Bench press on a horizontal bench: types, technique, standards. Bench press while lying on a horizontal bench Lifting a barbell while lying down

Many novice athletes who come to the gym for the first time start with the barbell bench press. This complex multi-joint exercise is heard by everyone, even those who are far from sports. Athletes of many disciplines and sports cannot do without it. In weightlifting, in which the snatch and clean and jerk are performed, there are several bases and one of them is the bench press. In bodybuilding and powerlifting, of course, you cannot do without this exercise. Therefore, we will consider its features and technique in more detail, as well as grip options.

Features and benefits of the bench press exercise

The bench press is a basic multi-joint exercise that allows an athlete to work with free weights, and the exercise equipment can be loaded to extreme weights.

What muscles work during the bench press?

This exercise is designed to train most of the muscles in the upper body. The exercise develops as well. If we talk about the technique of performing a bench press with a “bridge,” then the work also includes.

• You can start your workout with this exercise, however, under no circumstances should you perform the exercise without warming up your joints and muscles.
• The first approaches should be performed with light weights. For example, an athlete performs a warm-up approach with an “empty” bar, and the second (this can also be considered a warm-up) with a light weight, which is selected individually.
• Usually the first approach is 12-15 repetitions, during which you should perform the movements in a concentrated manner.
• Each approach can be evenly added to the weight so that from the first approach to the last the entire range of weights is worked out (for example, 4 approaches: first warm-up - empty bar; second - 20 kg; third 40 kilograms; fourth - 50 kilograms). The kilograms described are the total weight of the weighting discs, excluding the bar.

Bench press technique

The classic version of the exercise is performed in a horizontal position using a bench press.

1. In the starting position, the athlete holds the barbell with a wide grip and straight arms. You need to place your hands on the bar in such a way that when the bar is at its lowest point, your forearms are in a vertical position.
2. The movement should be performed without jerking, stopping or “beating” against the chest.
3. The movement begins by slowly lowering the barbell to the middle of the chest while inhaling.
4. As you exhale, the barbell is pressed up through the muscles involved in this exercise.
5. At the highest point of amplitude, don't straighten your elbows. Straightening the elbow joints risks injury.
6. The technique of performing a bench press does not imply a pause at the lowest point of the amplitude. But in bench press or powerlifting competitions, a pause at the bottom of the movement is required. Return to the starting position is carried out at the command of the judge.
7. It takes two seconds to lower the barbell in the classic version, after which the sports equipment is quickly squeezed back out.

Common mistakes

• By changing the level of movement, e.g. moving the bar too high or low from the middle of the chest, there is a possibility of injury, as well as the involvement of other muscles, which will reduce the effectiveness of the exercise.
• Another very important point that often ignored - this is a strictly vertical position of the brushes. You can often find athletes who perform the exercise incorrectly - with their hands bent towards the head.

Bench Press Option #2

There is also a second execution option, when the movement begins with squeezing up. With this method of pressing, the barbell is placed on the bench restraints in the chest area. This option is relevant when there is no one to insure while performing the exercise..

Bench Press Option #3

The exercise can be performed in a power rack. The bar in its initial position is on the stops on the sides. The movement begins from the lowest point of the amplitude. this version of the barbell press considered the safest of all presented, because if the barbell falls, the bar will remain on the stops and will not crush the athlete.

This exercise is auxiliary and is aimed at overcoming the so-called training “plateau”, when progress in weights has stopped. In other cases it should not be performed. It is best to perform the exercise in a power rack. The exercise gives maximum load on the pectoral muscles due to the fact that the amplitude during execution is short and does not allow stretching the muscles of the chest and shoulder.

Bench Press Grip Width

Proper placement of the hands on the bar affects the placement of the forearms, which should be vertical at the bottom of the range. This is what will be the basis of the steam grip. But, despite this, there are other options for placing the hands on the barbell.

So, The bench press can be performed with a narrow or wide grip.

1. A narrow grip shifts the load to the triceps and the center of the pectoral muscles,
2. and the bench press as wide as possible helps to better stretch and fill the chest muscles with blood.

Performing a close grip press, some athletes complain of pain in the wrist joints, as well as in the shoulders. This is due to an uncomfortable position (non-physiological for some) and curvature of the spinal column.

Wide grip engages the outer pectoral muscles and the anterior deltoid muscle, and the load on the triceps is reduced. The danger of such a decision– this is an increased load on the elbow joints, ligaments of the anterior deltoid muscle and shoulder joint. Disadvantage: reduced amplitude.

What position should the barbell be lowered to?

As already mentioned, the barbell should be lowered to the middle - the peak of the pectoral muscles.

However, there are various techniques, e.g. guillotine barbell press. It is believed that this technique allows for a strong stretch of the pectoral muscles and increases the effectiveness of the press for those who do not feel the effect of the classical technique.

There is also a bench press in which the barbell falls below the pectoral muscles(solar plexus area) - recommended for strength development. But in both the first and second options, there is a chance of injury. Both when pressing the barbell at the level of the collarbone and at the level of the solar plexus, you can feel the fatigue of the anterior deltoid muscle faster than when pressing from the pectoral muscles.

How to place your feet

The legs should be placed wide, by the way, in the bench press to the maximum, when lifting a large weight with a “bridge”, the legs are not just position fixers. They are under tension when squeezing a sports apparatus, along with the back muscles, triceps, abdominal muscles and, of course, the pectoral muscles. In the classic version of the exercise, the legs serve as a support, with the help of them the athlete maintains the position and does not fall to the side after the swaying barbell.

Features of the bench press with a bridge

The bridge bench press is used for training using maximum weights, since this technique uses almost all the muscles of the body. The bridge press is a position in which the back is arched. The benches only touch the shoulder blades, which need to be connected as much as possible, and the buttocks. Closed shoulder blades, the widest possible grip and deflection greatly reduce the range of motion. The bridge press uses a large number of muscles, the main ones being the latissimus dorsi.

You should perform the bench press at the beginning of your workout.

• For weight gain you need to adhere to the traditional scheme, namely 3-5 approaches with 8-12 repetitions.
• To work for strength approaches can be done from two to six, and repetitions - no more than five.

