How to Bench Press Correctly: The Definitive Guide

17 Jul 2024

In the temple of fitness, one form of exercise has been hailed as the crown jewel, and that is the bench press - the power rack support, using the weight barbell bench press. This move fully exercises the chest, shoulders and triceps, making it a favorite combination exercise for bodybuilders. However, because of its widespread popularity and remarkable workout results, the bench press is also one of the most likely to cause errors due to improper posture. The wrong bench press position will not only affect the effectiveness of the exercise, but also may cause unnecessary injury to the body. Therefore, today we will delve into the correct way to bench press, aiming to help every fitness enthusiast give full play to the training effect of bench press under the premise of ensuring safety.

Summary

Preparing for the bench press
Proper bench press position
Conclusion
Preparing for the bench press

Here are the steps you should take to prepare for the bench press:

Choose the right weight: First, choose the right barbell weight based on your fitness level and training goals. If you are a beginner, it is recommended to start with a lighter weight and gradually increase as you get used to it. Avoid using a barbell that is too heavy to begin with, which could cause muscle strains or other injuries.

Warm up exercises: Perform appropriate warm up exercises, such as jogging, jumping rope, or simple dynamic stretching, to increase heart rate, improve blood circulation, and prepare muscle groups. Warm-up exercises not only help you get into training faster, but also reduce the risk of injury.

Check the equipment: Make sure the bench press and barbell are in good working order. Check that the barbell is stable and that there are no damaged or loose parts. Also, check that the height, width, and stability of the bench press are appropriate for your height and build.

Adjust the bench bench: Adjust the height and Angle of the bench bench according to your height and body type. Make sure your shoulders and hips are flat on the bench to maintain a steady posture. In addition, ensure the stability and safety of the stool to avoid accidents during training.

Proper bench press position

1. Lie Down on the Bench, Eyes One Inch in Front of the Bar

Lie down on the bench and slide yourself up or down so that your eyes are about one inch in front of the bar when you’re looking up at the ceiling. This position will prevent the barbell from hitting the j-cups when you press it up.

2. Feet Flat on the Floor

Place your feet flat on the floor so your knee is at about a 90-degree angle. It’s okay if your knee angle is slightly acute. This foot position will provide you with the stability you need to safely bench press and allow you to use your feet to drive against the floor as you lift the bar.

Some people like to place their feet back so they’re closer to the hips and create a very acute angle with the knee. To achieve this acuteness, people will often just have their toes on the floor. They do this because it helps make their lower back arch up. While, as we’ll discuss in a bit, you do want your back to arch a little while you lift, this foot placement creates too much arch, causing the butt to come off the bench and leading you to bridge your bench press. Not only would this be illegal in a competition, but you’re cheating yourself from working all the muscles involved in this lift. If your legs are too short to put flat on the floor, you can place plates beneath your feet.

3. Grab the Bar

The width of your grip will depend on the width of your shoulders. Take a grip with which your forearms are vertical to the floor. A wider grip will reduce the range of motion but may put too much pressure on your shoulders, and a narrower grip will work your triceps more than your chest. We do not recommend a thumbless grip. Grip the barbell low in your palms. This may feel like a less secure grip, but if you take a mid-palm or high-palm grip, your wrists will bend back, limiting your strength and eventually straining wrist tendons. Squeeze the bar and keep your wrists straight. You can use wrist wraps, but they should only be an adjunct to proper technique.

4. Arch your back

Your spine has a natural curve. You want to maintain this or slightly exaggerate it during each rep of bench presses. This puts you in the strongest position, and also raises your chest, slightly reducing the range of motion. An extremely exaggerated arch can dramatically reduce the range of motion, but it can also compress your spine. Arch naturally and keep your butt tensed and touching the bench but not supporting any of your body weight. Lower body support will come from your legs, not your glutes. You may wish to wear a weightlifting belt to keep your core tight and supported.

5.Tense your upper back

Before you unpack the weight, squeeze your shoulder blades back to tense your upper, inner back (trapezius). Staying tensed throughout the set boosts stability and strength. You’re not just lying on the bench. You’re pressing against it with your upper back. Keep your shoulders down. Many people reflexively raise their shoulders, as if to meet the bar, but this lengthens the range of motion. If you keep your shoulders down and upper back flexed, your chest will be maximally elevated, shortening the range of motion.

