Bench press from the chest, lying on a straight line or on incline bench is one of, that is strength exercises, the most effective for the integrated development of the entire musculature of the body. The main working muscles when doing the bench press are the pectoral muscles, the secondary muscles are shoulder girdle, triceps and, in part, the upper press.
Basically, the bench press is a key exercise for recruiting muscle mass in the upper body, as well as for the formation of a wide and powerful chest. Anatomically, a bench press is similar to a push-up, but the main difference is that the use of a barbell or dumbbells makes it easy to use the extra weight and load the muscles more.
How to do the bench press correctly?
Since the bench press is a sophisticated version of regular push-ups, beginners are encouraged to learn first and then move on to the chest press. Since during push-ups, the press is kept in light tension (and at the top point the exercise is repeated), the press should be tense even with the bench press.
This is one of the key points the correct technique - you should be able to lift the weight of the bar precisely due to the muscles of the chest with a tense and motionless body, and not bend and wriggle with the whole body or raise and put your legs on a bench to facilitate the exercise. Dumbbells, in turn, only make it difficult for beginners to learn the bench press technique.
Bench press: step by step execution technique
1. Lie on horizontal bench for the bench press and place your hands on the barbell. The distance between the hands should be about 55-60 cm. Make sure that the weight of the bar presses mainly on the palm, and not on the wrists, and thumb was located on top of the barbell. The bar itself should not be too high in the palm of your hand.
2. Bring the shoulder blades together (imagine that you are trying to pinch a pencil between them), then press them against the bench, and then remove the bar from the holders. Borrow starting position- arms extended upwards are perpendicular to the bench, elbows are fixed. Tighten your abs and arch your back slightly. The bar is at the top, exactly along the line of the eyes.
3. Keeping your shoulder blades together, push your chest forward. To do this, keeping your buttocks pressed against the bench, arch your lower back and twist your ribcage upward. This will stretch the pectoral muscles, thus increasing the range of motion and increasing the effectiveness of the exercise. However, don't bend over too much.
4. Keep your feet flat on the floor at knee level with your feet slightly apart. Never put your feet on the bench or lift them into the air. Make sure that the heel does not come off the floor when squeezing the bar. The legs should provide some kind of support and support, while helping to keep the core muscles in static tension.
5. It is necessary to lower and raise the barbell when pressing from the chest at a slight incline. Lowering the bar vertically downward creates excessive stress on the ligaments, which can easily cause injury to the shoulder and elbow joints. At the lowest point of movement, be careful that the bar does not "spring" on the chest, but only slightly touches it.
6. Observe the position of the elbows at the lowest point of the trajectory. The ideal angle is about 75 degrees. In fact, the elbows should neither be pressed against the body (this impairs the mechanics of movement), nor should they be abducted perpendicularly to the sides (which, in turn, is extremely traumatic). Remember to keep your wrists from wringing.
7. At the top of the bench press movement, hold the bar only on straight arms with your elbows locked. Falling forward or backward is injurious. That is why it is important not to rush to increase the weight - if you cannot "catch" the correct technique, first learn to fix your elbows with an empty bar.
8. If you train without or a belaying partner, be sure to do the bench press in a special frame with restraints. Otherwise, if you cannot hold back excessively heavy barbell, you risk not only dislocating your shoulder joint, but also breaking your face or even breaking your chest.
Bench press for girls
Due to the peculiarities of the structure of the spine, it is much more difficult for girls to maintain the constant tension of the body, which is so necessary for correct execution bench press lying. That is why, before doing this exercise, they are advised to do 2-3 warm-up sets of planks on outstretched arms and 2-3 sets of slow push-ups from the floor.
Also, girls (just like beginners) are not recommended to perform "specific" variations of the bench press on the fitball, with their legs raised upside down, and so on. It is important to first learn the correct technique of the classic barbell press from the chest on a straight bench, and only then move on to dumbbells and, since this only complicates the mechanics of the movement.
How to breathe correctly on the bench press?
Unlike most others physical exercise, in which, during the bench press, it is important to remember that it is strictly forbidden to exhale air at the lowest point of movement. Essentially, by emptying your lungs, you provoke a decrease in chest volume and reduce the level of tension in the core muscles.
