{"id":15882,"date":"2026-06-04T21:15:50","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T14:15:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=15882"},"modified":"2026-06-04T21:15:50","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T14:15:50","slug":"when-to-bench-press-with-your-feet-on-the-floor-and-when-not-to-tony-gentilcore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=15882","title":{"rendered":"When to Bench Press With Your Feet on the Floor, and When Not To \u2013 Tony Gentilcore"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>I received an email awhile back from someone asking a simple question:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><em>\u201cWhat are the reasons one would or would not bench press with their legs on the bench as opposed to the floor? Just personal preference? Back issues?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Tony of a few years back would have been like, \u201cWhen would someone bench with their feet <strong><em>on<\/em><\/strong> the bench? WHEN HELL FREEZES OVER, THAT\u2019S WHEN.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Then that would have been followed by a guttural scream, dramatic desk clearing, and door slam.<\/p>\n<p>You know, a mature, rational response.<\/p>\n<p>Tony of <em>today<\/em> has a different viewpoint. Read below to hear allllll about it.<\/p>\n<h3>Why Bench Press With Feet On the Floor?<\/h3>\n<p>Why do we look both ways before crossing the street, or wash our hands after using the bathroom, or, I don\u2019t know, wear pants to the dinner table?<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s just the way stuff is done.<\/p>\n<p>The same can be said about the bench press. We perform it with our feet on the ground because that\u2019s the way it\u2019s supposed to be done.<\/p>\n<p>To be a bit more colloquial, we perform it that way because:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>With the feet on the floor we can defer to a bit more leg drive which can help with lifting more weight; if that\u2019s what you\u2019re into.<\/li>\n<li>Moreover, as strength coach and competitive powerlifter\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/bonvecstrength.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>Tony Bonvechio<\/strong><\/span><\/a> notes, \u201c<em>leg drive can help you get a bigger arch via hip extension.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-460642\" src=\"https:\/\/tonygentilcore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Screenshot-2026-06-04-at-8.25.11-AM-1024x563.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"635\" height=\"349\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tonygentilcore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Screenshot-2026-06-04-at-8.25.11-AM-1024x563.png 1024w, https:\/\/tonygentilcore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Screenshot-2026-06-04-at-8.25.11-AM-300x165.png 300w, https:\/\/tonygentilcore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Screenshot-2026-06-04-at-8.25.11-AM-768x422.png 768w, https:\/\/tonygentilcore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Screenshot-2026-06-04-at-8.25.11-AM.png 1338w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 635px) 100vw, 635px\"\/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Kinda like Bo Jackson, Tony B. KNOWS how to bench press. Check out his Bench Like a Beast Program <a href=\"https:\/\/marketplace.trainheroic.com\/workout-plan\/program\/bonvechio-program-1707856214\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>HERE<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Now, admittedly, this last point is catered to more of the powerlifters in the room who are solely interested in one thing (well, two, after \u201cwhere\u2019s the nearest pizza buffet?\u201d)\u2026.bench pressing as much weight as possible.<\/p>\n<p>An arch in the lower back = a more biomechical sound position to shorten the distance the barbell must travel.<\/p>\n<p>Both feet on the ground allows one to solidify the arch.<\/p>\n<p>I love this analogy from <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thestrengthhouse.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>Strength House<\/strong><\/span><\/a> coach Greg Robins:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><em>\u201cThink of it like a structural arch. In order to make an arch you need pressure from two sides. Like if you put a piece of paper on the table, and gently push from both ends simultaneously what do you get? <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>An Arch.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h4>A Slight Conversational Detour<\/h4>\n<p>For those who are about to hyperventilate into a brown paper bag at the mere notion of arching your back during a bench press, relax.<\/p>\n<p>A kitten won\u2019t die if it happens and it\u2019s not inherently more dangerous to do so. Your lumbar spine has a natural lordotic curve to it anyways (an arch), sooooooo there\u2019s that. And no one is sitting here insinuating you <strong><em>have<\/em><\/strong> to adopt a <a href=\"https:\/\/marisainda.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Marissa Inda<\/span><\/strong><\/a> bench set-up in order to bench press (and to do so with a high degree of success).<\/p>\n<p>Much of what dictates how much of an arch to use is predicated on personal preference, goals, and what feels comfortable to each individual lifter.<\/p>\n<p>Do you have to arch as much as the photo above? <strong>Nope.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Are you likely arching your back when you bench press, even if not on purpose, because that\u2019s what your body is designed to do? <strong>Yep.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Will you please STFU and stop telling people arching is bad? \u2014\u2014&gt; watch <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=enRx1X7dQRI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>THIS<\/strong><\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>Okay, Back to Benching With Feet on the Floor<\/h3>\n<p>I don\u2019t have much more to say here.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re interested in benching more weight, putting your feet on the ground is a splendid approach.<\/p>\n<p>Also, it decreases the chances you\u2019ll drop the barbell on your face.<\/p>\n<h3>Why Bench Press With Feet On the Bench?<\/h3>\n<p>I\u2019m not kidding when I say there used to be a time where I felt benching with the feet on the bench (or in the air) was one of the stupidest things someone could do, on par with texting while driving, thinking you can read a Thomas Pynchon novel in one sitting, or trying to take a selfie with a panther.<\/p>\n<p>Pretty dumb.<\/p>\n<p>However, we all marinate in our own ignorance sometimes.<\/p>\n<p>As with anything in strength &amp; conditioning there\u2019s a time and place for everything.<\/p>\n<p>A drill I\u2019ve been using in my own programming (and that of my clients) of late is the Larsen Press.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"TonyGentilcore.com - Larsen Press\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/SoGELmLetv8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>To explain the advantages of this stellar movement I\u2019ll lean again on the shoulders of Tony Bonvechio and Greg Robins:<\/p>\n<h4>Tony:<\/h4>\n<blockquote>\n<p><em>\u201cThe main benefit of putting the feet up on the bench is teaching lifters to maintain their upper back arch and shoulder blade position. One of the biggest mistakes we see lifters make is collapsing the upper back as they bring the bar down, which can tip the shoulder blades forward and push the bar in front of the elbows. If you take away the legs, it\u2019s much harder to keep the upper back arched, especially as you bring the bar down to the chest. Hook lying position, Larsen press and floor press are all variations of a no-legs press that work well.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h4>Greg:<\/h4>\n<blockquote>\n<div>\n<p><em>\u201cThe biggest advantage I see to using feet up is to purposefully make the exercise harder. When the feet go up you have more range of motion and more instability which means more work for the muscles that move the weight \u2013 pecs shoulders triceps. I think this is really important for those who rely on big arches, and thrusting weights off their chest with their whole bodies.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>There are other benefits as well:<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u2013 Create higher relative intensities with less weight on the bar.<\/em><br \/><em>\u2013 Awareness as Tony B said in how to stay tight.<\/em><br \/><em>\u2013 Relief on back and hips from being in contorted bench position.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div>\n<h3>So There You Have It<\/h3>\n<p>So there you have it.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/tonygentilcore.com\/2026\/06\/bench-press-feet-floor-not\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I received an email awhile back from someone asking a simple question: \u201cWhat are the reasons one would or would not bench press with their legs on the bench as opposed to the floor? Just personal preference? Back issues?\u201d Tony of a few years back would have been like, \u201cWhen would someone bench with their &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15882","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fitness"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15882","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=15882"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15882\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=15882"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=15882"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=15882"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}