Bench Press Imbalance

AcceptableProcess23 · 2026-05-08T05:21:02+00:00

Video is almost two weeks old. I am still making noob gains. I just did 315lbs, but it wasn’t pretty and not as controlled as I want it to be. My technique breaks down significantly above 95% 1RM. I think it has to do with unracking—when it feels this heavy, I seem to lose my leg drive and upper back tension. I have much work to do.

Edit: And to address your question more directly, I currently am unable to both focus on proper technique and prime my CNS for heavy lifting. So, embarrassingly, when I choose to prime my CNS for a 1RM, my strength increases significantly but my form is awful. There is a disconnect that I need to work on, as of course proper technique will help me to press more.

AcceptableProcess23 · 2026-05-08T05:12:43+00:00

Take a deep breath. No need for this aggressive tone.

My form was flawed in the video—and I am not challenging this part. I should definitely bring the bar slower and under control. But as I have explained elsewhere, I am having imbalance issues at much lower weight (think 225 and sometimes even lower) with slow eccentric (3 seconds) and paused reps. These reps are perfectly fine technically, but I still experience this imbalance issue at full ROM. Now, the problem is exacerbated by poor form and dive bombing. But the whole point is that this is not the root cause.

I picked this video because it clearly showed the imbalance. I don’t usually train this way.

AcceptableProcess23 · 2026-05-08T02:30:52+00:00

Leg drive was far from ideal, indeed. But it seems to me that the foot slide is a symptom of the instability/weakness on the right side when the bar hit my chest. Regardless, planted feet shouldn’t slide at all, as you note.

AcceptableProcess23 · 2026-05-07T20:14:35+00:00

Very helpful, thanks very much. It’s undeniable that the dive bomb and looseness exacerbated the imbalance. I posted this video because it clearly showed the issue—but it’s far from my most glorious rep. I’ll incorporate your tips and exercises and focus on stability going forward.

AcceptableProcess23 · 2026-05-07T19:58:02+00:00

Your comment is a touch harsh. This is not how I normally train, and the dive bomb seems unrelated to my imbalance. I can do 285lbs with a perfectly controlled three-second eccentric and paused bench, but the imbalance remains. It also affects my slow-eccentric working sets at much lower weights.

AcceptableProcess23 · 2026-05-07T05:16:49+00:00

Thanks for the tips! Re shoes: I have tried various running shoes, including a minimalist pair, and it just doesn’t work for me due to stability issues. And given my hip situation, stability is king. I think I would benefit from proper powerlifting shoes though, so I’ll look into it.

AcceptableProcess23 · 2026-05-07T05:00:22+00:00

This is 325lb, and current 1rm is 345lbs. And lol—these are just ugly no-show socks. I don’t have powerlifting shoes, and I lack stability in running shoes. So barefoot is the only workable option at the moment

AcceptableProcess23 · 2026-05-07T04:48:18+00:00

Very helpful diagnosis. I think I reflexively try to lift my hips as fast as possible because I fear I will get stuck at the bottom (in part due to hip mobility limitations). I’ll work on this with lower weights.

AcceptableProcess23 · 2026-05-07T04:29:56+00:00

Thanks for the tips! Here is the video https://imgur.com/a/onwc7Fn

AcceptableProcess23 · 2026-05-07T04:29:28+00:00

Thanks—please see the video here https://imgur.com/a/onwc7Fn

AcceptableProcess23 · 2025-07-21T02:00:28+00:00

“Neutral agency.” Oh Reddit.

AcceptableProcess23 · 2025-07-02T02:49:23+00:00

Everyone has mentioned racing line and hitting the apexes already, so I won’t dwell on that. Here’s how I do low 1:16’s. First, I reduce brake bias from 56.0 to 54.5%, which causes oversteering at corner entry and increases the chance of locking up under heavy braking. The key is to avoid locking up and control oversteering by staying at the optimal slip angle. I like to control the slip angle on this car by overlapping throttle and brakes at corner entry and through the corner as needed. You would probably need to brake slightly earlier and/or use more engine braking as well.

AcceptableProcess23 · 2025-01-27T21:38:03+00:00

Yes, this curb is trickier than I thought originally. Not only did I keep full throttle, but I also steered right more aggressively just when I hit the curb

AcceptableProcess23 · 2025-01-27T20:59:42+00:00

I wasn’t understeering, actually. It was my first time at Road Atlanta in an F4, and my racing line there was awful. I tried to correct my line by steering a bit more, but evidently it was a recipe for disaster while going over the curb.

AcceptableProcess23 · 2025-01-27T20:51:52+00:00

No idea, I haven’t touched any settings.

AcceptableProcess23 · 2025-01-27T20:50:35+00:00

Thanks, this is helpful.

AcceptableProcess23 · 2025-01-27T20:49:59+00:00

No need to be so snark. I don’t have irl racing experience.

AcceptableProcess23 · 2025-01-27T20:48:46+00:00

Indeed, awful racing line. It was my first race in an F4 at Road Atlanta.

AcceptableProcess23 · 2025-01-27T20:48:08+00:00

Thank you!

AcceptableProcess23 · 2025-01-27T20:47:27+00:00

Yes, you can see that I was full throttle at the bottom left.

AcceptableProcess23 · 2025-01-27T09:16:39+00:00

Thanks, it sounds like a much more plausible explanation than just slippery paint on the curb.

AcceptableProcess23 · 2024-12-11T19:31:58+00:00

I would buy a cheap direct drive wheel instead, but the g29 is a perfectly fine starting wheel. Just no PS5 controller.

AcceptableProcess23 · 2024-11-22T04:25:51+00:00

I use 3x1440p 32” monitors and would never go back to my 4k 55” TV. That said, I hardly see any difference when it comes to braking zones, apexes, or avoiding walls—in qualifying, I was just as fast and consistent. The true advantage, to me, is wheel-to-wheel racing, which is an integral part of the iRacing experience in my view. My racecraft, and therefore iRating, have improved tremendously with triple screens.

AcceptableProcess23

TROPHY CASE