Execution
- Assume a back -lying position on an exercise bench with the knees bent 90 degrees and the feet flat on the floor. The head, shoulders and buttocks should rest on the bench and there should be a slight arch in the lumbar spine.
- Position yourself so that the barbell is on the rack directly above your head.
- When you are ready, grasp the barbell and raise it off the rack or have a spotter standing behind you assist in handing it to you.
- Grip the bar with a pronated grip (palms facing away) and the hands shoulder width apart with the thumbs lined up with the outside of the shoulders.
- Press the bar up to release it and hold the barbell on extended arms with the elbows locked or fully extended. This is the start position.
- When you are ready, inhale and hold your breath as you lower the barbell until it comes close to touching the chest. At this time, keep holding your breath and push the barbell up and away from the body until you once again have fully extended arms or locked elbows.
- Exhale as you pass the most difficult portion of the up phase and pause momentarily in the straight arm position.
- Lower the barbell at a slow to moderate rate of speed and push it up at a moderate to fast rate of speed until you pass the sticking point.
- Do not stop in the bottom position; Quickly reverse directions and push the barbell up again.
Workout Tips
- Stopping at the bottom position is not recommended as it makes the exercise more difficult. Note that as the barbell comes close to the chest the muscles involved are pre-tensed and you create elastic energy which can then be used to push the weights back up by quickly changing direction. Stopping dissipates the energy and you must use extra force to get the barbell moving again. As fatigue sets in, the stopping can make the exercise especially hard and you may not be able to complete the rep or total number of reps.
- Inhaling and holding your breath during the exertion phase is extremely important for overcoming the resistance, spinal stability, and safe execution. When you hold your breath you create up to 20% greater force and the intra thoracic pressure helps keep the spine in position. The more stable you are, the the more the muscles and joints work effectively, making the exercise safer and more productive.
- Be sure that you do not hold your breath too long as you do the exercise. When the exercise is executed at a moderate rate of speed the breath holding should only be for a few seconds which is not dangerous. However if you hold your breath too long, especially when you use very heavy weights, it can cause you to black out or suddenly collapse when pushing the barbell up.
- If you find yourself struggling to get past the sticking point, begin exhaling slightly to relieve the pressure or even more effective is to have your spotter assist you to get the barbell upward. The key is to keep the barbell moving at all times and not to stop and hold in a pressing action in an attempt to keep or get the bar going.
- Be sure to exhale when you pass the sticking point (the most difficult portion of the up phase). The greater the amount of weight and the greater the tension in the muscles, the more forcefully you should exhale.
- For greater stability and force application press down with the feet as you press the barbell upward. However, do not raise the hips off the bench to arch the back. This is done to recruit more of the lower pecs rather than using the middle portion to raise the barbell. As a result you will be getting different muscular development of the chest. Also, arching of the back may predispose you to injury.
- A potentially dangerous practice is bouncing the weight off the chest to help get it started upward. Doing this can severely injury the sternum and ribs and should be avoided. Best is to reverse directions as you get close to the chest but not touching the chest. This will prevent injury and give you a greater assist in getting the barbell back up.
Major Muscles Involved
The major muscles involved are the pectoralis major (middle portion), the coracobrachialis and the anterior deltoid. The pectoralis major is a large muscle which covers the front of the chest. It has two basic sections: the upper (clavicular) and the lower (sternal) which work together but yet have separate actions. The lower clavicular and upper sternal positions are involved in the bench press. The coracobrachialis is a small muscle located deep beneath the deltoid and the pectoralis major on the front and inner side of the arm. The anterior deltoid is a triangular muscle located on the shoulder. It has three heads, one in front (anterior), one on top (medial) and one behind (posterior), the shoulder. Only the anterior and the front portion of the middle section are involved in the bench press. The triceps, which covers the entire backside of the upper arm, is involved in elbow extension. This is a secondary action as the main purpose of the exercise is to develop the pecs and anterior deltoid. The pectoralis minor (located under the pectoralis major) and the serratus anterior (located under the arm pits) play a role in pulling the scapula forward to allow the arms to be fully extended in front (i.e., so that you can push the barbell from the chest as high as possible.
Muscle and Joint Actions
The shoulder joint action involved in the bench press is horizontal adduction in which the arms move from an out-to-the-sides position to in front of the trunk. The middle pectoralis together with the anterior deltoid play the major role in moving the arms while the serratus anterior and pectoralis minor slide the scapula forward. In the arm straightening action, the forearm moves away from the upper arm. Because the triceps comes into play late in the movement it does not play an important role in regard to muscle development.
Sports Uses
The actions and muscles involved in the bench press are very important for bodybuilders in the development of the chest and front of the shoulders along with the area under the arm pits. It’s greatest value is in development of the pectoralis major (especially the outer portion and anterior deltoid). The actions and muscles involved in the bench press are very important in all sports that require reaching, pushing or side-arm throwing and striking. Thus, the exercise is important in boxing (jabbing), the martial arts (execution of various punches), football (lineman pushing or hitting with the arms and blocking), the racket sports (forehand hits), shot-put, discus throw and gymnastics (executing push-offs in floor exercises).