A chest full of air will not only provide additional stretching to the pectoral muscles, but will also help keep the shoulder blades brought together, which, again, will make it easier to keep the core muscles tense. It is necessary to exhale during the chest press at the top of the trajectory - however, it is important not only to empty the lungs, but only to gain some new air.
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With the correct technique for the bench press, the legs should be firmly on the floor, allowing the abdominal and core muscles to be kept in static tension. The shoulder blades are brought together, the chest is put forward, the back maintains a slight deflection (however, the pelvis does not come off the bench at the same time). The bar is lowered down slowly and slightly diagonally, and the exhalation occurs at the top of the trajectory.
A popular exercise is one of the 3 basic exercises included in the program of powerlifting competitions. If professional athletes know the nuances of the bench press technique and perform it correctly, it is important for visitors to fitness rooms to work out the movements under the guidance of a trainer or thoroughly study the recommendations.
Bench press is effective for training:
- pectoralis major muscle;
- deltoids;
- triceps;
- the broadest back.
Additionally work: rhomboid, brachioradial, long back.
Despite the simplicity, due to incorrect movements, almost all the load from the hands can be shifted to the chest. In this case, the triceps are assigned the role of stabilizers. To control the process, we act according to the following algorithm.
If the training takes place without partner's insurance, we work in a frame.
Execution technique
To correctly do the bench press with a barbell on a horizontal bench, you must follow the execution technique.
- We expose the racks at chest height.
- We settle down on a horizontal bench. We firmly fix the feet to the floor, press the shoulder blades and lower back to the surface.
- We grab the bar with both hands so that the thumb looks up. The distance between the palms is up to 60 cm.
- Remove the neck from the clips. We stretch our arms perpendicular to the floor, fix the elbows. The bending angle of the joints is approximately 75 degrees. In order not to disrupt the mechanics of movements, we do not press them to the sides, but we also do not spread them widely.
- We bring the bar up to the line of the eyes. To increase the amplitude, move the chest forward.
- We make the movements at a slight diagonal slope. We do not linger for a second at the lower and upper points, squeezes the bar until the elbows are straightened. We lower it until it touches the chest.
- In the classic version, work on a horizontal bench is provided.
- The projectile is held exclusively at outstretched arms.
- In the negative phase, the bar hangs over the chest, after a second pause, it flies up again.
- If in the frame the arms move strictly vertically, on the bench - along the trajectory of an arc from the chest to the line of the eyes.
Technique for performing a bench press on video:
Press with touch
Differs in one caveat. After lowering to the stop, the bar is squeezed out in one breath, bypassing the delay at the bottom point.
Smith Machine Bench Press
Great for:
- girls who want to improve the shape of their breasts;
- beginners;
- athletes after rehabilitation.
Although advanced athletes prefer to exercise on the bench, the machine is good way to diversify the program no risk of injury.
Incline Bench Press
Depending on the degrees of inclination, it works on the upper and lower sections of the chest. The higher the angle of inclination, the greater the local load on the large round muscle.
Tacking the width of the grip, you can purposefully distribute the voltage:
- with a wide hand position the center of the chest is pumped;
- - triceps bundles and deep breasts.
Lowering the barbell to different zones- upper, central, lower, you can stimulate the growth of muscle volumes.
Grip principles: with straight brushes
The palms are clenched on the bar into a fist, the thumb is directed forward. This type is effective for a number of reasons:
- it is more convenient to control movements;
- keep your elbows static.
Wherein reduced risk of injury, since the load is concentrated on the joints, not the ligaments. Less technology- wide amplitude.
With bent hands
There are 2 versions:
- the bar lies close to the wrist or is at the base of the fingers that only support the bar;
- the palm is not clenched into a fist, the thumb is directed to the side.
In the first option:
- the amplitude is reduced;
- the mobility of the wrist joint allows you to choose the optimal position of the elbows;
- the likelihood of dislocation decreases.
Minus- the principle is more suitable for tall people... With a wide setting of the arms (up to 85 cm), it is difficult to keep the elbows close to the body.
Second option has the same advantages, but it has more disadvantages:
- ligaments are at risk;
- it is difficult to control movements, so a heavy barbell often turns to the side.
