For a bench press start signal to be valid, what must be true about the bar's position?

For a bench press start signal to be valid, what must be true about the bar's position?

• A. The lifter may lift as soon as the bar touches the chest.
• B. The lifter can begin when the spotters give a thumbs-up.
• C. The lifter must start when the bar is off the rack.
• D. The lifter must wait for the start signal after the bar has paused on the chest and is in position to press.

Answer: (D)

The key idea is that a bench press begins only after the referee’s official start signal, and that signal comes only after the bar has been brought to a controlled stop on the chest and is in a position ready to press. This pause ensures the lifter starts from a stable, legal position rather than from a quick bounce or a moment of hovering. Once the bar is paused on the chest and in position to press, the referee gives the start command and the lifter may press. Relying on a thumbs-up from spotters or starting merely because the bar is off the rack does not meet the official requirement.

The key idea is that a bench press begins only after the referee’s official start signal, and that signal comes only after the bar has been brought to a controlled stop on the chest and is in a position ready to press. This pause ensures the lifter starts from a stable, legal position rather than from a quick bounce or a moment of hovering. Once the bar is paused on the chest and in position to press, the referee gives the start command and the lifter may press. Relying on a thumbs-up from spotters or starting merely because the bar is off the rack does not meet the official requirement.