How to Bench Press

As the ‘gold standard’ for weight training, properly executing a bench press can still take a lot of concentration for even the most experienced athletes.

It seems easy: lying on your back, lift a weighted barbell straight off your chest until your arms are locked, and then lower it back down. However, placement of each part of the body during the press is key. Be sure that the back is neither flattened nor unnaturally arched, with the shoulderblades and buttocks flush against the seat of the bench. While the hands should always be equally spaced from the body to maintain balance, the degree of separation in your grip will determine which muscles groups in your arms and chest receive the brunt of the weight. A wider grip works the chest, and a narrower grip works the triceps. The thumbs should used in the grip and the bar should be held closer to the wrists than the knuckles – both these small adjustments will add stability to the lift.

While you learn the movement, it may be best to practice using an empty bar. Use a spotter to watch you lift; when you start using actual weights they will be a necessity to help you avoid injury. Focus on directing the stress of the exercise into the arms and chest, as well as maintaining strict control over the bar itself. Be sure to lock your elbows before lifting it from the rack, and bring it straight down to your chest instead of over your face. Avoid bending your wrists; maintaining a straight light from knuckle to forearm will take stress off the joint. Tighten the neck muscles if you feel the urge to push the back of your head into the bench.

Once you get used to the movement, you can start adding weight. Don’t push yourself too hard at the start; weight training is a process and overtaxing your muscles before they’ve had a chance to prime is the surest way of doing yourself harm. Additionally, look into exercises that counteract the bench press’ focus on your front shoulders. Because of this routine’s power, you’ll want to take extra care in exercising your back shoulders using standing lift exercises like the overhead press.

Although it’s an invaluable exercise, an improperly excuted bench press is one of the easiest ways for athletes to injure themselves. With the right safety precautions, you too can get the most out of this workout.

Related Information

How to Increase Your Bench Press
There are several different “waypoints” when it comes to increading your bench press.

How to Lift Free Weights
Practice good routine habits when starting out with free weights.