How To Bench Press

How To Bench Press

There are tonnes of different exercises to target and tone your upper body, and one of the most effective, challenging and popular exercises is the bench press.

What is a bench press?

A bench press is an upper-body exercise where you lie on your back on a bench and press a barbell (or dumbbells) away from your chest directly up into the air.

Walk into the weights section at the gym and you`re bound to see at least one person performing this popular movement. They`re a standard exercise in any powerlifting program and an effective way to build strength in your chest, shoulders and triceps.

How to perform a bench press

Upper-body workouts can be particularly challenging if you`re new to strength training. If you`re just getting started, start light and focus on form.

Before you hit the bench, make sure you`ve either picked a realistic weight OR you`ve got someone to spot you if you`re going to lift a more challenging weight.

1.Place a barbell on the rack and add any additional weight in the form of weight plates. If it`s your first time, start by using just the barbell.

2.Lie down on the bench so your head is beneath the barbell. Your eyes should be looking directly up at the bar.

3.Plant your feet on the floor on either side of the bench, or on the bench itself.

4.Place both hands on the barbell in an overhand grip (palms facing away from you), slightly wider than your shoulders. Push the bar away from you to unrack the barbell and extend your elbows to hold the barbell directly in front of your chest. This is your starting position.

5.Inhale. Bend your elbows to lower the barbell towards you until the bar touches your chest.

6.Exhale. Extend your elbows and push the barbell away from your chest to return to the starting position. Repeat for the specified number of repetitions before returning the barbell to a secure position on the rack.