We do 7-10 repetitions in 4 sets, for weight gain — 7-8 x 2.
We train 1 time in 5 days... If the technique breaks down in the last repetitions, we lose weight.
The bench press is one of the three main powerlifting exercises that must be included in the competition program.
The order of execution is as follows: the athlete takes a lying position on a special bench, takes the barbell from the stand and lowers it until it touches chest, and then raises until the arms are fully extended in elbow joints... After completing the exercise, the bar returns to the rack. It is more traumatic than squats and deadlifts, since the barbell is not a projectile that can be thrown if mistakes are made during execution. For this reason, the bench press with a serious load is performed only in power frame or subject to the support of the insurers. Depending on the mass sports equipment it can be as one person or several.
In the process of execution, the following muscle groups are used:
- large chest;
- deltoid;
- triceps shoulders (triceps);
- broadest muscle back.
The bench press is popular today. But athletes who can perform it on professional level, not so much. Only a combination of the right technique and a competent training program guarantees the achievement of good results.
How to do the bench press correctly:
As noted earlier, the bench press is basic exercise... It involves several muscle groups and types of joints. Therefore, before starting, it is necessary to warm up to prepare them for the load. In the training program for the bench press, you can include push-ups on the uneven bars, which, with experience, can be complicated by using additional weight, dumbbell press in a normal lying position and on an incline bench. If in the process you do not experience any uncomfortable sensations, then you can start performing the exercise itself.
Bench press lying: technique and order of execution
It is worth starting to study the technique with a bench press in a lying position. Before starting the exercise, it is recommended to consult with a trainer. If you did the study on your own, then during the first lesson it is worth asking a more trained colleague in the gym to supervise the process.
Powerlifting Bench Press Technique
The fingers of our hands are wrapped around the bar recumbent on the racks, while thumbs are located in the lock around the neck. Athletes usually use two types of grip wide - 81 cm, average 70 - 75 cm, in the first case, the pectoral muscles work more, in the second case, the triceps and the front part work more deltoid muscle... The choice depends on the length of the arms and the potential of the muscles, this is individual for everyone, but there is one important detail, the wider the grip, the shorter the barbell path, so the choice is obvious. An important aspect press is speed, you need to try to lower and squeeze the barbell as quickly as possible, but at the same time control its movement.
We remove the barbell, slightly raising the pelvis, bring it forward and lower it on straight arms as low as possible, bringing the shoulder blades lowering the shoulders, then lowering ourselves with the bench basin. Our legs should be as close as possible to our pelvis, we should stand firmly on our feet and only touch the bench with the buttocks, while the muscles of the legs are in a tense state, this technique allows us to stabilize the whole body, and achieve more effective work of our muscles participating in the exercise. The more our back arches, the shorter the barbell travel and less physical effort. The height of the bridge is not limited by the competition rules but only depends on our flexibility in the lumbar and thoracic regions.
Bench press in bodybuilding
If your goal is to gain muscle mass using the bench press, then you should not use a powerlifting technique, namely, you should not use the arch in the lower back (bridge).
By making a bridge in the bench press, you simplify the exercise, the range of motion is shortened, and the load is mixed on the lower pectorals and triceps, thereby making the exercise easier for your pectoral muscles. The grip should be medium or slightly wider than the average, so that the amplitude is maximum. The speed of the barbell movement, in contrast to the lift technique, is average.
There are key points to keep in mind when doing the bench press:
- The weight of the bar is increasing little by little;
- The use of an open grip is prohibited due to the high degree of trauma;
- It is required to determine the ideal grip width: in the lower part of the projectile, the elbows are clearly perpendicular
- Do not bend your wrists too much when pressing.
Meeting this minimum list of requirements will protect against injury during exercise.
Main types:
There are several types of bench press. Some of them are used in powerlifting in the form additional exercises, the purpose of which is the development of poorly involved muscle groups. An exercise is classified in several directions:
1. Depending on the position of the body:
- performed on a horizontal bench (classic bench press);
Performed on an incline bench. It is divided into two types. In the first case, the head is located above the legs, in the second, on the contrary. The difference lies in the strength of the load on the various groups of the pectoral muscles.
