Bench Press with Short Legs or Back Pain?
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(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 11/26/21)
If you have shorter legs you may find it difficult or simply uncomfortable to keep your feet planted firmly (and flat) on the ground. Let’s fix this.
Having your feet planted flat and firmly to the floor is important because your feet provide lateral stability, i.e., your stance provides side-to-side stability during the bench press because the bench itself is rather narrow. Additionally, having your feet planted firmly on the ground allows you to use your legs to drive up the bench during the movement as well (which provides rigidity in your upper body and also reinforces your arch).
With all this in mind, if you have shorter legs - specifically shorter lower legs (i.e., your shins or shanks) - and if you find that your heels are coming up off the ground, then simply stack a bumper plate or two underneath each foot.
You can use wooden blocks or rubber mats instead of bumper plates, but whatever you use, your new “foot platform” needs to provide a non-slip surface that is high enough that you can keep your feet flat and firmly on that surface. A reasonable benchmark (get it?) is to create a platform high enough that your thighs are roughly parallel to the ground.
The use of such a platform can also be a good tactic if you experience some low back discomfort or pain when you lie down on the bench. This can occur with people with shorter legs due to the excessive arch needed to reach their feet down to the floor, and it can also occur with older people or with people who carry some extra weight.
Jen demonstrates the use of bumper plates to provide an elevated platform for her feet.
If lying down on the bench causes you some discomfort, try raising your feet up a bit by using a platform. If your use of the platform is due to discomfort (and not due to having short legs), you may find that you can reduce the height of your platform over time (e.g., remove a bumper plate from your stack), and you might even get to the point where your feet are flat on the ground again.
We hope this helps you get stronger and live better!
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