What Are the Benefits of a Full Range-of-Motion Bench Press?

A full range-of-motion bench press involves holding a barbell above your chest with straight arms, lowering it until the bar lightly touches your chest, then pushing back up again until your arms are straight. Variations of the bench press use different ranges of motion, but full-range presses carry a host of benefits compared to partial press, and those of varying ranges.

  1. Powerlifting

    • If you're looking to take your training to a competitive level and take part in powerlifting competitions, you'll need to be accomplished at the full-range bench press. According to the International Powerlifting Federation rulebook, not lowering the bar all the way to your chest or not fully locking out your elbows at the top will result in a disqualified lift. When training for powerlifting, full-range bench pressing is the most beneficial style.

    Muscles Worked

    • Three main muscle groups are used during the bench press -- your chest, shoulders and triceps. By cutting your range of motion short and not lowering the bar to your chest, you fail to fully activate your chest. Likewise, if you choose not to fully extend at the top, your triceps don't come into play.

    Consistency

    • When measuring your progress in the gym, it's far easier to track how you're doing if you always use the same range of motion. If you perform a full-range chest workout -- three sets of 10 reps -- at a 135 pounds one week, then move up to 140 the next, you can keep track of strength gains. If you cut the motion's range short, however, it's more difficult to measure these gains, as you're moving the bar a shorter distance and making it easier for yourself.

    Considerations

    • While there are many benefits to full range-of-motion bench pressing, you should include other variations. Strength coach Charles Poliquin recommends adding partial-range presses, along with reverse-grip bench presses and presses with resistance bands or chains, to your routine. Always use a pain-free range of motion, adds trainer Jim Smith of Diesel Crew Strength and Conditioning. If this means avoiding full-range bench pressing, so be it -- find another chest exercise to perform instead.