What is Touch and Go?

What is Touch and Go?

Touch and go describes lowering the bar under control until it makes contact with the chest, then reversing immediately into the press without any stop. Because the bar never comes to a dead stop, the lifter benefits from the stretch reflex — the elastic rebound stored in the muscles and tendons during the lowering phase — which typically allows slightly more weight to be pressed than a fully paused rep of the same lift.

How it works

As the bar descends, the pectorals, triceps, and shoulders lengthen under load, storing elastic energy the same way a stretched rubber band does. In a touch-and-go rep, that stored energy is used almost instantly to help reverse the bar's direction, adding to the force the muscles generate. A paused rep lets that elastic energy dissipate during the hold, so the press has to be generated purely concentrically, which is why touch and go typically tests slightly higher than a paused or concentric-only bench for the same lifter. Garcia-Ramos, Janicijevic, and Jukic (2021) measured this directly and found the touch-and-go 1RM was about 7.8% higher than a concentric-only bench in men and 7.6% higher in women, though individual results varied.

How to apply it

• Lower under control: Bring the bar down at a controlled speed rather than dropping it — touch and go isn't a bounce off the chest.
• Touch the chest lightly, then press: Let the bar make contact with the chest or sternum area and immediately reverse into the press, using the natural elastic rebound of the stretch reflex.
• Keep the touch consistent: Touch at the same spot and depth every rep so your groove stays repeatable, rather than letting the bar sink deeper as you fatigue.
• Train paused reps too if you compete: Since competition bench press requires a full pause, lifters who train mostly touch and go should still include paused-bench work so the strength transfers to the actual rules.

Worked example

Say your true paused-bench 1RM is 100 kg. Here's roughly how touch and go compares, based on the average difference reported by Garcia-Ramos et al. (2021).

Individual differences are large — some lifters get almost no touch-and-go advantage, others get well over 8% — so test both yourself rather than assuming the average applies to you.

Touch and go vs paused bench press

If you compete, treat your paused-bench max as your real number and use touch and go mainly as an accessory or volume tool, not your training max.

By goal

• Non-competitive lifters: Touch and go is a fine default for most training since it isn't restricted by federation rules and lets you use slightly more weight.
• Powerlifters approaching a meet: Shift the majority of top-set work to paused bench in the last 6-8 weeks so strength and timing carry over to the actual competition command.
• Lifters with shoulder issues: A controlled touch and go is fine, but bouncing the bar off the chest increases injury risk and is a technique fault, not the intended technique.

Common misconceptions

• "Touch and go means bouncing the bar off your chest." Proper touch and go is a light, controlled touch followed by an immediate press — slamming or bouncing the bar off the sternum is a technique fault and a real injury risk, not the intended technique.
• "Touch and go is legal in powerlifting competition." Every major federation, including the IPF, requires the bar to come to a complete, motionless stop on the chest before the press command — touch and go is a training method only, not a competition technique.
• "The touch-and-go advantage is the same for every lifter." Garcia-Ramos et al. (2021) found meaningful individual variation in the touch-and-go 1RM advantage — some lifters gain much more than the roughly 7-8% average, others barely benefit, so test your own numbers rather than assuming.

Related terms

Touch and Go FAQ

What does touch and go mean in bench press?

It means the bar touches the chest and is immediately pressed back up without any pause, letting the lifter use the natural elastic rebound (stretch reflex) built up during the lowering phase.

Is touch and go allowed in powerlifting meets?

No — every major federation, including the IPF, requires the bar to come to a complete, motionless stop on the chest before the referee's press command, so touch and go is a training-only technique.

How much stronger is touch and go than paused bench?

A 2021 study by Garcia-Ramos, Janicijevic, and Jukic found the touch-and-go 1RM was about 7.8% higher in men and 7.6% higher in women compared with a concentric-only bench, though individual variation was substantial.

Should I train touch and go or paused bench?

If you compete in powerlifting, prioritize paused bench in the weeks approaching a meet since that's the lift that counts; touch and go is a reasonable default for general training and off-season volume work.

Is touch and go bad for your shoulders?

A controlled touch and go isn't inherently riskier, but bouncing or slamming the bar off the chest to generate extra momentum is a common fault that increases injury risk and should be avoided regardless of which style you train.

References

1. Garcia-Ramos A, Janicijevic D, Jukic I. Concentric-Only Versus Touch-and-Go Bench Press One-Repetition Maximum in Men and Women. Sports Health, 2021;13(4):373-379. PubMed 33541232
2. International Powerlifting Federation. IPF Technical Rules. powerlifting.sport
3. Powerlifting Bench Press Rules. PowerliftingToWin
4. Touch-and-go, pauses, and pins. Sheiko Gold