This exercise can be performed either solo or included in a workout, performing 15-20 repetitions of 3-4 sets with light weight. For women, the barbell press can be replaced, in which the barbell is stabilized, as opposed to free weights.

Bench Press Assistance Exercises

1. Incline Dumbbell Press– this exercise can be performed as an additional load after the bench press to concentrate on working the pectoral muscles, but it can also be done before the bench press as a warm-up exercise and pre-fatigue of the muscles, especially the upper pectorals.
2. Lying dumbbell fly– the exercise should be performed after various presses to stretch and isolate the pectoral muscles.
3. Bringing hands together in crossover– an excellent exercise for refining the chest muscles. It can be performed instead of dumbbell flyes while lying down. This exercise can also be done using an expander or fitness bands.

Equipment is used only in cases where it is really needed! For example, gloves can be worn if the notches on the fingerboard are not pronounced enough and your hands slip. It is very dangerous! But the best choice for reliable fixation is not gloves, but magnesium or talc. Bandages are useful when performing exercises with heavy weight, or when there is a joint injury.

How to replace the bench press

The barbell press can be replaced with a dumbbell bench press or a Smith machine press. There is one in the gym that will come in handy for working out the chest muscles. It is also important to bring your arms together in a standing crossover. Any kind of exercise will do at home; it’s best to perform them with your hands placed narrowly or widely. The best option is push-ups with an expander on your back.

Conclusion

The bench press is a basic, highly effective chest development exercise that cannot be ignored. The bench press should be included in the training process after preliminary training of the muscles, or you should work with a light weight to hone your technique.

Bench press in video format

Arthur Miller. 03/10/2018

In short:

Lie down on the bench so that the bar is exactly at eye level. Arch your back - stick your chest up, squeeze your shoulder blades back. You must lie on your shoulder blades. Don't lift your butt off the bench. The back should be curved in the form of an arch - an open palm should freely pass under the lower back. Place your feet on the floor shoulder-width apart under your hips. The feet are on the floor with the entire surface of the foot. Fix your shoulder blades, butt, feet, they should not move anymore.

Grab the barbell without lifting your shoulder blades from the bench. Wrap your fingers around it in a ring - the thumb should be opposed to the rest. Do not arch your hands - the fist and forearm are located in one straight line.

Remove the barbell, taking a deep breath, hold your breath and straighten your arms - the bar will rise above the rack holders at your eye level. The shoulder blades should not move from under you, they are brought together as before, and you lie on them. Now, with straight arms, slowly move it forward above you. It should be above the level of the shoulder joints. Your arms should be vertical when viewed from the side. From this position the barbell will lower to your chest.

Lower the bar on the chest, approximately in its middle. Do not lower the bar vertically, it should move down and slightly forward. At the lowest point, the elbows are moved away from the body at an angle of 75°. Do not spread them apart at right angles - this will injure the ligaments of the shoulder joint. At the lowest point, the forearms should be vertical.

Push the barbell up from the chest until the arms become straight. Fully extend your elbows. At the top point, the bar should be above your shoulder level. Exhale. Take a deep breath, repeat the previous point.

Now let's look at the bench press in detail, in all its nuances.

Head

Position yourself on the bench so that the barbell is at eye level. In this case, your shoulders will be at the optimal distance from the mounts on which the barbell rests: not too close to them, so that the rack does not interfere with lifting the barbell upward, and not too far away, so that the barbell does not have to be moved over your head for a long distance.

During the bench press, do not rest your head on the bench, this can lead to neck pain. Instead, tense your neck and lift your head slightly off the bench until your hair barely touches it.

Keep your head in a neutral position, don't throw it back or lift it to watch the bar go down. You should feel the bar touching your chest as it comes down.

Shoulders

Shoulders, like shoulder blades, should not come off the bench. Do not raise your shoulders at the top of the press - this will increase the distance of the barbell and reduce the effectiveness of the exercise. The shoulders, together with the shoulder blades, form a stable, stable base for performing the press. If you cannot remove the barbell from the rack without lifting your shoulders off the bench, then you should position it lower or ask a spotter to help you remove the barbell.

The shoulders should not move at all, they are glued to the bench. If you lift your shoulders off the bench, you relieve tension from the pectoral muscles. By doing this, you reduce the effectiveness of the bench press and it loses its meaning. Moreover, the mobility of the shoulders during the press will sooner or later inevitably lead to injury and shoulder pain.

shoulder blades

Correct fixation of the shoulder blades is 50% of success in the bench press. The shoulder blades should be forcefully drawn together and pushed down. You have to lie on them. When removing the barbell, you press your shoulder blades and shoulders tightly into the bench and they should not move anywhere. They are pressed against the bench by a barbell. This is very important; without bringing together and fixing the shoulder blades, a correct press with an emphasis on the pectoral muscles will not work. Insufficient fixation of the shoulder blades also leads to elevation of the shoulders above the bench

Throughout the bench press, your shoulder blades should be firmly drawn together. Imagine trying to squeeze a pencil between them. Don't lie on a bench like a sofa. The shoulder blades, like the entire back, should be in constant tension.

Poor scapular support is one of the two main causes of shoulder pain after bench pressing. The second is raising the elbows to the sides, which we will discuss below.

Breast

Lying on a bench, lift your chest up towards the ceiling. You should kind of stick it out, make your chest a “wheel”. This will shorten the vertical path of the barbell - by bringing the chest (bottom point) closer to the top point of the exercise. This will also shorten the horizontal path of the barbell - by bringing the chest closer to the shoulder joints. The chest lift activates the maximum muscle fibers of the pectoral muscles, because... they begin to be positioned more vertically.

The flat chest bench press increases the distance the barbell travels. This reduces the effectiveness of the exercise. This can also lead to injury to the shoulder joints due to an increase in the horizontal stroke of the barbell.

Lifting your chest and arching your back is not cheating, but don't lift your butt off the bench.

Back

Lying on a bench, arch your back in an arch, a bridge. Lean on the bench with your shoulder blades and gluteal muscles. Don't get off your butt! The lower back is raised above the bench so that you can place your palm under it on the bench. When bench pressing, the spine does not experience a vertical axial load, as during squats or deadlifts, during which it is strictly forbidden to change the physiological curves of the spine, so arching the back during the bench press is completely safe.

