Hold that breath and use it to brace your abdominal wall. The bench press is a compound weight training lift that’s done by lying on a bench, lowering a weight down to your chest, and then pressing it back up. The bench press builds the muscles of the chest as well as the triceps of the back of the arms and the front deltoid shoulder muscles. This article was co-authored by Michele Dolan. How To Do A Barbell Bench Press Properly. As you press, think about pulling the bar apart with your hands, which will help you stabilize your shoulders and the bar. By using our site, you agree to our. Placing your hands closer together will work your inner pectorals more. Don't watch the bar; focus on the ceiling. When performing this, it is recommended to do 3 or 4 sets of 5-8 reps. To finish, replace the bar on the rack from the locked out position. The angle of the upper arms should be at about 45 degrees to the body. Lie on the bench under the rack that holds the bar. Start by holding the weights at chest level and slowly push upwards, hands away from chest. Make sure that you are not holding your shoulders in an awkward position. Generally speaking, the bench press responds best to higher frequency — certainly more than once a week.If I had to guess, a lot of that has to do … It’s better to start light with the weight of your bench press and as you learn to do it with proper form, you can add more weights to the bar. Lift your hips and squeeze your glutes, driving your torso upwards so it’s parallel to the ground. Select the appropriate weights. Bench pressing can be dangerous. Then push it upward again, being sure to avoid bending your wrists or bouncing the weight off your chest. If you want to learn more from our Personal Trainer co-author, like how to have someone spot for you while you're lifting, keep reading the article! Once you are experienced with the bench press, you can vary the grip for different effects. This position will help to protect your shoulders, pecs, and bicep tendons. A grip with your hands closer together targets the middle part of your pectoralis major. Select the appropriate weights. Both actually. When the bar and plates weigh more than 200 pounds plus the weight of your upper body, your shoulders will disappear into the bench and cause neck strain. If your lift fails, the bars will prevent the barbell from crushing your chest. Also stretch your back muscles; they are important in this workout as well. Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey Protein has been a trusted brand for more than 15 years. For setting a personal record or a state record and above, use a bar with a standard diameter of. Avoid using the thumbless grip. Do you want to build up that chest of yours? And yet, if you do not have one, you have a lot of alternatives. Your best option is to go to a supplement retail store and speak with the staff, who are generally very knowledgeable. A narrower grip will increase the use of the triceps. Repeat. If you want to build strength or muscle, start with 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps with a weight that feels challenging but doable for the last 3 to 5 reps. Lifting from a decline emphasizes the pectoralis major. If you are not at ease with feet on the floor because of short legs, use blocks or weight plates under the feet to boost height rather than placing legs on the bench, which reduces stability. For your first set, warm up with a significantly lower weight or do 10 or 15 pushups, as this will ease your muscles into the workout. It depends on the person's weight, gender and age. Check out this link for more information: bench-pressing.com/bench-press-world-records. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Grasp the bar with your thumbs on the outside of your closed fist, overhand grip, with arms slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Beginners and those lifting heavy weights should get the assistance of a "spotter" who stands behind the rack and assists with the bar when you have trouble lifting. All bars are made of metal and relatively stiff, but a bar with some flex feels better on the joints. There are too many proteins on the market to suggest one. It is possible to get enough protein from your diet through fish, eggs, meat, soy products, legumes and pulses like beans and lentils, as well as seeds and nuts. To tone your upper back, try barbell rows, which happen to be the exact opposite of the bench press. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Practice extra caution if tall. Muscle growth is not only desired by bodybuilders, but also for anybody as muscle mass typically declines with age. Work out the back legs and abs on other days if you want. Squeeze the bar tightly to activate your triceps. Before, eat a small meal rich in carbs, possibly a small snack during, and then a protein-rich meal after, to help with recovery. Keep track of your progress and try to increase the weight every two weeks if you feel comfortable with it. Always have someone spot you in case your hands slip or you lift a weight that is too heavy. This will press your lats into the bench. Perfecting your bench press form might not happen overnight but over time you’ll be able to get better at it. Begin by lying flat on the bench, with your body in a natural and relaxed position. Make sure the path of the bar is not low over the mouth and neck region when unracking or racking the bar. Make sure you have had some training in weightlifting before you begin working out frequently. Keep the bar balanced. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 831,385 times. The bench press can help restore muscle balance for athletes that primarily use pulling muscles, such as in wrestling, rock climbing, and swimming. This prevents your lower back from inadvertently arching while you bench press. If you're training for competition powerlifting, you should contact a professional coach for personal instruction. You should have your feet flat on the ground, shoulder-width apart, and your shoulders touching the bench. Michele Dolan is a BCRPA certified Personal Trainer in British Columbia. Three sets of 10 reps is a suggested number. You can use it regularly as part of an upper body workout for strength and muscle development. Accidents happen all the time. If you want to build strength or muscle, start with 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps with a weight that feels challenging but doable for the last 3 to 5 reps. Slow down and work on technique. She also created her own online training program, the TL Method. Try a lower weight than you normally bench when you try this workout. Ideally, the bar should rest across your palm, in line with the base of your thumb and the base of your