The bench press is probably the most popular weightlifting exercise in existence. Done properly, it is one of the best overall strength and mass builders around. If done incorrectly, it can be ineffective, dangerous and cause injury. By following these bench press tips, you can make sure that you build a solid foundation for your bench press and continue to see progress in the future.
There are a lot of variables involved in a proper bench press. By incorporating these tips and techniques into your workout, you should see results rather quickly if you have been neglecting these basics. While some of this advice may seem very simple, you would be amazed at how many experienced lifters still do this great exercise wrong.
Bench Press Tips
Choosing A Spotter
One of the most important things when Benching is a competent spotter. I prefer to have a regular training partner, but if you have to lift alone, find someone who can spot you properly.
The spotter’s job is to get you through your sticking point with as little help as possible and make sure that the bar keeps moving in a fluid motion. He should never be pulling the weight off of you, unless something goes wrong and he needs to for safety purposes. I’ll be discussing this more later.
Position And Grip
Make sure to position yourself properly when Benching. Your feet should be flat on the floor for stability. As you get more experienced with the bench press, you’ll learn to push with your feet as you’re driving the weight up. Your butt, shoulders and head should be on the bench, with a slight arch in your lower back.
These things should be constant throughout the lift. Do not roll your body or lift your head while performing this exercise. The last thing you want to do while pressing 315 lbs., is move your head around. This could possibly cause neck and spine injuries. Keep your head on the bench and your eyes on the ceiling.
Your grip will be very important and will determine where most of the tension is placed. The closer your grip, the more you will be working your triceps. The wider your grip, the more stress you will place on your shoulders.
The ideal grip will have your forearms perpendicular to the bar. I try to stay as close to this grip as possible. Remember, the bench press is supposed to work your chest.
Warm up And Stretching
Before you even begin lifting any weight, you should warm up on the stationary bike or treadmill for about 5 minutes. After this, you should spend another few minutes stretching. I usually use a broomstick to stretch and do range of motion exercises for my shoulders.
I also do some light stretching for my pectoral muscles. Basically any movement where you hold your upper arm against something and lean or step forward slightly, will give a light stretch on your pecs.
Whatever you do, don’t skip warming up and stretching. You may be able to get away with it for a while, especially if you’re young, but eventually, it will bite you in the ass.
Even though it only takes a few minutes, I know why people hate spending time stretching and warming up. It’s not my favorite thing to do, but I learned the hard way many years ago when I had to take time off from training because I wasn’t warming up properly.
When it comes to warming up, everyone is different. Some people need more warm up sets than others. This is something you’ll need to figure out for yourself. I’ve found that 4 light warm up sets, followed by 2 progressively heavier sets are perfect for me.
Normally I take very brief rest periods in between my light warm up sets. My warm up sets for the bench press, if my target weight for my working sets was 315, is as follows:
Set 1 – The Bar x 20-25 reps
Set 2 – 95lbs. x 12-15 reps
Sets 3 & 4 – 135 x 8-10 reps
Set 5 – 225 x 6-8 reps
set 6 – 275 x 5 reps
Keep in mind that this is not set in stone. This is what works best for me. Just make sure that when you start moving into your working sets, that you are fully warmed up.
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Form
Proper form is one of the biggest factors to getting the most out of the bench press. As stated before, make sure your butt, shoulders and head are on the bench and drive with the feet and legs to help with the lift. Lower the bar under control to the top of the sternum and then drive the weight back up.
Make sure to choose a weight that you can control. Never bounce the bar off of your chest. If you’re bouncing the bar off of your chest, you are using more weight than you can handle and you’re setting yourself up for injury.
There’s nothing impressive about laying under the bar straining while your spotter is pulling the bar off of your chest. Your spotter is there for your safety and to help you through your sticking points. He’s not there to do his deadlift workout.
Forced Reps And Why You Shouldn’t Do Them
Years ago, I did forced reps all the time. Every exercise, every set, every day. Looking back at it now, I laugh at how little my training partners and I knew about training. I use forced reps occasionally now, but I know what I’m doing and I do them properly.
The topic of forced reps could be a whole article in itself. So, for the sake of simplicity, if you’re a beginner, I would suggest steering clear of forced reps until you become more experienced.
Next time you’re at the gym, take a look at most guys doing forced reps and you’ll see that they look much the same as they did last year and the year before. Most of them are skinny and weak and quite honestly, just don’t know what they’re doing. Forced reps are counterproductive and potentially dangerous if not done properly.
I’m sure you’ve seen it before. The guy benching has failed and yet he’s going to do 3 more “forced reps”. He has no ability to even control the weight anymore and his spotter, who’s face is beet red from straining to pull the weight off of his chest, is screaming, “It’s all you, man!”
Seriously, don’t be that guy. Push the weight until you reach positive failure and you can’t get another rep in good form. At that point, your set is done. When you become more experienced, then you can start using forced reps, rest pause, negatives and other advanced techniques. For now, just focus on form, increasing your weight and feeling the exercise in your chest.
Work Your Back
Never underestimate how much a strong back can help your bench press. The stronger your back is, the stronger your bench press will be. Do yourself a favor and don’t neglect your back training. Not only is it necessary for a balanced physique, but it will make a difference in your bench press strength.
Change Your Workout Periodically
No matter how much you love a certain bench press workout, make sure to change up your training frequently. I’ve been guilty of sticking with a training routine for too long, so I know how easy it can be to do this. Try to switch up your routine every 4-6 weeks. This will keep the body from adapting and help you continue to make gains.
Nutrition And Rest
Here’s one of the biggest, yet most overlooked, tips of all. You need to eat properly and get enough sleep. In theory, these two things probably seem the easiest to do, but this is where most trainers fail. You will never reach your full potential without proper nutrition and rest.
Do your absolute best to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night and try to eat 5-6 nutrient dense meals a day. You’ll be amazed at what these two things can do to help you build size and strength.
Always listen to your body because you know your body better than anyone. Don’t force things if they don’t feel right. It’s better to be on the safe side than to injure yourself and have to take time off of training.
Individually, some of these things may not seem like a big deal. If you’re not doing these things already, though, you may want to incorporate these bench press tips into your workout. Try these ideas out and see if they can’t help you get a bigger bench press.
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