The pictures in this article and most of the text are taken from the bench press manual from stronglifts.com

At the same time, there is no need to overextend. This can cause lower back pain; those who are especially diligent can even dislodge the intervertebral disc. Your task is to lift your chest up and press your shoulder blades into the bench, arch your back just enough to achieve this, but no more.

Back

During the bench press, your butt must be firmly pressed against the bench, otherwise the repetition will not count. Lifting your butt off the bench is cheating because it pushes your chest beyond the limit and significantly reduces the bar's range of motion. Also, raising your butt can lead to dangerous hyperextension of the spine.

Legs

The bench press is performed with your feet on the floor. Place your feet shoulder-width apart, placing your full foot on the floor. Don't lift your heel. The entire foot should be on the floor. The heel is located under the knee or slightly behind the knee. The shins should be vertical, perpendicular to the floor.

With your feet in place, place them on the floor as if you were trying to move the bench back. The weight of the bar pressing your shoulder blades and shoulders into the bench will prevent you from moving backward. During the bench press, your legs don’t just stand on the floor, you actively rest on them, they are constantly tense. Once your feet are in place, don't move them any more, don't move them during the press.

Grip

You need to wrap all your fingers around the barbell in a ring. That is, the thumb must be opposed to the rest. When bench pressing, it is strictly forbidden to use a monkey grip (when the thumb is on the same side of the bar with the rest). With a monkey grip, nothing prevents the barbell from sliding down; no one is safe from this.

The bench press is the only barbell exercise that can kill you on the spot if safety precautions are not followed. Every year in the United States, several deaths are reported as a result of using a monkey grip when bench pressing (you can Google “Bench Press accident”). People are really dying. Straight to death, no joke. Dozens of others remain deeply disabled. Imagine what happens to a person when a barbell with a working weight falls on his neck or nose. Not a single belayer will have time to react. By the time the ambulance arrives, the body will already have cooled down. Never use a monkey grip on the bench press.

The opposing thumb effectively prevents the bar from slipping. Grasp the barbell tightly in the ring with all your fingers, and it will not move anywhere.

In order for the bench press to be effective, you need to squeeze the bar very tightly, with all your strength. Imagine that you want to leave a clear imprint of every millimeter of the skin of your hands and fingers. Squeeze the barbell as you would a dynamometer.

When bench pressing, it is recommended to use a “bulldog grip”. It is so called because of the oblique position of the hands, similar to the clubfoot position of the front paws of a bulldog. With this grip, the barbell is located low in the palm, at its base. The bar crosses the palm not perpendicularly, but at an angle. See the picture.

The bulldog grip on the bench press has several benefits. The low position of the bar in the palm ensures that the hand does not bend back under the weight of the barbell. The axial load falls directly on the bones of the forearm, this relieves tension from the hand and prevents its hyperextension. The bulldog grip “straightens” the hands, placing them in line with the forearm. At the bottom of the exercise, this grip allows you to keep your forearms vertical without experiencing discomfort.

Most cases of hand and wrist pain when bench pressing go away when using the bulldog grip.

Grip width

Grip width will vary from person to person. It should be such that at the bottom of the exercise, when the bar touches the chest, the forearms are vertical when viewed from behind.

In order to determine the optimal grip width for you, take an empty bar (or any straight stick, PVC plastic pipe, mop, body bar). Lie down on the bench and lower the bar to your chest. Now look to the right and left, at the position of your forearms. Adjust your grip width so that your forearms are vertical at the bottom of the exercise (perpendicular to the floor). Always use this grip width when bench pressing.

With such a grip width, when viewed from behind, at the top point of the exercise, the straightened arms will seem to diverge to the sides at an angle from the shoulders. This is normal, this is how it should be. To prevent this position of your forearms from “breaking out” your hands, use a bulldog grip.

Elbows

As you lower the barbell from the top position onto your chest, bring your elbows toward your body. At the lowest point they should not stick out to the sides at an angle of 90°. This perpendicular position of the elbows leads to damage to the ligaments of the shoulder joint. This poor technique is a common cause of shoulder pain after bench pressing. If a person complains of shoulder pain after bench pressing, I'm willing to bet that he flared his elbows too far out to the sides.

At the bottom of the bench press, the elbows should be moved away from the body so that an angle of approximately 75° is formed between the humerus and the body. This position of the hands is ideal for distributing the force of the pectoral muscles and completely eliminates injury to the shoulder joint.

At the same time, do not press your arms too close to your body, as this will reduce the effectiveness of the exercise.

To determine the angle of your elbows that is ideal for you, focus on the position of your forearms. At the bottom of the exercise, your forearms should be vertical (plumb/perpendicular to the floor) both when viewed from behind and from the side. Record yourself on video from behind and from the side, watch, draw conclusions, correct mistakes.

The barbell is lifted from the chest until the arms are fully extended at the elbows. Otherwise, the repetition does not count.

Forearms

At the lowest point of the exercise, the forearms are positioned vertically (perpendicular to the floor) when viewed from behind (from the head of the bench). Forearms tucked toward the head indicate a narrow grip and a redistribution of the load from the pectoral muscles to the triceps. Forearms that slope to the sides indicate an overly wide grip, which can hurt your shoulders and be painful on your hands.

If you look from the side, then at the bottom point of the press the forearms should be relaxed in the same way - perpendicular to the floor, vertically. Moreover, the brush should be on the same line with them, be their continuation. This takes the load off the hands and prevents them from hyperextending backwards.

Removing the bar from the rack

Take the correct position on the bench, arch your back, squeeze your shoulder blades tightly together, grab the barbell, take a deep breath, hold your breath - and you are ready to remove the barbell.

Straighten your elbows. The bar will rise above the rack holders. Now slowly, with straight arms, move it a little forward so that it is exactly above your shoulders. You will feel the desired position - in this position it is very easy to hold the barbell, because your arms are straightened, and the weight is not held by static (isometric) muscle contraction, but simply lies passively on your bones, installed vertically in a column (forearm bones and humerus).

This position of the barbell—exactly above your shoulder joints—is the starting and ending point of the barbell's trajectory. Find some landmark on the ceiling that corresponds to this position of the rod. From here the barbell begins to move downwards and here it returns at the end of the lift. This position of the bar will allow you to take short breaks between repetitions to exhale and inhale.