2. Depending on the width of the grip:
- in the case of using a wide bench press, the load is concentrated on the pectoral muscles;
In the case of using a narrow bench press, it is transferred to the triceps muscles of the shoulders and the anterior bundle of the deltoid muscle.
3. Depending on the sports equipment used:
- barbell use (classic bench press);
- the use of dumbbells. In this case, the pectoral muscles are especially actively loaded.
4. Depending on the technique used:
- press to "touch" implies that the press of the bar from the chest occurs immediately after it touches the bar. This subspecies is used more often during training;
- pause press, which is used as part of the competition program. After the bar touches the chest, the athlete must wait for the referee's signal for raising.
- press or bar press
5. Depending on the use of equipment:
- without having one;
- with the use of special items of equipment, which include T-shirts, wristbands and a number of other aids.
6. Depending on the type of equipment used, among which stands out:
- horizontal / inclined bench;
- power frame (does not require a safety net);
- Smith simulator.
If you are a beginner and have not yet chosen a bench press program for yourself, I recommend doing bench press twice a week, the first is heavy, the second is light. On the day of hard training: 5 sets of 5-6 times, in percentage it is 70-80% of maximum weight which you can lift at one time. On an easy day: 3 sets of 8-10 reps (50%).
Bench Press Training Program for Beginners
| 1 day | 1) push-ups on the uneven bars 3x10 without weights 2) bench press 5x5 (70-80%) 3) squats with a barbell 3x10 4) press |
| 2nd day | recreation |
| Day 3 | 1) speed bench press 4x15 (40-50%) 2) thrust on the block horizontally 3x8 3) thrust on the block vertically 3x8 4) press |
| 4th day | recreation |
| Day 5 | 1) front squats 4x6 2) bench press 3x8 (60%) 3) isolating exercise of choice 4) press |
| 6th day | recreation |
| Day 7 | 1) speed bench press 4x10 (40%) 2) push-ups on the uneven bars with weights 4x8 3) laying dumbbells lying 3x8 4) press |
| 2 days of rest and a new circle, 3 months and the program can be changed |
My compliments, dear readers! Today I am glad to present to your attention another “tasty” article, which will be devoted to such an exercise as the bench press. I think that many beginners have a disagreement with him, and therefore there is nothing easier than telling you about mistakes in its implementation, the correct technique and, of course, how you can increase your "bench" indicators. We will talk about this and many other things in our article.
So let's start our story.
Bench Press Theory and Practice
What do you think is the most popular exercise in any gym? That's right, bench press. Almost any more or less experienced athlete does it, and beginners are just delighted with it. I don’t know about you, but in our rocking chair you are constantly boiling near the bench with a barbell. All literally vying with each other line up in order to make the cherished bench press. But these are still flowers, the berries begin when you see that almost everyone has their own unique technique for performing it. Sometimes you look like this and think to yourself: “but the men don’t know” :).
Indeed, the massiveness and popularity to some extent left an imprint on this exercise. After all, it seems that if it is massive, then everything is simple - press yourself and press, and you don't need to know any special technique, but this is far from the case.
Many people, initially coming to the gym, immediately lay down the wrong technique for performing the bench press, make mistakes and pull all this “baggage of knowledge” with them until someone directs them on the true path. For many, this exercise is very difficult, i.e., for example, only the pectoral muscle should work, and everyone gets the load, but not it. Many have to deliberately abandon this exercise and wait for "better times". Here there can be only one way out - initially (thoroughly) to understand all the subtleties and nuances of the exercise and tell yourself that you are doing everything right. Well, let's go to educate.
Anatomical atlas
We have already casually talked about the bench press, for example, in the article. However, our story was superficial and, so to speak, for show (damn it, burned). Today we will catch up and find out everything possible and impossible about this most massive exercise exercise, of all times and peoples.
And we will start, as usual, with a theory.
Bench press is basic polyarticular exercise with a free weight that is best suited for developing strength and increasing muscle mass in the upper body. The main load falls on the pectoralis major muscle, additional triceps and deltoids receive.
In bodybuilding, there are different options bench press, for example:
- Classical;
It is done lying on your back on a horizontal bench. Starting position - the bar is held strictly on outstretched arms. The lowering occurs before touching the chest, and then the bar (after a short pause) again squeezed out on outstretched arms.
