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Some might consider the notion of bench press-specific status ridiculous, but you can\u2019t erase the reality of the situation. Also, some people just want to have a big bench press<\/a> for themselves. You may as well position yourself to move some impressive numbers, and move the weight safely.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how to fine-tune your bench press, optimize your technique, and set up a plan to start pushing bigger weights.<\/p>\n A strong bench press is built around one thing: Stability. Here\u2019s a step-by-step approach to creating a good environment for a big lift. It all begins with a good starting position before you even unrack the weight.<\/p>\n Once you\u2019re positioned on the flat bench, the bench press<\/a> requires four points of contact. Your two feet placed firmly on the floor counts as one point. Your butt and upper back<\/a> are two more points, as they\u2019re pressed hard against the bench and remain in place throughout the lift.<\/p>\n Lastly, your head must also be firmly against the bench and stay put during each repetition. When you set up, get your eyes directly under the bar before taking the weight out of the rack. This four-point setup is the foundation for a good quality set. <\/p>\n You may have noticed that your lower back is not<\/em> in contact with the bench, and that\u2019s actually an important distinction. Some lifters believe that having an arch in the lumbar region (lower back) when bench pressing is dangerous for your spine, when truthfully, the arch must<\/em> be there.<\/p>\n The bench press is considered a horizontal pushing exercise<\/a> (due to the position of the load relative to your body), which means the force angle doesn\u2019t line up to create spinal loading the way a standing overhead press<\/a>, squat<\/a>, or deadlift<\/a> would affect your lower back. The joint that bears the most load during a bench press is your shoulder joint, not your spine, so arching your lower back doesn\u2019t expose it to any significant strain.<\/p>\n Once you\u2019re in place, it\u2019s time to get your hands on the bar. <\/p>\n Most barbells you\u2019ll find at a typical gym will have knurling on either side for grip, but also some shiny \u201crings\u201d on even points on each side. In competitive powerlifting, those rings represent grip-width boundaries a lifter isn\u2019t allowed to exceed.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re not a competitive powerlifter, you can use the rings as reference points as to where your hands belong. Depending on what\u2019s comfortable for your arm length, align the same finger on each hand with the ring on either side. Many lifters will opt for either their middle or ring fingers, but everyone\u2019s preferred grip will be slightly different.<\/p>\n Just be aware of setting your hands too close together with your pinkies far inside of the rings. This morphs the exercise from a standard flat barbell bench press to a close-grip bench press<\/a> which emphasizes your triceps<\/a>. (1<\/a>)<\/p>\n Once your hands are in place, close a strong fist around the bar and you\u2019re ready to lift. <\/p>\n The way you take the bar out of the rack is more important \u2014 and more technical \u2014 than meets the eye. Safe and efficient technique requires your shoulder blades to remain retracted (pulled together) on the bench. This helps to arch your lower back while elevating your chest and ribcage.<\/p>\n The small \u201cpress\u201d that might happen as a lifter takes the bar out of the rack can pull your shoulders out of position (with protraction, the opposite of retraction). Protracted shoulders will make your chest sink down and place more stress on the shoulder joints as a result. This is difficult to correct by the time the weight is in your hands, making it tough to re-adjust.<\/p>\n Making the effort to raise your hips during lift off can help with this, placing them back down as soon as the bar\u2019s unracked and in position over your chest. Lifters without a spotter can use this method to begin the movement in a strong position without sacrificing form.<\/p>\n The bar should descend under control to make contact on your chest. Aim for touching the bar to your mid- or lower chest, and make that point of contact consistent from rep to rep. The finished, locked out position should be a bit more in line with your upper chest or shoulder-level, meaning the bar will travel on a slightly slanted path.<\/p>\n Always remember that a true testament of strength in a big lift like this doesn\u2019t come from how quickly you can perform the reps, it comes from how slowly and well-controlled you can perform them. Especially on the eccentric (lowering) phase, take the speed down a couple of notches. You can even add a pause with the bar on the chest to exert even more control over the weight \u2014 just be sure to stay tight and not relax under the weight.