When removing the barbell, the shoulder blades should not diverge, and the shoulders should not come off the bench. If you cannot reach the bar without lifting your shoulder blades, set it lower.

When you grab the barbell before removing it, your arms should be slightly bent at the elbows. If your arms are straight even before you remove the bar, then it is located high, set it lower.

Moving Down

Start the downward movement by bending your elbows. As you lower the barbell to your chest, bring your elbows toward your body. Do not spread them apart at right angles, but do not touch your body with your elbows.

At the bottom of the exercise, the elbows should be moved away from the body to the sides at an angle of approximately 75°.

The barbell should go through the full range of motion - from the top point with straight arms to touching the chest. If at the bottom of the bench press the bar does not touch the chest, the repetition does not count. Reducing the amplitude reduces the effectiveness of the exercise and turns off most of the fibers from work. If you cannot perform the full range of motion, take less weight.

Low point of the exercise

For most people, the lowest point of range of motion on the bench press will be around the middle of the chest (sternum). This will depend on your body type, grip, etc.

To determine the place on the chest where the barbell should fall specifically in your case, use your forearms as a guide. At the bottom of the exercise, when the elbows are abducted to 75°, the forearms should be vertical both when viewed from behind and from the side. Take a video of yourself from behind and from the side, determine the desired position of your forearms. The place where the barbell is located on the chest when the forearms are vertical is the optimal position of the barbell at the lowest point. This is the point where the barbell should be lowered on every rep.

There is no need to pause at the bottom point, try to use the muscle stretch reflex (). Touch the barbell to your chest and immediately push it up.

At the same time, make sure that the bar does not bounce off your chest. If it hits your chest and bounces up due to shock absorption from the chest, then you are lowering it too quickly. This is dangerous and ineffective.

Rod movement trajectory

An important point that many people don't understand, which leads to most bench press problems.

Oops, there should be a video here, but it looks like your browser doesn't support HTML5 video in WebM with VP8 or MP4 with H.264. Please update your browser.

So, the inclined trajectory of the barbell is the safest and most effective from the point of view of anatomy and physiology. Therefore, you cannot do the bench press on a Smith machine. The rigidly fixed vertical stroke of the bar forces the shoulder joint to work in a pathological, unnatural manner for it, and, moreover, under load. This leads to constant trauma to the ligaments of the shoulder joint, chronic inflammation, pain in the shoulder, and sharply increases the risk of shoulder injuries when performing other exercises. Never bench press on a Smith machine. Just like any other bench press or deadlift.

Secrets of an effective bench press

Many people have problems with the growth of their pectoral muscles, they complain that the muscles do not respond to training. In order for the muscle to be maximally involved in the work, you need to not just try to push the barbell up, but do it with the pectoral muscles. There are several tricks for this.

Think about what pushing yourself into the bench, not the barbell up. Imagine that you need to move a cabinet that is next to the wall. You lean your back against the closet and push yourself away from the wall with your hands. Do the same thing during the bench press. This will help keep your shoulder blades retracted and your shoulders from lifting off the bench.

There is a very old and very effective trick for activating the pectoral muscles. When you push a barbell, imagine that you are trying bend it into an arc, how to make an arch out of it, like strongmen in a circus bending rods. Squeeze the bar as hard as you can and try to sort of turn your fists with the bones facing outwards, imagine that you are bending the barbell. It is clear that the bar will not bend, but this action will immediately involve the entire volume of the pectoral muscles in the work.

At the same time, try to bring your hands together above the chest. Naturally, your hands should not move a millimeter on the barbell, but you should transfer this force to your fists when holding the barbell. To understand what I'm talking about, raise your hands, bring your open palms together in front of you and try to squeeze them with all your might. Can you feel your pectoral muscles working?

When you push the barbell up, spread your elbows, they must remain under the bar. If you don't flare your elbows out to the sides when moving up, they will be in front of the bar, which will shift the emphasis to the triceps. The triceps cannot effectively press the working weight designed for the pectoral muscles.

Installing the bar on the rack

Do not rush. At the end of the last repetition, fully straighten your elbows. Pause while holding the barbell above your shoulders.

After making sure that you hold the barbell firmly and confidently above your shoulders with straight arms, slowly move it horizontally back until it rests against the rack. The bar rests against the rack, it is located directly above the rack holders. Now bend your elbows and lower the barbell onto the mounts.

Some people try to rack the barbell at the end of the last rep, immediately moving it back in an arc. This is a gross violation of safety regulations. At the end of the set, your arms are tired and cannot support the weight of the barbell if your elbows are bent. Straighten your arms completely - this will take the load off the arm muscles, the weight will rest on the bones placed in a column, and you can easily and safely move it back to the rack. As soon as you feel that the bar has rested against the rack, bend your elbows and lower the barbell onto the fastenings.

Breath

Take a deep breath at the top of the exercise with the barbell held straight above your shoulders. Squeeze your shoulder blades tightly together, arch your back, press your butt, hold your breath. Lower the bar. Do not exhale on the way down, as well as at the bottom of the press, otherwise the chest will “deflate”, the chest will drop down, and the effectiveness of the exercise will decrease.

As you lift the barbell back to the starting position above your shoulders, exhale and inhale again. You can do this several times before the next repetition if necessary. Try to breathe as if halfway, so that the air does not come out completely, and the rigidity of the structure does not decrease.

Over time, when you start doing bench presses with heavier weights, you will find it more convenient to do several repetitions on one inhalation, without exhaling during a pause. Experienced athletes often use this technique, doing the first 2-3 repetitions in one breath. But while you are just starting to train with a barbell, learn the correct and safe technique - breathe between repetitions.

Oops, there should be a video here, but it looks like your browser doesn't support HTML5 video in WebM with VP8 or MP4 with H.264. Please update your browser.

To develop and pump up the pectoral muscles, you need to not just do bench press, but also do it right. A detailed guide will help with this.

This basic lifting exercise, performed on a bench, is key to getting a powerful, broad chest. Its implementation involves the pectoral muscles, shoulder girdle, and triceps.

