Many people who have interest in strength training know bench press well, in fact it’s one of the first things many fitness enthusiasts learn. However we decided we will cover the basics anyway, since a healthy lifestyle is on the rise and we have many clients who are looking for their first fitness equipment, isn’t it great?
Why is bench press so popular and fundamental? It is a very important exercise, since it engages many muscle groups and is essential for the development of the upper body. If you are interested in when and how the exercise was invented, you can see our article on bench press history here.
How to Perform Bench Press
To perform the exercise correctly a little introduction to technique is required. Here are the steps you need to take while performing the lift.
- Set up the starting position
Lie on the bench at the level where your eyes are under the bar. Plant your feet on the sides of the bench firmly, that will provide you a solid base for the lift.
- Grip the barbell
Your grip has to be slightly wider than your shoulder width. Markings on the barbell will help you to hold the weight symmetrically. Wrists need to be straight.
- Lower the barbell
Slowly lower the barbell to your mid chest. Your elbows at approximately 90 degrees.
- Press It Up
Press the barbell to the starting position, your arms need to be fully extended.
What Muscles Does It Develop?
Bench press is a compound lift, since it develops several muscle groups in the upper body. Let’s take a look at the main ones.
Chest muscle called Pectoralis Major also known as pecs. Development of pecs is the main goal of bench press.
Anterior deltoids. These muscles are worked at the upper phase of the lift. This way the exercise contributes to shoulder development.
Triceps are engaged during the lift helping develop arms.
Serratus Anterior. These muscles stabilize shoulders during the movement. Developed stabilizing muscles help to perform the lift with minimal injury risk.
Variations
- Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press. This press focuses on development of triceps and inner chest muscles.
- Dumbbell Chest Press with Neutral Grip. This is a variation with the grip when palms are facing each other. This lift requires a specialized barbell called a Swiss bar, or a football bar. This lift protects shoulders the most, helps develop stabilizing muscles, while keeping other advantages of the exercise.
- Paused Bench Press. Helps develop power and stability.
- Spoto Barbell Bench Press. This press is performed by hovering the bar above the chest before the press. It helps target the muscles differently by adding isometric load.
- Incline Bench Press focuses on the upper part of the chest. This variation requires an adjustable bench with incline positions.
How to Increase Your Bench Press?
Progressive Overload. Increase the load gradually, by increasing the weight of the barbell and number of reps.
Accessory Exercises. Developing triceps and shoulders helps improve your results in the bench press.
Consistent Training. Consistency is the key, you need to follow the schedule and exercise your chest muscles regularly to increase your bench press results.