<\/p>\n Make each individual rep count and you\u2019ll slap on strength and size. <\/p>\n Nobody wants to become the next \u201cYouTube fail\u201d video, usually featuring people butchering the bench press movement or, worse, getting into life-threatening situations due to a disregard for safety. Make sure you\u2019ve got your bases covered by stopping these issues before they start. <\/p>\n Aside from giving yourself a lift off (if needed), your glutes<\/a> should never leave the bench during the exercise. Lifting your hips won\u2019t make you any stronger on the lift. It\u2019s simply a cheat tactic and an indicator that the weight is too heavy to lift properly. This is the bench press equivalent of doing standing biceps curls<\/a> and leaning your upper body back to get the weight up.<\/p>\n Keep the movement honest to your ability. You\u2019ll build strength over time when you apply good form.<\/p>\n Stopping shy of full range of motion \u2014 from full lockout to the bar touching your chest \u2014 does nothing to properly service your chest muscles (the prime movers of the bench press) or access the strength the body can put into the weight. (2<\/a>)<\/p>\n If you feel like you can only perform half reps, chances are the weight is too heavy, your shoulders are too unstable, or both. Instead, reduce the load and practice staying tight through full range of motion.<\/p>\n If that still hurts your shoulders, it could be due to weakness in the movement itself or it could stem from a lack of upper back strength to stabilize and protect the shoulder. Make sure your training plan includes plenty of upper-back pulling exercises<\/a> like face pulls<\/a> or reverse flyes<\/a>.<\/p>\n This isn’t necessarily a point about increasing your bench press, but it’s an important issue any time you’re benching heavy. It might sound counterintuitive or controversial but, if you\u2019re lifting alone, securing the weight plates with collars is a potentially high-risk maneuver.<\/p>\n Common sense would say you usually \u201cshould\u201d secure the weights to prevent them from moving around. The truth is that, if you do fail a rep and manage to get pinned to the bench, it could spell danger if you\u2019re not strong enough to press the bar off your chest all the way back up to the rack. You can\u2019t always rely on rolling it down over your hips and waist (which can be extremely painful and uncomfortable on its own).<\/p>\n If you\u2019re a person who lifts unsupervised at home<\/a>, it\u2019s best to leave the weights unclipped so that, in the event of failure, you can tip the weights off one end of the bar and free you from being stapled. It\u2019s better to crack a couple of tiles on the workout room floor than to crack a couple of ribs or your larynx.<\/p>\n Getting the basics down is a good first step, but taking things to the next level involves a little deeper thinking, where this exercise is concerned.\u00a0<\/p>\n Tuck your feet closer to your butt to create a knee angle inside 90-degrees. This is essential to taking advantage of a very important and overlooked principle \u2014 the bench press is more than just an \u201cupper body\u201d exercise.<\/p>\n In truth, your legs<\/a> have a serious role to play in promoting overall bracing and tightness. As you press, think about driving your feet into the ground hard<\/em>. The bar isn\u2019t just moving away from your chest, it\u2019s moving away from the floor, so this cue will come in handy to add more strength to your lift by increasing overall muscle recruitment. (3<\/a>)<\/p>\n If you want to protect your shoulder joints, focus on improving bench performance while using a slightly narrower grip (as opposed to a relatively wide grip) and tucking your elbows during the movement.<\/p>\n The closer your upper arm is to your torso, the less vulnerable position your shoulder joints will be put into. Your shoulders will instantly feel happier, more stable, and more powerful by aiming your elbows more forward than sideways. <\/p>\n Using a larger diameter bar with more surface area spread across the palms of your hands usually feels more comfortable once you get used to the unique grip. It also can reduce joint stress in the elbows and shoulders by increasing forearm recruitment and muscle tension for added stability. (4<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n
<\/a><\/strong>Bench Press Technique Review<\/h2>\n
Step 1 \u2014 Find Your Contact Points<\/h3>\n
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Step 2 \u2014 Get a Grip<\/h3>\n
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Step 3 \u2014 We Have Lift Off<\/h3>\n
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Step 4 \u2014 Lower and Press<\/h3>\n
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<\/a><\/strong>Bench Press Mistakes to Avoid<\/h2>\n
Lifting Your Hips<\/h3>\n
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Half-Repping<\/h3>\n
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Using Collars on the Bar <\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/strong>Three Tips for More Gains<\/h2>\n
Leg Drive <\/h3>\n
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Tuck Your Elbows <\/h3>\n
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Use a Thicker Bar or Thick Grip Attachments<\/h3>\n