Anatomically it is similar to push-ups. The difference lies in the possibility of using additional weights, that is, dumbbells or a barbell. This certainly enhances the effect of the workout.

Initial position:

Lying on a horizontal bench.

Performance:

• remove the bar from the mount with both hands;
• the projectile is lowered to the middle of the chest until it lightly touches the body;
• squeeze the barbell without exhaling until the elbow joints are completely locked.

Your feet should be on the floor, your buttocks should be pressed firmly against the surface of the bench, your shoulder blades should be flattened, and your chest should be pushed forward.

The peculiarity of the bench press, unlike the squat and deadlift, is the ability to lift heavier weights with minimal risk of damage to the shoulder joint. This is achieved due to the fact that the bar rises from the chest to the shoulders diagonally, and the trajectory of the projectile itself has a small angle relative to the vertical.

Correct technique

Hand position

After taking the starting position on the bench, the apparatus is grasped with both hands, providing support only with the palms located at a distance of 55-60 centimeters. The thumbs should be on top of the projectile.

Blade position

To increase the degree of stability, the shoulder blades are brought together and pressed against the bench. The barbell is removed from the holders, the arms are extended upward perpendicular to the bench, and the elbows are fixed. The position should be such that the bar is in line with the eyes.

Back arch

The chest is pushed forward, making sure that the shoulder blades remain retracted. This can be achieved by maintaining the position of the buttocks when they are pressed to the surface of the bench, arching the lower back and twisting the chest upward. Thanks to this, an increase in the amplitude of movement is achieved and the level of effectiveness of the exercise increases. The main thing is not to bend too much.

Leg position

The legs should be at the same level as the knees, with the feet slightly apart. Do not stand on the supports or surface of the bench, lift or lift your feet off the floor during the press. The legs provide support and support for the athlete when performing the exercise.

Downward trajectory of the rod

Both lowering and raising the barbell should be done with a slight inclination. Particular attention should be paid to the lower point of the projectile position. It should lightly touch your chest, but not spring back. Otherwise, the risk of injury will increase, since during the vertical lowering of the barbell, an increased load is created on the shoulder ligaments.

Elbow position

The elbow joints in relation to the body should form an angle equal to 75 degrees. Pinching the elbows significantly impairs the mechanics of movement, and perpendicular abduction to the sides creates an increased risk of injury. Be sure to watch your wrists. They shouldn't break.

Top point of movement

The barbell at the upper extreme point should be held with arms straightened at the elbow joints. Tilt both backwards and forwards is extremely dangerous. If you cannot achieve correct fixation, training with an empty bar allows you to hone this technical point.

Insurance

You only need to perform the bench press yourself when using limiters. They protect the athlete from injury; if he cannot lift the barbell, and there is neither a coach nor a belay partner nearby, then these devices will help avoid damage to the chest and shoulder joints.

Correct breathing

Inhalation is done when taking the starting position, when you grab the barbell with your hands. Lowering the projectile is performed without exhalation. Air-filled lungs provide maximum stretching of muscle fibers, allow you to fix and keep your shoulder blades retracted, which helps maintain tension in the muscles of the entire body.

You can’t exhale at the lowest extreme point either. Here you need to hold your breath. Thanks to this, it becomes possible to perform a fairly powerful push. If you exhale, your chest will simply deflate. Exhalation is done only at the top point. The main thing is not to completely empty your lungs when exhaling.

1. Don't pause at the bottom. As soon as the barbell touches your chest, do not relax your muscles and, using the energy available in them, press the barbell up. By stopping, you reflexively worsen muscle contraction and, in order to squeeze the barbell, you will need to “gather all your strength into a fist” again, spending additional energy on this. In addition, with each new repetition it will become more and more difficult to do this. Ultimately, you may not complete the intended number of repetitions.
2. Stopping breathing at the moment bench press up is extremely important for keeping the torso in a safe, stable position and helps to develop a significantly stronger load. Do not forget, the more stable the position of the torso, the more intense the work of the muscles and the less pressure on the joints.
3. Don't stop breathing for too long. When performing the exercise at an average pace, holding your breath should last about 2-3 seconds.
4. After going through the most difficult part of the movement while lifting the bar, finish the repetition with a deep exhalation. If you feel a lack of strength, ask your partner for help. Never stop halfway! The barbell must be in motion all the time.
5. The heavier the barbell, the more tense the muscles are and the more you have to exhale as you go through the toughest part of the barbell lift.
6. When pressing the barbell, press your feet into the floor with all your might, hold the bar as tightly as possible, and do not lift your shoulders and hips off the bench. This will stabilize the torso and allow you to achieve maximum contraction of the chest muscles.
7. At the bottom, do not squeeze the barbell with your chest, bending your whole body upward. This can cause injury!

Application

Intended for: Everyone, from beginner to professional.

When: At the beginning of training the pectoral muscles. Halfway through your workout, perform dumbbell bench presses and dumbbell flyes on a bench.

How many: 3-4 sets of 8-12 times.

Sports instruction: No exercise stands next to bench press in solving the problem of dramatically increasing the volume of muscle mass and power of the chest muscles. And although the center of the load here is directed to the middle of the chest, its lower and upper parts work at full strength. But know that this load distribution is good when you hold the bar with a wide grip. If the grip is strictly shoulder width, then the center of the load moves towards the top of the chest.

Muscles involved in bench press, are of great importance for many sports that are characterized by hand push-ups, pushes, hits and throws: boxing (lateral and direct blows to the body), tennis (hitting the ball with an open racket), discus throwing and shot put.

Video - Bench press

Our task is to help you understand the intricacies of the technique, prepare you for execution, and most importantly, maintain your health while increasing your performance.

Warm-up and bench press

Neglecting a warm-up is a sure way to injury. However, everyone lets this pass their ears, which then crackle from excessive stress. A proper warm-up will not only avoid injury, but will also improve your results and prepare your body for the exercise. But before that, it is useful to study the muscles used.

The main muscles or agonists are the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor, the anterior deltoid, and triceps. Synergists or assistants for the exercise are the middle and posterior bundles of the deltoid muscle, the serratus anterior muscle, the coracobrachialis muscle, the leg muscles, the latissimus dorsi muscles. Warming up every muscle is the key to a good workout.

