How to Bench Press
The bench press is one of the most basic exercises you need to practice if you want to build up and strengthen your upper body. If you know how to do this properly, you’ll find your body looking good, muscular, and well-sculpted in no time. Here’s what to do.
What You’ll Need:
Weights
Weight bench
Barbell
Spotter (especially if you’re doing this for the first time)
Drinking water
Procedure:
Get your gear ready. Check the surface and make sure it’s stable enough to support both your body and the weights you’ll be lifting. If you’re a beginner, ask a friend to stand beside you and spot you. Not only will it give you confidence, but you’ll also have someone to support you if the weight is too heavy already.
bench press
Lie down on your back on the bench, your body relaxed and in a natural position. Hold your shoulders comfortably, and make sure you have a natural spinal curve. You’re not suppose to lie completely flat, but forcing it to curve too much isn’t advisable, too. Make sure your position is comfortable and natural. Your feet must be flat on the floor, your shoulders touching the bench, and your lower back pressed into it.
Take a few deep breaths before you start. This will help you relax better.
Begin with an appropriate weight on the bar. It should be heavy enough to exercise you, but not too heavy as not to wear you out. One good idea is to bench the bar by itself for several times. Most bars already weigh 45 lbs. Once you get the hang of it, add small, 10 to 20 lbs. increments at a time, until you settle with a weight you’re comfortable with.
Make sure the bar is centered properly, and when you look upwards, you’re looking straight at the middle of it. Find the marking that indicates the bar’s center.
Position your arms straight outwards on either side of you. Bend your elbows, raising your hands upwards to touch the bar. Hold onto the bar. If you want to increase your triceps involvement, bring your grip inwards slightly. If you want to exercise your pectoral muscles more, widen your grip slightly.
Lift the bar from the rack, then bring it down to your chest, inhaling as you do so. Don’t make it bounce, or you might injure yourself. Allow it to stay there for a few seconds, then slowly lift it, extending your arms to under full extension, and exhaling as you do so.
Lower the bar again, bringing it two to three inches above the center of your chest. Reverse the direction, then lift up, making a small arc back to the bench. Do this eight times, as your first set.
Rest for a few minutes after your first set. Drink some water to rehydrate your body.
On your second set, you can add some more weight to the bar.
Some Reminders
If you think you can’t lift a heavy weight, call out to your spotter for help, so you won’t accidentally drop the bar on yourself.
Wear wrist wraps if you think your wrist is too weak.
Doing dumbbell presses is okay if you don’t have a spotter.
Use an inclined chest that puts you at a 45 degree angle, if you want a more effective chest building. You’ll see results sooner than when you use a traditional bench.
Make your chest bigger and your arms stronger with bench presses. Make sure you abide by these steps, so you’ll be safe throughout your body-building routine.