6. Unpack the bar

Position yourself so you need to move the bar forward no more than a couple of inches, just enough so your reps clear the supports. Having to reach back to unpack the bar by yourself and then pull it forward drains energy and strength before you’ve even begun your set. Take the barbell off the supports, ideally with the assistance of a spotter, by slightly straightening your previously slightly bent arms. Throughout the liftoff, keep your shoulders back (don’t bring them up to unpack the weight), chest up, back tensed, spine naturally arched, butt brushing the bench, glutes and legs tensed, and feet firmly on the floor.

7. Hold your breath

Inhale through your nose deeply at the beginning of each rep. Hold that breath as you lower the bar and raise the bar. Exhale through your nose just as you’re beyond any sticking point and locking out each rep, and then inhale for the next rep (assuming there’s a next rep). This contradicts advice that is often given to hold your breath on the way down and let it go on the way up. But, of course, the way up is the hard part. So, letting your breath out then relieves tension, and you want to keep your torso tense to maximize power. Hold your breath until you’re certain you’re about to lock out the rep.

8. Lower the bar

This is the most important part of the lift because it’ll setup how you press the bar. If your form isn’t right when the bar’s coming down, it’s going to be wrong as the bar goes up (or doesn’t go up). The first thing to know is the barbell shouldn’t travel straight down, because it shouldn’t travel straight up. Take the bar down at a slight diagonal angle from your shoulders to your lower chest. (This will be more pronounced after your first rep.)

Keep your muscles tight from your hands to your upper back to your glutes to your legs. If anything, you want to get even tighter as the barbell descends, building tension for the ascent. Lower the bar under control, but not slowly. Imagine you’re doing an upside-down barbell row. You don’t want to waste any strength on the descent, but you also don’t want the bar to fall out of its groove or descend so fast that it bounces against your chest.

9. Press the bar

Keep your glutes touching the bench, and drive your feet down, as if to push them through the floor. Simultaneously, press the bar away from you by driving your upper back into the bench. Keep your chest up, shoulders down. Instead of focusing on the weight’s movement, imagine that you’re pushing yourself away from the barbell, as if doing an upside-down push-up. This will help you stay tight and form the strongest base of strength to propel the barbell up. Your upper arms are going to stay at the same angle they were during the descent: 45-75 degrees. Your forearms should be nearly vertical but angled backwards very slightly, and your wrists need to stay straight; don’t let your hands bend back. These are all links in the chain, and each needs to stay in the strongest possible position.

10. Lockout and rerack the weight

The barbell should end its down and up journey above your shoulders, where it began. Lockout your elbows briefly at the top while maintaining the tension in your body and arch in your spine. (If you have trouble with lockouts, do sets focused on just the final halves of reps in a power rack or on a Smith machine.) Don’t pause. As with the touch and go at the bottom, lock briefly and go on to your next rep.

On the final rep, rack the weight by yourself or have a spotter help. And then rest up at least three minutes before your next set of bench presses.

Conclusion

The bench press is a very effective form of exercise, but proper form and technique are just as important. Through the introduction of this article, I believe that everyone has mastered the correct method and precautions for bench press. In the future fitness journey, let's challenge the bench press with the right posture and technique! Remember, safety is always the first priority, only in the premise of ensuring safety, we can better enjoy the fun and results of fitness.

Q&A

Q: How much can an average person bench press?

A:Strength varies tremendously between individuals. Don't get too hung up comparing your strength to someone else.

That said, if you dedicate yourself to resistance training, you should be able to bench your own body's weight within a couple of years.

Q: How much should you bench press?

A:As a multi-joint compound exercise, you have the potential to lift heavy weights in the bench press if you're so inclined. However, you aren't obligated to do so. Your bench press sets should be challenging, but not too heavy that you can't maintain good form.

Q: What is the bench press good for?

A:Most folks use the bench press as a way to develop upper body strength. The bench press works your chest, shoulders, and arms simultaneously, so it's also a great exercise to develop muscle mass.