Stage 1. Prepare your joints.

Rotation of the hands, elbows and shoulders in a circle from small joints to large ones with a gradual increase in amplitude.

Stage 2. Push-ups and sit-ups.

Exercises should be done in 1-2 approaches, without muscle failure, they should be performed easily and prepare you for further stress.

Stage 3. Stretch your antagonist muscles.

In our case, these are the back, biceps and triceps, deltoids.

Stage 4. Prepare the thoracic spine.

This exercise requires a rolled up mat or towel. Lie down on the floor so that the rolled object is underneath you, perpendicular to your body and touching a point just below your shoulder blades. Bend your legs in front of you, arms in front of you, at an angle of 45 degrees from the floor, and stretch forward. Bend your back over the obstacle, touch your shoulders to the floor and come back, tensing your abdominal muscles. During the backbend, your arms reach toward the floor behind you. 2 sets of 8-10 times will be enough. Remember the position of your thoracic region - this will help you with your bench press technique.

Stage 5. Warm-up approaches.

Move on to the bench press, but use lighter weights instead of your main (working) weight. Gradually increase the load, 15-20% with each new set. At the same time, reduce the number of repetitions in the set.
For example, if you are going to bench press 80 kg 10 times, then the following progression will be:

Set 1: 20 kg for 4-5 reps

Set 2: 40 kg for 5 reps.

Set 3: 50 kg for 4 reps.

Set 4: 60 kg for 2-3 reps.

Bench press: technique

There are two main schools of bench press - bodybuilding and powerlifting.

The first bench press technique involves doing the bench press with your back pressed against the bench and your shoulders back. It is quite simple, and it is believed that this way the lower back will not be injured. But the disadvantage of this technique is that it is only suitable for very small weights. As the load increases, there is no stability in the shoulder joints, and this leads to injuries.

Powerlifting technique uses deflection in the thoracic region. This allows you to lift heavy weights without harming your shoulder joints. The main difficulties are in mastering the technology. Improper execution, with arching in the lower back, leads to chronic back pain. Using deflection in the thoracic region, you do not risk your health and can progress safely.

Therefore, we suggest you learn the powerlifting school technique and do the correct bench press. Below we will describe the two most popular ways to get into the correct position. Hone your technique on small weights, or just on the bar.

• Lie down on a bench with the bar at eye level. Bend your legs and place your feet on the edge of the bench. Hands grip the bar, about two palms wider than your shoulder width. Next, squeeze your shoulder blades tightly together and lower them down. The shoulder blades no longer move and are pressed against the surface of the bench. Using your feet on the bench, raise your pelvis and bend in the thoracic region. Raising your chest as much as possible without lifting your shoulder blades, slowly remove your legs from the bench and press your heels to the floor. Lower your buttocks onto the bench without losing the arch and without allowing your lower back to arch. The legs are bent so that the angle between the thigh and lower leg does not exceed 90 degrees.
• Lie down on a bench with the bar behind you and your feet on the floor. By rolling from one side to the other, you help bring your shoulder blades together and bend in the thoracic region, transferring the weight to your legs and back, while the bar is at eye level. Fix your legs in a position similar to the method above.

Important technical points

• The position of your elbows and the pressed shoulder blades will not allow you to remove a heavy barbell; for this you will need a reliable assistant. If you do this on your own, you will lose your starting position and it will no longer be possible to perform the exercises safely.
• If at first your legs get tired, you are doing it right, because the two main supports here are the legs and the upper back, the buttocks touch the bench, but do not lie on it.
• All movement begins with the feet. Return to the starting position without straightening your arms completely.
• Look at the center of the bar, do not turn your head.
• As you inhale, the barbell lowers; as you exhale, you squeeze it with a powerful force.
• You need to lower the barbell slower than pressing it, at the bottom point there is a clear pause per second.

Basic mistakes. How to do the bench press correctly?

FAQ

• What should be the position of the hands?
  The hands should not move away from a straight line with the forearm and should not open outward - this will avoid injury.
• The lower back gets strained and hurts when doing the bench press.
  When using the correct bench press technique, the lower back is not stressed and injured. It is necessary to restore the lower back and master the correct technique.
• What should be the grip width?
  Notches on the bar help you navigate and remember the width of your grip. It is different for everyone, it depends on your body type and the muscles you want to load. There are different types of presses that use different hand positions. For the classic bench press, during the correct grip, the forearms are vertical at the bottom.

Bench Press Training Program

Bench press training should definitely include leg and core exercises. Deadlifts, squats, static exercises (prone plank and elbows). Without a strong back and grip, you will also not be able to progress; pull-ups, hyperextensions and vertical pull-downs will help you with this. Only the uniform development of all antagonist muscles will give you health and strength. Here's a basic progression chart for bench press beginners.

The first day.

Warm up.

3 sets of bench press with working weight.

4 sets of incline rows.

3 sets of push-ups.

3 sets of pull-ups.

Abdominal exercises.

10 minutes of cardio training.

Hitch. Stretching.

Second day. Rest.

Day three.

Warm up.

5 sets of barbell squats.

5 sets of deadlifts.

3 sets of hyperextension.

3 sets of 1 minute elbow planks.

Abdominal exercises.

Cardio according to how you feel, up to 10 minutes.

Hitch. Stretching.

Day four. Rest.

Day five.

Warm up.

Push-ups with a wide grip, medium grip, narrow grip.

3 sets of pull-ups.

3 sets of up to 1 minute handstand against a wall.

Abdominal exercises.

15 minutes of cardio workout

Hitch. Stretching.

Rest 2 days. Return to day one.

Scheme for increasing the load in the bench press by week:

1 week - 70% of the maximum.

Week 2 - 80%

Week 3 - 95%

Week 4 - 80%

Week 5 - 90%

Week 6 - 105%

Week 7 - 80%

Style Summary

The bench press is one of the basic exercises designed for rapid progress. In conjunction with other basic exercises, the bench press has a tremendous effect both in gaining muscle mass and in accelerating metabolism. Improve every element of your training, maintain harmony in muscle development, and you will be surprised at the speed of your transformation.