- Press "in touch";
After the barbell has lightly touched the chest, it instantly moves upward powerfully.
- Bench press;
The athlete takes a position inside the power rack. The initial position of the bar is located on the restraints set at chest levels. Usually this option is used if the athlete has a specific injury that limits the range of motion of the projectile, or when there is no supporting partner nearby.
- Press in the Smith machine;
Runtime errors
Of course, as in any exercise, quite a lot of mistakes are made in the bench press, therefore, knowing the "enemy in the face", you will no longer have to think about them. So, let's start in order, I made the top 7 mistakes that everyone who crossed the threshold of the simulator and lay down on the bench made.
Mistake # 1. Bad warm-up
Very often, many people neglect the warm-up, thinking that this is a useless activity that does not bring any benefit, except for a waste of time and effort. So, if you "hammer" in the warm-up, especially before serious multi-joint exercises, then you are guaranteed unpleasant consequences. Therefore, thoroughly heat the skillet of the muscles of the upper shoulder girdle and lumbar, because they have to experience a serious burden.
Mistake # 2. Wrong grip
If you are working with small "bench weights", then the "open" grip (the thumb joins the rest) can be quite used. With an increase in the weight of the projectile, it is necessary to use only the “closed” grip (the bar is in the ring between the fingers).
Mistake number 3. Self-removal of the rod from the racks
Many very often (especially in the last difficult approaches) try to independently remove the barbell from the racks and bring it to the chest. It is highly undesirable to do so, tk. for muscles, taking off under weight is an extremely unnatural and traumatic movement.
Mistake # 4. I am "pavement"
Most novice athletes, when performing a bench press, stand in the so-called lotus position "bridge" (lifting the pelvis from the bench and bending up the lower back). This technique reduces the amplitude of movement of the projectile and simplifies the exercise, but if you have weak muscles back, it could cause injury.
Mistake # 5. "Lone wolf"
Not everyone in the gym has an insurance partner. However, when working even with moderate weights, it is extremely necessary. A partner will always help you in difficult times and take off a heavy burden from you.
Mistake # 6. Partner incompetence
It happens very often that there is a partner, but his qualifications are poor. Incorrectly performing the insurance or clicking ... mmm ... face the moment of rendering assistance, the partner can only harm you. Therefore, either the "insurer" is experienced, or the chest is resting today.
Mistake # 7. Spring
Very often, many beginners use the trampoline or spring technique. It consists in the fact that when lowering the bar, they slightly spring by "pressing" the chest. So, doing this is not only wrong, but also dangerous, because you can latently get microcracks in the ribs.
Actually, these are the main errors that occur when executing bench press.
Execution technique
At first glance, it might seem that squeezing the barbell is probably the simplest movement in bodybuilding. And the truth is, what is difficult, I lay down more comfortably and "pressed" harder. However, in reality, everything is much more complicated, because in order to correctly perform this multi-joint exercise, you need to know the physiological foundations of muscle work. We will just talk about them further, but first ...
I would like to say that the bench press is an exercise that attracts the most spectators in the rocking chair, when someone does it and takes a more or less decent weight, the whole audience freezes in anticipation with thoughts - will they take it or not? And if the declared weight is conquered, it seriously increases your rating in the eyes of fellow iron and adds a myriad of karma points to your piggy bank.
So, let's move on to theoretical practice.
Doing any exercise (even isolated), at least two muscles are always involved in the work. In turn, they are all divided into: synergists and antagonists. The flexor muscles of the limb are antagonists in relation to the extensor muscles. Synergists are those muscles that work in one direction.
Note:
Muscles are antagonists: biceps-triceps, latissimus dorsi-pectoralis.
When performing any movement, the muscles work not only in their usual physiological modes, but also in a specific mode - they develop a static effort. Those. they help to perform the exercise technically correctly, stabilizing the position different parts body.
Muscles participate in work in different ways and take on the load - some more, some less, in other words, the muscles by the nature of the work performed can be divided into:
- main driving units (ND / VD);
- technical units (C).
The former include the muscles that make the greatest contribution to the developed strength effort of the exercise, these are the so-called main / direct movers (ND). Also, the first include auxiliary movers (VD) - synergistic muscles that work in the same direction with the main muscles and help move the limb.