palm. References. Do pushups every day and use water bottles as weights. Be sure to have a natural spinal curve. How many times a week should I do bench presses? By raising the bench to an incline angle, you will work out your upper pectorals. The bench press should be reserved for strength- and mass-focused workouts. To set up a reverse bands bench press, you’ll need to set up your bench in a power rack. If the incline bench press targets the top of the chest it stands to reason that the decline bench press will hit the lower chest muscles … How can I gain forearm and bicep muscle as an 11-year-old boy? Do 3 sets of 10 on your first day in the gym. A narrow bench is unstable and a wide bench prevents the upper arm from bending back. A recommended amount of doing the bench press is 1 time per week for beginners or twice for intermediates and experts. The salesperson at the store will give you the right bar for your bodyweight, based on the formula for bodyweight and bench press. The risk of injury due to the bar slipping off your hands is just too high. A grip that is wider than usual targets the outside portion of your pectoralis major. Remove the barbell from the rack and lock the elbows out before lowering the bar to the chest at the nipple line. Pause at your peak range of motion, then lower the weights back to chest level. The bench press can be started by anyone with a few dumbbells. It is also good to use a power rack, which has bars on either side set at the level of your chest. Your buttocks should remain flat on the bench. Do not lift on a "cushiony bench" if you are a heavy lifter. Lift the bar up and down in a straight line. If lifting causes you to wobble back and forth when you bring the bar up and down, you are probably lifting too much weight. If you don't use the specialized bench press rack, a standard flat bench can be used with dumbbells or a light barbell. 1. Michele Dolan is a BCRPA certified Personal Trainer in British Columbia. If you are having a hard time not arching your lower back, raise your legs onto the bench. Feet should be flat on the floor and relatively wide apart. Breathing is important in bench-pressing properly, be sure to inhale while going down, exhale while pushing the weight up. If your grip is too wide and your elbows are too flared out you risk injuring your pectoral muscles. Just make sure you don't lock them out suddenly or explosively. Butt, shoulders, and head should be flat on the bench with a slight (neutral) bend in the spine. The bench press is not only one of the best overall chest strengtheners out there, it's also a great foundation for many other movements and activities. As you do this, think about bending the bar into a U-shape with your hands. Focus on your diet - eat more and eat healthy. 1. Dumbbell Bench Press Form Tips From the bottom position, squeeze your shoulder blades together as if you were pinching a pencil between them. Variations include inclining or declining the bench to emphasize the upper or lower chest muscles. Put your arms straight out to your sides, then bend your elbows up towards the ceiling and grab the bar. Move the bar backward gradually until you feel the rack uprights, then lower the bar to the rack rest. Do not continue this exercise if you experience any pain. It’s a good way to work on weaknesses in your regular bench press, or just get a bit more work in on arms day. If you want to learn more from our Personal Trainer co-author, like how to have someone spot for you while you're lifting, keep reading the article! It tastes the best, and results are definitely guaranteed for most individuals. Also try to work out the triceps with dips, skull-crushers, and overhand cable extensions. After a short pause, push the bar back upwards, aiming for your starting position. Think of yourself as driving your back and traps into the bench, giving your chest and arms a foundation to push off against. To tone your triceps, make your grip smaller on the bench press. If your ultimate goal is gaining muscle and mass, you're going to want to shock your body. Your eyes should be approximately aligned with the front of the barbell rack uprights. Tall lifters with wide grips should use care not to crush their hands when racking the bar. Do dumbbell bench presses if you can't find a spotter. A slightly wider grip will increase the use of the pectorals. If you have any injury to your shoulders, you should avoid the bench press. Don't move the bar in an arc from the rack directly to the chest position. Bro, do not get a mass gainer. HOW TO BENCH PRESS MORE: Now, if you can bench press the bar safely, great. Step #1: Place the bench on the INSIDE the four posts of the power rack, not in front of it. Do not emulate the powerlifter style of arching your back so much that your buttocks lift off the bench. Verywell Fit uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Lay faceup on a horizontal bench, with your butt on the bench and feet flat on the … Close grip and wide grip are good exercises to use in addition to a standard bench press, but shoulder width to just outside will put you in a strong position. Hit the floor to press bigger numbers and build a bigger upper body. Lifting from an include emphasizes the anterior deltoids of the shoulder. Keep your head flat on the bench and feet flat on the floor for stability, but don't push your head into the bench to assist the lift; firm up the neck muscles instead. Do not lift excessively heavy weights when you are starting, as they can cause injury. To perform a barbell bench press, load the bar up with the weight plates you would like to use and secure both sides with the spring collars. Keep in mind that this is only one of many body-toning exercises and that it is essential that with the bench press you work abs, back, arms, and legs to gain optimal health. For more effective chest building, try an inclined bench, this puts you at a 45-degree angle on a bench, and it will isolate your upper chest better. Where you position your hands will affect which muscle group you work most. The grip on the bar should normally be wide enough so that the elbow joints are at least at right angles and the forearms in a perpendicular plane. If you miss, you can lose control, which can be dangerous. Ⓒ 2021 About, Inc. (Dotdash) — All rights reserved. This will help keep your wrist relatively straight. You will often learn the bench press in a strength training program. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/c\/c0\/Bench-Press-Step-1-Version-4.jpg\/v4-460px-Bench-Press-Step-1-Version-4.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/c\/c0\/Bench-Press-Step-1-Version-4.jpg\/aid34273-v4-728px-Bench-Press-Step-1-Version-4.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"