Walk into any gym across America, and I almost guarantee someone will be doing the bench press.
The bench press is also the most widely-used barometer of upper-body strength, hands down. In addition to bragging rights, bench press performance is an important measurement in both the National Football League and National Basketball Association for testing of new athletes. Functionally, the bench press is also a great lift to strengthen and build muscles in the chest and upper arms.
“What do you bench?”
Have you been spinning your wheels? Are you benching as much as you want? Or do you think your technique needs work?
Well, here are the nine tips to help you bench a bigger weight, divided simply into three sections: the set-up, the lowering phase, and the lifting phase.
The Set-Up
1. Tighten Your Upper Back
When I stay tighten, I mean to fully retract your shoulder blades back and down.
Too many people bench with the their backs relaxed; it’s much more complex than just lying down and pushing a weight. A cue I like to use is to put my finger on the athlete’s upper spine and have them try to squeeze the hell out of my finger. That’s how your upper back should feel throughout your bench press.
2. Use Those Legs
Set up with your legs wide and resting on your toes. Often times, people bench with their legs dangling, bouncing, or – worse – resting on the bench. Don’t be that guy. Wide legs give you a firm and stable base to bench off of. And resting on your toes allows you to drive those legs during the lift.
More on that later.
3. Get A Liftoff
Get someone to help you lift the bar off the rack and into position. Not only is it a waste of energy, but pulling the bar off the rack can be quite difficult at heavier weights. Plus, in my experience, too many racks have a high lip, which means you have to lift the bar first and then pull the bar to a ready position, which can reduce the tightness in your upper back.
Decide on a cue beforehand: “I’m going to count to three and then lift off” or something like that. Remember, you’re not asking for a spot, just a liftoff.
The Lowering Phase (Eccentric Portion)
1. Pause At The Top
Once you get your liftoff, pause at the top for two or three seconds. This allows your body to sink lower into the bench, creating a firmer base to push off of. It also helps you to focus on staying tight. Only do this to start – for every other repetition, a momentary pause at the top will suffice.
2. Keep Your Chest Up
Raise your chest to meet the barbell as it descends. Don’t let your chest sink down or your shoulders round forward as you bench. In addition to being safer, it is mechanically efficient because it helps you maintain the arch that supports your press. Keeping your chest up also reduces the distance the bar has to travel allowing you to bench more weight.
3. Maintain Upper Back Tightness
Keep that upper back tight as the bar descends. If it helps, try to imagine pulling the bar apart as you lower it.
1. Squeeze The Bar
Squeeze hard and make those knuckles turn white. Squeezing the bar incorporates more muscles, which allows you to lift more weight. It also adds to your stability. Just another reason to bench press with your thumb wrapped around the barbell instead of the “suicide grip”.
2. Drive Your Legs
Contrary to popular belief, the bench press is a full-body lift. If you aren’t using your legs, you are significantly limiting the amount of weight you can lift and compromising your safety. Imagine driving your heels into the ground – it will be impossible since you are on your toes, but you must drive those legs as hard as you can. This also helps transition the weight to your upper trapezius muscles, which more-effectively supports the lift.
3. Push Fast
The emphasis must be on speed. I want you to push so fast, you might bench the barbell into orbit. Now, I’m sure you’re not actively trying to bench slowly, but by pushing quickly, you activate your nervous system to utilize more motor units. If you have difficulty with this part, try plyometric exercises similar to the bench press motion (e.g. clapping push-ups).
Try these tips the next time you bench and see what happens! Hopefully, you’ll have a much better bench press experience, push more weight, and develop more muscles.
Happy lifting!
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