How To Bench Press

The bench press is the most popular exercise in the gym by far.

Not only does it allow you to prove your pushing strength, but is also great for training key muscle groups like the chest, triceps and shoulders.

Although many say it isn't optimal, the bench press is an extremely effective method for growing muscle mass, strength and endurance in the pushing muscles.

But this is only the case if it is done properly.

While not very difficult to learn, you should ensure that you learn the bench press form before attempting any heavy weight as you could injure yourself.

So let's dive into it.

Table of contents:

• Setting Up for the Bench Press

• Proper Bench Press Technique

• The Role of Breathing in the Bench Press

• Common Mistakes & How to Fix Them

• How to Increase Bench Press Strength

Setting Up for the Bench Press

Before starting to actually bench, you should make sure you set up everything first.

Ensure that you get into the correct position on the bench before even touching the bar.

How to set up for the bench press:

• Lie flat on the bench with your feet firmly planted on the ground for stability

• Grip the bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, ensuring that your wrists stay in line with your forearms

• Retract your shoulder blades and maintain a slight arch in your lower back for better power transfer.

Now you know how to prepare to bench press, let's talk about the main technique.

Proper Bench Press Technique

The technique for the bench press is not only important for maximising the effectiveness of the workout but also for preventing injuries that could interfere with your training.

Learning and mastering the form is essential if you want to see noticeable results quickly.

The bench press technique:

• Unrack the bar by straightening your arms and positioning it above your mid-chest

• Slowly lower the bar to your mid-chest, keeping your elbows at a 45° angle and not allowing them to flare out

• Pause briefly at the bottom of the movement, ensuring control of the bar

• Drive through your feet and press the bar back up explosively, extending your arms without locking out your elbows

• Repeat for desired number of reps.

The Role of Breathing in the Bench Press

Now we have covered the main technique for bench pressing, however, there is another crucial element that is just as important as the form itself - breathing.

By breathing properly during this exercise, you will allow more oxygen to reach your muscles, improving your performance and making the movement easier.

But don't worry, breathing is simple when it comes to benching.

The bench press breathing technique:

• Take a deep breath before lowering the bar, bracing your core to stabilise the lift

• Exhale forcefully as you push the bar back up, maintaining tensions throughout the movement.

If you don't implement the proper breathing during each rep, you will struggle more and may even sit back up quite light-headed.

Common Mistakes & How to Fix Them

Everyone makes mistakes, and that's how we learn, however, sometimes mistakes should be known and avoided to prevent injuries from occuring.

So what are the main bench press mistakes that beginners make?

Bouncing the Bar Off Your Chest

By bouncing the bar off your chest, you're relying on momentum instead of muscle engagement, which will reduce strength gains.

Additionally, this can result in rib or sternum injuries, especially if the weight is heavy.

To fix this error, slowly control the bar on the way down until it lightly touches your chest before pressing it back up.

Lifting Your Feet Off the Ground

Lifting your feet off the ground will eliminate lower-body stability during the bench press movement, reducing the amount of power you can put in to the movement.

This will also make it 100 times harder to control the lift.

To resolve this problem, ensure you keep your feet planted firmly on the floor to create a strong base and drive through your legs for additional power.

Flaring Elbows Too Wide

Keeping your elbows at a 90° angle put excessive, uneccessary strain on the shoulders, increasing the risk of rotator cuff injuries.

Furthermore, this will give you less stability of the bar during the movement, making it more difficult.

Make sure to keep your elbows at a 45° angle to protect your shoulders and maintain an optimal bench pressing technique.

How to Increase Bench Press Strength

Now you know how to bench press properly, so spend some time working on your technique until you have mastered it.

If you have got the form perfected, then you may be wondering how to best improve your bench press strength.

There are three key things you must do to attain a stronger bench press:

• Implement progressive overload; increasing the weight gradually over time

• Incorporate other exercise such as tricep dips, overhead presses and dumbbell presses to increase strength in the chest, tricep and shoulder muscles

• Improve grip strength with forearm exercises and wrist training for better control over the bar.

By doing these things alone, you should quickly notice an improvement in your bench press, being able to lift heavier and complete more reps.

Summary of How To Bench Press

The bench press is one of the most effective upper-body exercises for building strength in the chest, triceps and shoulders.

A proper setup, including a strong grip, retracted shoulder blades and good foot positioning, is crucial for maximising power an prevtning injuries.

Lower the bar with control, keeping your elbows at a 45° angle and pressing up explosively while maintaining core stability.

Breathing correctly and avoiding common mistakes, such as bouncing the bar or flaring the elbows, will improve both form and performance.

By incoporating progressive overload and assistance exercises, you can steadily increase your bench press strength.

If you would like more help on the bench press, check out some of our other articles or contact us using the chat box.