Should I Touch My Chest When I Bench Press?

Who said it was OK to stop six inches above your chest? Are these the same people parking two and a half feet from the curb?
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The bottom portion of the bench press is where your pecs are most heavily activated. If you don’t touch the bar to your chest, you’re cheating your pecs out of a lot of good work. Sure, it’s the most difficult portion of the lift. That’s the point.
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Doing these partial reps to inflate numbers?, be advised: Any rep that doesn’t both touch your chest and end with complete unassisted lockout is not a rep. This means that you can’t claim it when a fellow gym rat asks, “So how much ya bench?”
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It’s true that partial bench reps are acceptable in certain training programs: elite level bodybuilders wish to increase time under tension in order to get maximum blood flow to certain areas of the body. Or a power-lifter working on a sticking point in the lift. Are you either of these two cases? Full range of motion yields maximal results – don’t cheat yourself.