The second include stabilizers (C) - they help to technically perform the movement correctly, fixing the posture and position of various parts of the body with powerful efforts.
By understanding which muscles are the foundation of the exercises, it will be easier for you to perform them. In addition, you can pick up best exercises to develop the muscle groups you need. Because our task for today is to learn how to technically correctly and correctly perform the bench press, so the following image (clickable),demonstrating muscles and exercises, the role of which is especially great when performing a bench press, will come in handy.
By doing the exercises above, you will powerfully develop an anatomical atlas of the muscles involved in the bench press, ultimately allowing you to increase your muscle size and strength.
Well, now let's move on directly to the technical part.
Let me tell you a secret secret. In the bench press, I always had a rather weak feeling of the pectoral muscles, i.e. no, my triceps or shoulders did not get tired, I just felt that the chest "phylony". Of course, the first thing I did was to pay attention to the technique again and make some adjustments, and my second step was to work out the main and auxiliary motive muscles.
So, with regard to the correct technique for performing the classic bench press with a free weight, it looks like this.
In motion so ...
- Stop position ( 1 )
The strength of the entire exercise depends on how the athlete lies down and what position his feet will take. It is necessary to place your feet rather wide (shoulder-width apart) and firmly fix them on the floor. They shouldn't crawl when you squeeze the weight. Press them firmly into the floor throughout the exercise. The muscles of the thighs and buttocks are tense, they should lift you slightly from the bench, but the pelvis should not come off. It is necessary to bend well in the lower back. Lock yourself in this tense position.
- Grip ( 2 )
Grasp the bar with a wide (closed) grip. Often there are special notches on the neck to more accurately determine the position of the grip width, but it should be understood that they are not universal and are only suitable for “standard” guys. In general, the width depends on your height, structure shoulder joints, arm lengths and so on. In the grip, it is best to focus on the verticality of the forearms at the lowest point of the trajectory. Keep the bar as close to the base of your hand as possible, and do not let it fall to the base of your fingers. Squeeze the barbell with sufficient force. Keep your elbows strictly under the bar. The pressing movement occurs in one plane.
- Boom position ( 3 )
The guideline for lowering the barbell may not serve as a specific section of the sternum. (most often, middle), but an imaginary line connecting your elbows. The wider the elbows are, the closer to the face is. Lowering the bar should be slower than squeezing it out. At the lowest point of the trajectory, it is necessary to make a distinct second pause. The barbell is squeezed out on exhalation (on inhalation - lowering) powerful effort of the entire musculature.
- Look and head ( 4 )
Do not twist your head or lift the back of your head from the bench - this can provoke a rounding of everything spinal column and the weakening of the bench in general. Before removing the bar from the racks: bring your shoulder blades together, lower your shoulders and tighten your neck muscles by moving your head back. Direct your gaze strictly to the center of the neck, and not to the passing c.
Note:
The absolute world "bench press" record (in equipment) belongs to the American Tiny Meeker, it is fixed at the mark 488,5 kg in 2013 year. Russian falcon Vladimir Kravtsov squeezed (without equipment) a barbell 303, 5 kg and thus established (in 2011 year) absolute record Russia and Europe in the bench press.
Now that you have a general idea of the technique of performing the exercise, it's time to get acquainted with the various options for the bench press.
Variations
By changing the grip and using different angles of the bench, you can work out different muscle groups. For example, the following options for performing the bench press are possible.
Option number 1. Press with a narrow grip
When pressing with a narrow grip ( 1 ) the emphasis is shifted to the study of the triceps. The palms are spaced about 10 cm apart. When pressing with a narrow grip, you can lower your elbows down (that is, so that they slide along the body), or you can spread them to the sides.
Option number 2. Reverse grip press
Taking the barbell with your palms facing you, the focus shifts to the top of the chest and the pectoral muscles are more effective (on 25% ) are included in the work.
Option number 3. Reverse bench press
The "upside-down" press works more on the lower chest and, thanks to the shortened amplitude, allows the use of more solid (in comparison with the classics) working weight.
Uff-f, it seems, most of the become mastered, but that's not all, because for dessert I have prepared something else tasty.
