The Bench Press is probably the most popular barbell exercise in every gym. It’s an excellent upper body exercise for developing your…
- Chest muscles
- Triceps
- Deltoids
The bench press can be performed with both a barbell and dumbbells. This tutorial will be focused on using the barbell. -Terry Asher
Terry
Gym Junkies Founder & Editor in Chief at Gym Junkies LLC
I’m Terry and I’m here to help you achieve your fitness goals. I truly believe anyone can achieve the figure they want with the proper guidance. Through my extensive fitness blog, top fitness videos, leading workout supplements, and top selling eBooks, I have been able to help thousands of people online lose weight, tone up and get in shape. My passion is helping people all around the world change their lives for the better.
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Summary
Article Name
How to Bench Press
Description
This page goes over exactly how to bench press correctly. We also give you a how to video for you to follow to make your bench as best as possible!
Author
Terry Asher
Publisher Name
Gym Junkies
Publisher Logo
I’ve always found this exercise the most difficult to execute properly and still am not doing it correctly. But thanks to this guide, I now believe that I can perform the exercise in its true form and finally get the concentration of the pecs that I’m currently lacking.
hello dudes.
good website and good instructions
i never lock my arms out all the way, i like to keep the tension on so i keep it in a gentle bent.
holla
Whay do you recomend 12 reps for people who wants to get strong in the bench? Everybody who know power lifting prinsips know that 3 x 3 where you train with 90-95 % of your max is what make you strong…
@ Ali – we don’t recommend 12 reps for people trying to build strength. If you read the title of that section we say that 12 reps is a good place to start for beginners (someone who has never benched before)
12 reps helps them ingrain the motion for a few weeks before we move them to a strength routine like 5×5.
Thanks for the comment, you should comment more often as you seem to know a lot about strength training. I like having these discussions with knowledgeable folks…
-Vic
Hi Vic
I’ve just started doing the bench press and have a question. When I am at the top of the press, should the bar be over my chest or slightly over my head? I’ve read elsewhere that the motion when you push up is that of an upside down “J”. When I bench press I tend to push straight up, I don’t curve. Which is correct?
@Lynne: I personally teach the movement as straight up. But I’ve heard others teach it with the almost curving motion that you speak of. Stay tuned as we are close to finishing filming for an instructional DVD covering all of the major barbell exercises, with Pro-Powerlifter AJ Roberts doing the instructions for the deadlift, squat, and bench press.
Can you add a sub-section on close grips? Since this website seems to be dedicated to functional lifting (as every place should IMO), what better way to attack the tris and bis then by doing close grips. I just yesterday was shown how and why I was doing them all wrong. I was doing them just like a bench press but with my hands close together. The trainer told me to keep my elbows in and push up and out towards my stomach. It changed the way the lift feels, it gets at my tris way more, and puts less stress on my shoulders and forearms.
I’m not so sure I’m with you on the functionality of the close grip bench press. But I’m always open to learning. I do occasionally hit the close hand push ups, so really what’s the difference? Maybe you’re on to something here. . .
[…] How to Bench Press […]
i’ve read other places that you should pinch your shoulder blades together while doing a bench press? is this true?
what about bouncing the bar off your chest. I witness people bouncing the bar at the bottom off their chest. I know this is incorrect, what damage if any can it do and I bench so that the bar just kisses my chest. Give me some feedback please.
Definitely, consider this info, seriously has helped my bench press big time!
Thank you Terry!
P
Pedro,
Thanks for stopping by, and glad you got good results!
Terry
How about hitting the bar against your chest? I see folks hitting the bottom bar with their chests. I bench so that the bar just kisses my chest even though I know this is improper and what harm, if any, it could cause. Please give me some input.