“Tuck your elbows” is the bench press equivalent to “knees out” in the squat – not technically incorrect, but a pretty useless cue overall. It’s not actually tucked elbows we’re looking for, but rather a vertical forearm with elbows directly under the bar the whole time.
Over-cueing a lifter to tuck the elbows can create more problems than it solves. Overtucked elbows often results in the elbows drifting in front of the bar for an angled forearm when the bar touches the chest, almost like a skull crusher exercise (but to the chest instead of the forehead). When coaching lifters on this, I always ask, “Can you lift more weight on a bench press or a skull crusher?” The answer is obvious, and makes it clear that a vertical forearm is optimal for moving big weights.
So to help lifters feel proper elbow position, we’ll often place a doubled-up band around the wrists.
We then use 2 cues:
1. Spread the band apart on the way down (this engages the lats and helps the lifter control the bar)
2. Get both sides of the band to hit your chest at the same time (this helps figure out the proper touch point on the chest)
If the lifter flares the elbows out too much, the band will go slack a bit and the lifter will feel it immediately. And if the lifter over-tucks the elbows and loses a vertical forearm, the bands won’t run in parallel and one side of the band will hit the chest first, giving a good visual cue to both the lifter and coach.
Getting the bar to the chest with a vertical forearm then sets you up for proper bar path on the way up. That way you won’t flare your elbows too early (or too late) and you’ll have a fighting chance to break through a tough sticking point under heavy load. More on bench press bar path in this video:
So if you’re struggling with elbow position on the bench press, try the doubled up band around the wrists to give you instant feedback on your technique.