How to increase bench press performance?
What gym dweller doesn't want to increase his bench press. I, at least in my lifetime, have not yet met such. If an athlete manages to harness a lot of weight, then a muscular torso is just his sentence. However, many, no matter how they try, cannot add even a few tens of grams to the barbell, not to mention more intelligible weights.
The whole point here is that most often an athlete relies on intuition and maybe Russian, like: “what if I try, suddenly it will turn out to take more”. Such an approach in such a responsible matter is completely unacceptable. To complete the task, firstly, you need to understand that even if you do not naturally have a massive pectoral muscle, you can still push large weights... To do this, you just need to correctly apply efforts and use not only the main, but also all the auxiliary muscles in the work. As soon as the “starting pivot point” has been created, you will immediately notice an increase in the working scale.
Start exercise
To powerfully and effectively push the projectile from the chest, it is necessary to train the legs. At first glance, this may seem like complete absurdity, but only at first glance. Here the whole point is that at the lowest point your body looks like a spring, the potential energy of which is in your legs. If you have weak legs, then this spring will “barely” unclench, and you can simply forget about large working weights in the bench press and a powerful push from the chest. Therefore, strengthen the bottom (legs) by doing and, as well as the muscles of the core.
The foundation
From the outside it may seem that all the "rough" work in the bench is performed only by the pectoral muscles and arms. This is not entirely true. As soon as you train your lower body and begin to use it in the exercise, your back muscles will immediately come into play. They will accelerate the upward movement of the bar and contribute to a more powerful push.
Therefore, develop your back muscles by doing various rows for block trainers and free weight (T-bar). Check out the article and include this exercise in your back training arsenal.
Stability and shoulders
Develop your own pace and rhythm of the barbell movement and stick to it. Perform all movements clearly and under control, do not rush anywhere. Developed shoulders are your lifesaver when working with serious weights. After all, it is they who help to maintain a stable high tonnage and protect other muscles from injury.
The best way to strengthen the shoulders is army press standing.
Completion of movement
In fact, the bench press is nothing more than a lowering down and lifting / pressing the projectile to the top point. If your triceps are weak (in particular its long head), then exactly "pushing" the barbell to the top will be problematic for you. So train long head French press and with a narrow grip, do different extensions on the blocks, all this will allow you to "pull" large weights.
Remember, if the bench press does not work, then once again go over all these points, maybe you missed something. In addition to the basic rules, take note of the following:
- strong grip;
Grip the neck firmly, pretend you want to leave your fingerprints on it.
- Make the most of your strong muscle groups and reduce the involvement of the weak.
Most often, the bar stops at the point where the action strong muscles ends and weak muscles are included in the work. By varying the width of the grip, you can easily find the optimal point of application of force.
- lowering and raising the bar;
After removing the barbell from the racks, do not "hang" with it, but immediately do the exercise. Drive the bar in a straight line, because this is the shortest distance between 2 points.
- the optimal number of approaches and repetitions;
Do not do too few or, conversely, too many sets and reps. 6-10 repetitions in 3-4 approaches - for weight gain and 2-5 repetitions in 6-8 approaches to strength.
- chest workout once in 5 days, no more 2 days in a row;
Do not “hammer” your chest anymore. 2 once a week, because in addition to the specific recovery of the muscle group, there should also be a systemic one - rest of the whole body and the central nervous system from training.
- work on the technique;
Hone the technique of movement and do not weaken the form of the exercise. If you begin to notice that in the last repetitions there is no technique at all, this is an excuse to unload the bar. Work with moderate weights, but in a “strict” technique.
- brain power;
The mental attitude towards weight is also important. Concentrate and visualize in your mind how you are doing the bench press. Creative visualization is a representation of the ultimate positive result and scrolling the picture in my head. Imagine the picture first, and then transfer it to reality. Let your brain squeeze out a lot of weight first, and your body will soon follow suit.
So, we have analyzed the main chips that will help you to “push” well. However, there is more to come.
If your goal is to maximize your bench press progress, then the next training plan will come in handy for you.
You need, first of all, to define your “extremum” in the bench press, ie. the weight that you can make strictly on 1 once. For this, the following formula may well be suitable.
