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Overview
Whether you are new to the gym or a regular of many years, the bench press will likely be a staple movement in your chest routine. The flat barbell bench press is one of the most basic movements for building mass in the chest muscles, and is possibly the best exercise for building overall upper body mass. It comes in several variations using barbells or dumbbells and can be done in a variety of incline or decline angles. Our focus here is the basic flat bench press done with barbell, which places stress on the entire pectoral muscle region.
Primary stress for the workout is on the entire pectoral muscle group and the triceps. Secondary stress is also placed on the deltoid (shoulder) muscles as well as the latissimus dorsi (back) muscles.
Setup
First, be sure to check the weight racks that hold up the bar and make sure they are in the correct position. Each rack may look slightly different, but you should be able to adjust the height of the bar above the bench. The racks should be in a position that allows you to lift the bar out of the rack and put it back without stretching or having to press too high with your arms.
Lie on the bench with your feet flat on the floor on either side of the bench. Your nose should be directly beneath the bar or slightly below it. Grasp the bar with a grip that is approximately 3-5 inches wider than your shoulders. Notice that the gripping has an outer mark to help you find where to put you hands.
For many users, the hand will be just inside this outer grip, or perhaps the pinky or ring finger will rest on top of the line. The width of your grip will vary from person to person your grip will depend on your shoulder width and the lengths of your arms. Keep in mind that a narrower grip places greater emphasis on the triceps, while a wider grip transfers the stress to the chest muscles.
Movement
With the help of a spotter, extend your arms so that the bar is lifted out of the racks. Slowly move the bar above your chest and take in a large breath to prepare for exertion. Slowly lower the bar to a resting point above your chest, just slightly above the lower chest line. Once the bar has come to a rest, exhale and press the bar forcefully upward. Repeat this motion for the desired number of repetitions. When you are finished, have your spotter grasp the bar and assist you as it is lowered and placed back onto the racks.
Tips From the Trainer
The bench press is a high-intensity exercise which brings a high level of risk. Be sure to warm up properly before lifting heavy weights and work your way up to maximum exertion. Know your limits, and if you’re new to weight lifting, go light for a while until you get the hang of this movement. As with all exercises where weight is held above the head, this exercise should never be done without a spotter. If your muscles were to suddenly wear out and not be able to lift the bar to the racks, serious bodily injury could occur.
Avoid arching your back when pressing the weight upwards. This moves the stress from the chest muscles to other parts of the body and is a great way to get injured. Also, be careful to always support the bar with your strength or the help of the spotter throughout the entire movement. Never rest the weight on your chest or bounce the bar off your chest. Remember, this should be a smooth motion for adding maximum definition and mass to your muscles.
If absolutely no spotter is available to you, you may consider using the smith machine or the catch guards on the squat rack as a protection in case you can’t complete one of your repetitions. These options may not allow the full range of motion or the same type of resistance as the bench press would otherwise allow, but they can be very useful when no spotter is available to you.
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