselves get stronger. A benefit from the bench obviously is the upper chest strength and it's just a mental thing. I've been doing this for almost 15 years and I don't know many guys who don't like the reps. Touch the bar right below the nipples. Hand grip not real wide, we want you guys to have a neutral grip right here. Closer grip obviously, keep your elbows in on the way down, we don't want your elbows flaring out. We want to pull the bar right below the chest here and lock it out. Keep your back good and flat, your hips not coming off the bench and using a roller back. Keeping the feet as a good base, a good solid base and keeping the shoulders down and don't let them come off the bench or you'll strain your neck. That's just a basic thing. We always have a spotter, hand the bar to them, and take the bar back from them. We don't want to injure nobody and make sure the bar gets back properly. Today we did ten, eight, five, triple, two doubles and two singles, 87 percent. Some guys went over 87 percent, some older guys did but we did 87 percent. Kind of like an in-season deal.