Itself training program, which should prepare you for performing a steep bench press, will look like this ().
Actually, this is probably all, otherwise I can already see how you “noddle” :).
Afterword
So our next titanic work called bench press has come to its logical conclusion. I think you have learned a lot today, and you are already eager to try it all out in practice, i.e. in the gym. Well, I dare not detain you, my dears, see you in the rocking chair!
PS. If you have any questions or something does not work out in the bench press, write them in the comments, we will be happy to sort it out!
Greetings, dear readers! Today I would like to reveal a rather interesting topic - the bench press technique. This is a fairly popular exercise, but at the same time, many make certain mistakes. This results in less effective pursuits, and sometimes to injury. Therefore, especially for you, I will share in this article tips and tricks for this basic exercise.
What muscles develop with the bench press
This type of exercise is most suitable for those looking to develop upper body strength and muscles. The greatest slope goes to the pectoralis major muscle. Triceps and deltoids also develop. You yourself can choose the priority for the development of certain parts of the body. Using wide grip, you are focusing on working out the middle of the chest. And the use of a narrow grip gives an emphasis on the inner part of the chest. In addition, you can avoid stagnation in muscle growth by lowering the bar to different parts of the chest - bottom, middle, top.
Bench press technique and its main types
There are various exercise options that are often bodybuilding related:
- Classic. Lie on your back on a horizontal bench. Raise the bar with outstretched arms - this is the starting position. Then lower it down to touching the chest and after a short pause squeeze to the starting position;
- Into the touch. " It is performed in a similar manner to the classics. The difference is that after touching the chest, the barbell instantly rises powerfully to the top, without a pause;
- "Bench press". It is often used if there is no support partner or the performer has a minor injury. The position is in the power frame. The bar is located on the restraints set at the level of the chest. Then, the barbell is lifted and returned to the starting position.
I note that these are the most popular and effective types bench press.
Common mistakes
- Poor or no warm-up. Many consider it a waste of time and jump straight to the power press. This is the wrong approach - a warm-up is always a must, especially if you plan to work hard;
- Some beginners, when performing the exercise, lift the pelvis from the surface, bending up the lower back. This makes the exercise easier and less effective. But if you have relatively weak back muscles, it can lead to injury. Therefore, if it is too hard, then it is better to reduce the load;
- Often, beginners use the so-called spring technique. Its essence is that by lowering the barbell, the athlete lightly "springs" his chest with a push. This can lead to micro cracks in the ribs. So be careful;
- Wrong grip. Many people use the so-called open grip - when the thumb is next to the rest. In fact, this grip can only be used if you are working with light weight. Otherwise, you need to do the bench press so that the bar is in the ring of fingers.
How to do it right
First, let's talk about the primary position. Feet must be widely spaced at shoulder level and well fixed. They should not move during class. Therefore, press them firmly into the floor. Muscle groups the thighs and buttocks should be tense, but they should not lift the pelvis from the bench.
Lock in this position.
Then grab the bar with a closed grip. Sometimes the fretboard may have notches to define the width of the grip. However, it should be understood that this is quite individual and should come from your arm length, height, and location of your shoulder joints. The bar should not be allowed to fall to the base of the fingers.
It must be held close to the base of the palm.
Incline press
Some people prefer to use incline press... In this mode, the deltas and upper pectoral muscles receive more load. At the same time, significantly goes less load on the triceps.
How is this style done? The athlete sits on an incline bench at an angle of 30-40 degrees. The bar should be lighter than when classic exercises... Otherwise, the technique is the same as described above.
What conclusions follow
As I noted, bench press is very popular and many people are engaged in these workouts. However, not knowing some of the nuances and lack of professional sports nutrition reduces the effectiveness of exercise, and sometimes leads to unpleasant injuries.
I hope that this article will help you learn these nuances and significantly improve your performance, while increasing your safety while doing it.
By the way, the bench press is one of the exercises in the powerlifting competition program. Therefore, it is difficult to overestimate its importance in modern sports.
Well, now let's move on from theory to practice - show what you are capable of in the gym. Follow the tips, develop and be stronger! Well, and on this I say goodbye to you. Don't forget to subscribe to my blog - next I have some great ideas for the following articles. See you on my blog virtual pages!