If you want to grow and strengthen your upper body muscles, as well as develop strength and improve your performance in other exercises and sports, you should do the barbell press. This can be done in different ways, based on the purpose of the training, and today we will analyze in detail what a bench press is, how to do it correctly, what options and mistakes there may be.

Bench press on a horizontal bench - what muscles work

Contrary to popular belief that the barbell press is a chest exercise, this is not entirely true. If you don’t try to isolate this exercise, say, with the help of a Smith machine, then it somehow involves many other muscles.

Which muscles bear the main load:

• of course, these are pecs - large and small, they really participate very well in the press;
• front delts and to a lesser extent middle delts;
• biceps - especially if the pecs are weak, he tries to “stretch” the exercise, since this is usually a strong muscle in everyone;
• triceps - but to use it more fully, you need to use a certain technique.

The abdominal, back and leg muscles also work very well in this case. They are stabilizers. If you really put yourself into the exercise, then after a heavy bench press you will feel the usual fatigue in your legs, as if you were pumping them separately.

The elbow and shoulder joints help in movement.

For the exercise, a bar is used, which can also vary. Girls usually choose a lightweight straight bar (called a training bar), which weighs from 7 to 9 kg.

Men train with an Olympic bar, its weight ranges from 18 to 20 kg.

Some, if they work out at home, use a version of the training barbell, which is about 1.2 m long and weighs only 5 kg. You can understand by comparison that this is not very convenient: the Olympic bar is 2.2 m, and the barbell that girls use is about 1.8 m. But at home it is not always convenient to use a massive barbell, but you cannot press it with a wide grip you can.

Benefits and Benefits of Exercise

So, let's look at a number of advantages that the barbell press brings:

1. This is one of the best exercises for gaining mass and increasing the muscles of the upper body.
2. It strengthens the joints of the shoulder and elbow.
3. There are a variety of options - from simple for beginners to complex for advanced levels.
4. You will be able to regulate not only the level of load, but also concentrate it on certain muscle groups, changing the technique.
5. Compared to the dumbbell press, which also has its advantages over the barbell, in this case you will be able to lift heavier weights more easily.
6. In addition, the load will be distributed in such a way that there is less chance of losing control of movement than with dumbbells.

Exercise options

Now let's move directly to the bench press variations. There are quite a lot of them, and they all have their own characteristics.

Classic bench press - how to perform the program correctly

Of course, you should start with the most standard method of execution. It is performed on a horizontal bench with a free barbell with a medium grip.

All other options are technically performed similarly, but have their own nuances, which we will analyze.

Unlike the previous version, where we noted that we bring the barbell almost to contact with the chest, in this case we touch the chest.

It is important here that the moment of contact is as short as possible: just touch and immediately forcefully press the barbell up, that is, the exercise is performed without pauses. This allows you to develop explosive power, which will improve your benching performance and can also be useful for martial arts athletes.

The exercise can be performed in any variation, with any grip and with any inclination.

Power Rack Press for Beginners

If it is not possible to resort to the help of a belayer, you can perform the exercise in a frame. At the same time, unlike Smith, you continue to work with free weight, that is, controlling the trajectory using the muscles, nothing limits you. But if you suddenly lose control or cannot press the barbell, you can throw it, and it will fall on the racks without crushing you.

In addition, the frame controls the range of motion. This can be both a minus and a plus. If you have had an injury that does not allow you to put too much strain on your muscles, ligaments, or joints, this is a great option for you. But otherwise, you are simply depriving yourself of work in a wide amplitude, which will affect the speed of progress.

Bench angle

Once you've mastered the flat bench press, it makes sense to try it on an incline. Why is it important? Most likely, like most athletes, you have a lagging chest area. For some it’s the bottom, for others it’s the top, and for others, it’s unlucky with the inside. If you change the angle, you will be able to more thoroughly work the desired area of ​​the pectoral muscles.

Positive slope

If you need to more thoroughly work the upper bundles of the pectoralis major muscle, namely they give the visual effect of a large inflated chest and are difficult to engage in a horizontal bench press, you need to resort to a press with a positive incline.

The higher the slope, the more the upper muscles are activated. But you need to start with a slight slope, about 15 degrees. Subsequently, it needs to be increased to 25–30, rarely to 45.

If the degree of inclination is increased too much, then you will work the deltoids much more than the pecs.

Negative slope

If you want to target your lower chest muscles more, you can use a downward incline bench. It is easier to perform bench presses in a negative incline. However, this exercise cannot be done with heavy weight.

In addition, it is forbidden to do an incline press if you have problems with ICP, blood pressure, dizziness and migraines.

You can try making a very small slope - up to 15 degrees. This is not so dangerous, and if you feel well and have no contraindications, you can periodically try this exercise option.

But doing bench presses with an incline of 30 degrees or more is highly undesirable.

Video: Head down press

Option “guillotine” - a technique to increase breast size

As you may have noticed, changing the angle of inclination is quite inconvenient or technically difficult, moreover, you can only influence one area of ​​the chest. The “guillotine” exercise makes it possible to actively connect all three beams, while it is performed on a horizontal bench.

In the classic version, we lower the barbell to the middle or bottom of the chest, but in this case we need to bring the bar to the neck. This, of course, is quite dangerous, so the exercise cannot be performed without a spotter, but if you do the bench press correctly, you will pump up all three bundles of the pectoral muscles well.

In addition, you should take the barbell with a slightly wider grip than the classic one, which will allow you to stretch your chest muscles well when lowering.

When you lower the barbell to the neck area, you arch your lower back more than usual, which is not good. This moment needs to be controlled. Some people place their feet on a bench or hold them in the air, as in a crunch. This option is quite risky because you must be sure that you have good control over your movements.

Overall, this is an exercise for advanced athletes, otherwise you may lose balance or control at some point during the exercise.

Video: Guillotine press

Machine press - Smith machine

The Smith machine is an excellent option for beginners and for those who are practicing their technique, since the bar is securely fixed in the frame and only moves along a certain trajectory.

It turns out that the bar only moves up and down, and you do not need to try to keep it from “walking” back and forth. Accordingly, this partially facilitates and slightly isolates the exercise.

In addition, you can perform the bench press without a spotter, because if you feel that you won’t be able to press it, you can hook the barbell to the nearest loops.

You can use different angles, grips and exercise techniques. And unlike a frame, you are not limited in the vertical range of motion.

