bench press

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A soldier (lying down) performs a bench press with a spotter

The bench press is a strength training exercise. While lying on his back, the person performing the bench press lowers a weight to the level of the chest, then pushes it back up until the arm is straight and the elbows locked (or close to this position). The exercise focuses on the development of the pectoralis major muscle as well as other supporting muscles including the anterior deltoids, serratus anterior, coracobrachialis, and the triceps. The bench press is one of the three lifts in the sport of powerlifting and is used extensively in weight training, bodybuilding and other types of fitness training to develop the chest.

Form

A specific form to the bench press reduces the chance of injury and maximally challenges the muscles of the chest. A barbell bench press starting position has the weight lifter lying on a bench, with the shoulder blades pinched together to create a stable, solid base for the press, also used in powerlifting to reduce the range of motion. The weight lifter keeps his or her feet flat on the ground or at end of the bench, with the buttocks always in contact with the bench. Powerlifters will arch their back to provide greater stability and to reduce their range of motion allowing them to move more weight. The weight lifter grips the bar with his or her hands equidistant from the center, with the elbows bent to 90° and the elbows beneath the wrists. Movement of the weights starts by lifting the bar off the pins, and lowering it until it touches the chest. After the bar has met the chest it is important to pause before moving in the upward position and not to allow the bar to bounce off the chest, as doing this could result in injury. After allowing the pause, the weight lifter then pushes the bar off his or her chest, terminating when the arms are straight, at which point the weight lifter can lower the bar again. After the desired number of repetitions, the weight lifter returns the bar to the pins. Because the load on the bar above the chest can be heavy, a spotting partner increases the safety of the movement.^[1]

Muscles

A generic bench press utilizes pectoralis major, anterior deltoid, long head of biceps brachii and coracobrachialis to flex the shoulder. It also uses predominately triceps brachii and anconeous to produce elbow extension. Wider hand spacing creates larger emphasis on shoulder flexion and narrower hand spacing utilises more elbow extension. Because of this a wider spacing is associated with working pectorals and narrower hand spacing is associated with working triceps.

In addition to the major phasic (dynamic) muscles the bench press also uses tonic (stabilising) muscles: scapular stabilisers (serratus anterior, middle and inferior trapezius), humeral head stabilisers (rotator cuff muscles), and core (transverse abdominis, obliques, multifidus, erector spinae, quadratus lumborum)

Variations

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Bench press works primarily to build the chest. Variations work different subgroups of muscles, or work the same muscles in different ways:

Angle

A weight lifter can bench press on a flat bench, incline, or decline

• The flat bench press works the mid portion of the pectoralis major muscle as well as the anterior deltoid muscle. If the term 'bench press' is used, it is generally assumed to be a flat bench press.
• An incline elevates the shoulders and lowers the pelvis as if reclining in a chair; this variation works the upper portion of the chest and deltoid. This is referred to as an incline press or incline bench press. Anecdotally this emphasises the upper fibres of the pectorials and middle deltoid.
• A decline bench press elevates the pelvis and lowers the head, and works the lower portion of the chest and deltoid.^[2] This is called a decline press or decline bench press.

Stability

A lifter can do certain things to destabilize their lifting. Examples include lifting on a swiss ball, using dumbbells instead of a barbell, or not using the legs to stabilize oneself on the bench. Narrowing the leg position or bringing the feet onto the bench are other examples of ways a lifter can destabilize the movement, and lessen the amount of weight they can safely press.

Hand position

• Varying the width of the grip can shift stress between pectorals and triceps. A wide grip focuses on the pectorals. A narrow, shoulder width grip focuses more on the triceps.
• Using different lifting implements can alter the stress on a lifter's grips, a lifter can extend or flex the wrist while lifting.

Chains and bands

A lifter can use chains and bands to increase their bench press (much like other lifts). This is popular amongst those training for powerlifting. These give a 'resistance curve' where it is harder to lock out the press. This is achieved by the stretching of bands or the lifting of chains, increasing the resistance as the lift progresses. It allows a lifter to bypass weakness in the muscle while stretched and to focus on lockout strength, primarily a triceps issue.

Possible injuries

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Incorrect form may lead to multiple types of injuries:

• Torn ligaments/tendons in shoulders.
• Back injuries due to bridging, which is the arching of the lower back turning the bench press into the decline press. To prevent bridging, compress the stomach muscles to force the lower back down, or bring legs up and lie flat on the bench.
• Injuries to the trapezius muscle.
• Elbow/wrist strains.
• Cracked or broken ribs, usually the result of bouncing the bar off of the chest to add momentum to the lift or a loss of strength causing the bar to fall onto the chest.
• Distal clavicular osteolysis : bone spur or erosion at the end of the clavicle. Athletes suffering from this condition should avoid doing bench presses.^[3]

See also

• Press up
• Progression of the bench press world record

Notes

External links

• Bench Press instructional video at GymJunkies
• Bench Press at ExRx
• Bench press records
• French Benchpress Hall of Fame and Database (15000+ athletes) at Club150kg