Good form vs heavy weight

[markintosh]

I've read everywhere that excelent form is an absolute must. However, my bench press (personal favorite) is a disaster. I feel I must have an imbalance as I always push more on my left side, leaving the barbell a little bit slanted and straighting it up at the end of the rep

The only way in wich I can keep the barbell straight is dropping the weight to 25 pounds x 2. I can get 10 reps with 45 pounds x 2 the slanted way. This happens with the incline and decline press as well.

I notice a bigger slant if I do triceps before pecs, but the bench is usually my first excercise. Should I drop the poundage and increase gradually while keeping an excellent form or should I try to counter-balance with specialized training on my right triceps and pec?

I don't cheat in any other way: I keep my back flat, I grasp at shoulder width, I keep the barbell at my nipples' level, and I even feel the 45 pounds quite light.

[growinUP]

Your favoring your left side. You should let your right side catch up before you start slamming on more weight. Try doing the bench press with dumbbells instead of a barbell and concentrate on making each side move exactly the same way and at the same speed as the other. You should nip this issue in the bud before the gap in development between your left and right side grows even wider!

[ebon00]

Here's a thought: concentrate!!! If you don't allow your left side to "press harder" the bar will come up evenly. And listen to growinUP, take care of this now. Don't let your ego stop you from lifting safely and productively.

[Helene]

This use to happen to me with squats. You just have to concentrate to bring them up at the same time. I don't have that problem anymore, I just realized now that it went away.

[Jaster]

Good advice from all.
Try useing Dumbbells too. This will let theright side work on it's own without the left's help.

Now here is one that may sound silly but it works....
Picture yourself doing it even in your mind before you even sit on the bench. I don't mean just think about it. Really see yourself like a little movie. Think of the feeling in each arm picture the bar going up even.
Your mind is stronger then you think.

What have you got to lose?

[markintosh]

Thanks for all the great advice. Next time I bench press I'll try to concentrate hard on lifting straight, if it doesn't work I'll move to dumbbells

[Alex(AJ)]

form > weight

you have to work on controllign the bar and using an even motion.....trust me, there's no way you'll ever, for example, bench 200pds+ if the bar is slanted and wobbly. half the requirement for a good lift with a heavy weight is a strong balance. slanted bar does not equal strong balance