Reverse Grip Press

The classic bench press is performed with a direct grip, but you can also try a reverse grip.

What does this option provide?

1. You can work your upper pectoral muscles without using an incline bench.
2. The triceps quite strongly “steal” the load from the pectoral muscles in the horizontal press, but in this case this does not happen: both muscles are equally intensively involved in the work.
3. With a narrow arm position, you do not have to make sure that your elbows do not diverge to the sides.

Video: Reverse Grip Press

Narrow and wide hand placement

We've already talked a little about different grips. In this vein, it is important to pay attention to the width of the hands on the bar. A lot depends on this too.

Wide stance

The wider we spread our arms, the better we work and stretch the pectoral muscles.

You can perform the exercise with different inclinations, forward and reverse grip. However, you need to be careful, because with a lot of weight and poor preparation at the bottom point you can stretch the chest muscles.

Narrow staging

If we need to work on the triceps muscle, then we should place our hands close to each other. At the same time, it is important to pay attention that the elbows are close to the body and do not “go” to the sides. To achieve this, you can try the reverse grip we talked about above.

Do not place your hands too close, as this will increase the load on your elbow joints. Some people press their palms together; this is quite reckless, as it can cause negative consequences for the joints. Shoulder width or slightly narrower is enough.

Floor press

Now this version of the bench press is not very popular, but it is a good way to increase your performance, since the support under your body is more correct: when you press from the bench, your shoulders most often do not lie completely on the surface, because the width of the bench is not enough, and this a very important point.

If you press from the floor, then your shoulder blades, shoulders, and buttocks lie tightly and with their entire surface on the base.

You can keep your legs extended or bend your knees and place them on your feet. The second option is preferable, since this way you have another point of support. But it is important to make sure that you do not press your feet into the floor while helping yourself to press the weight.

Another important point is that you need to better control the movement, since your amplitude is strictly limited, and if you are used to “dropping” your arms down, you can damage your elbow joint when impacted.

How many repetitions and sets should you do?

You should never start training with a working weight. Perform at least 1 warm-up and 1 warm-up set to prepare your body for the workout.

The warm-up approach should be performed with a light weight that you can press 15-20 times.

Leading - about 70–75% of the working weight. You should be able to squeeze it out 10-12 times.

You can work with working weight in different ways. Perform 6–8 repetitions to increase muscle growth, and usually 5–7 to increase strength. In the first case, do about 4-5 approaches. And if you're looking to increase strength, you'll need to be more careful with your training plan, which will include days when you try to set your own record.

Press for girls

Girls quite often avoid barbell bench presses, preferring to work with light weights. Many people assume that when using a projectile weighing more than 5-7 kg, they will either begin to hypertrophy their pectoral muscles in a male pattern, or reduce their breasts by several sizes, causing local weight loss (which is impossible, since fat is lost only from the entire body).

To really acquire muscles similar to men’s, it is necessary to engage in strength sports with heavy weights and at the same time use appropriate hormonal drugs, since normal female hormonal levels are simply not suitable for building up such an amount of muscle mass.

Professional athletes resort to drugs because they have the task of increasing muscles for competitions and performances.

In other cases, your figure will remain feminine, but will acquire beautiful relief and developed muscles.

Don’t be mistaken and think that there are exercises that can change your breast size for the better. To understand this, it is enough to once again turn to the anatomy of the breast.

The male chest has a significantly smaller layer of fat, which is immediately followed by muscle, so it lends itself well to hypertrophy. A woman's breasts have a layer of fat around them, inside they consist of the mammary gland, and then come the muscles, so you can only strengthen and tighten them, which will visually make the breasts more attractive.

For girls, the lower bundle of muscles plays a more important role, so the horizontal bench press is quite suitable for them.

You should also periodically use a narrow forward and narrow reverse grip to work the shoulder area. This is often a problem area for women.

It will be more convenient to use a lightweight bar weighing up to 10 kg. And the weight of the projectile itself can reach 30–40 kg. It makes no sense to take more if you do not play sports professionally. 3-4 approaches will be enough.

Mistakes when bench pressing - how to grip the bar correctly, breathe, where to lower it

There are many disputes regarding the technique and variations of the bench press to this day, but there are generally accepted mistakes that are made quite often.

Video: Common mistakes when performing bench presses

Alternative exercises that can replace workouts

If for some reason you cannot practice the bench press with a barbell, namely:

• you had an injury;
• you are recovering from an injury or illness;
• you do not train in the gym and do not have the opportunity to purchase a barbell;
• the barbell in the gym is busy (this happens quite often), etc.;

you can try other exercises that are similar in execution and distributed load.

First of all, you can perform bench presses in a hummer. In this case, the exercise becomes conditionally basic: you still perform a bench press, but in this case there is no need to hold the barbell and coordinate it, you definitely won’t be pinned down - you don’t need a spotter, but changing the slope of the load won’t be particularly possible.

The next option cannot be called completely similar, but it can be used much more conveniently anywhere and without additional equipment. We're talking about push-ups. This works your back a little more, but you can also vary your grip, technique, and effectively work your pecs, deltoids, biceps, and triceps.

Here are a number of outstanding records in the history of the bench press.

• The world record for bench press in multi-equipment belongs to the American Ryan Kennealy and is 485.4 kg in the 155+ weight category.
• The Russian record holder for bench press in multi-equipment is Tsukanov Maxim, he was able to bench press 267.5 kg in the heavy weight category 140+.
• Without equipment, the maximum pressed weight is 319.8 kg, and this record belongs to James Henderson. The weight category is also 155+.
• If we talk about girls, the current world record for bench press in multi-equipment is 188.2 kg. It was established in 2016 by Lexi Harris in the heavy weight category of 100+ kg.
• Without equipment, Abigail Wade was able to squeeze the most; her record is 150 kg in the 100+ weight category.

The video presents standards and execution schemes, and will also tell you how much athletes work out to get a rank.

Video: World Record, Ryan Kennealy

The bench press is an integral exercise in almost every upper body workout that any athlete strives to excel at. If you want this, you need to master the correct technique, starting with the classic version, and then try different methods of pressing, achieve a variety of training, and therefore harmonious muscle development.