What muscles work in the bench press exercise

»Basic: large chest

» Auxiliary: triceps, deltas

How to do a bench press

Good day, dear readers. So we got to the most popular and probably basic exercise for developing the pectoral muscles - bench press lying on a horizontal bench.

And let's look at exercises from a bodybuilding point of view, and not from the supply of powerlifting or other power sports style. After all, there are many differences in the technique of performing the exercise. Our main pursued goal is.

How the horizontal bench press looks like in motion

Technique

Back position. Setting a goal for yourself with a press on a horizontal bench, you need to concentrate the load on the target muscles for which this exercise is intended - on the pectorals. Therefore, never bridge with your back. You shouldn't bend in the lumbar region. So you will simplify the work of the pectoral muscles, the lower pectorals and triceps will begin to turn on to a greater extent.

Your task is to make the exercises heavier for yourself. You should press the buttocks and lower back to the bench, as an option, you can put your legs on the bench, so the gap between the lower back and the bench will decrease significantly.

Grip width. With a narrow setting of the arms, triceps are included in the work, if taken wider - the chest. But there is a nuance, a wide stance of the arms shortens the amplitude of the barbell movement for us. If the amplitude of movement is reduced, the work of the pectoral muscles also decreases. You need to strive to take the bar as narrowly as possible in order to increase the amplitude, but not so narrowly that the triceps are included in the work and it will look like . That is, you are looking for the optimal grip width. This position is often slightly wider than shoulder width apart.

Work inside the amplitude. One of the important technical nuances of the bench press is working with a weight in the middle of the amplitude. What does it mean? When lifting, you do not need to fully unbend your elbows. Thus, we will remove unnecessary load from the triceps and will not tire them. At the top point, the bar does not reach the end, this gives a constant muscle tension in the target pectoral muscle.

The trajectory of the movement of the bar. When performing a bench press, the bar can be pushed perpendicularly upward or launched along a trajectory in the direction of the head. You are kind of trying to put the bar on the racks, in the starting position. What is the difference?

In the first version, with a perpendicular press, triceps are more involved in the work. If you press a little behind the head, along a certain arc, the mechanics of movement loads our chest to a greater extent and minimizes the load on the triceps. On initial stages it is recommended to press up in a classic style. Once you have mastered the technique, you can try different variations and modifications with the press in an arc towards the head.

Breath. According to all the rules, exhalation is done with effort. In this version, it is necessary to exhale when you press the barbell from the chest. When lowering the bar down, you need to take a deep breath and take in air. It is necessary to lower the bar 2 times slower than push. We lower it slowly - we raise it smoothly.

Shoulder blades. Another nuance is the condition of the shoulder blades and trapezium. It is recommended to strain them and, as it were, to collect them in a heap. We would not focus our attention on this. After all, this "gathering" contributes to the formation of a "bridge" in the lumbar region of what we need.

Direct your attention to lifting up and, as it were, giving the chest, inflating it like a barrel with air, stretching it along the chest. So the pectorals will receive better contractions.

Sequence of execution

1. Take a starting position - lie on a bench, eyes at the level of the bar.
2. Take a comfortable grip and, with the help of a friend, remove the barbell from the racks
3. Slowly and in a controlled manner, begin to lower the bar, spreading your arms to the sides until it touches your chest.
4. Start pushing the bar away from yourself a little faster than lowering, while exhaling
5. Do not straighten your elbows to the end at the top point, maintain tension and immediately begin to lower the barbell back, filling your lungs with air.

Position # 1

Position # 2

Errors

» Pay attention to the warm-up. After all, the exercise is basic, and the work is carried out with large weights, for which you need to prepare properly

» Use a closed grip when the hypha is in a certain ring between all the fingers.

» Do not remove the barbell from the racks yourself, but ask a friend or colleague in the gym

» Do not use your chest like a trampoline that bounces off the bar, this is not correct and injurious

The number of approaches and reps

» For men: 8 to 10 reps for 4-5 sets.
» For women: 6 to 8 reps of 3 sets.

Bench press on video

conclusions

If you put together all the rules, you can summarize the following for a successful bench press for the purpose of gaining mass - a bodybuilding option:

» We try to do the grip already in order to increase the range of motion, but not to include the triceps in the work.

» We work within the amplitude - this way we do not turn on the trapezoidal ones with a fairly narrow grip

» We press the bar vertically up (in the first stages) then at an angle up

» Do not bridge - press the lower back to the bench and turn off the triceps from work

Bench press from the chest - an exercise aimed at working out the entire chest. In this exercise, all three zones of the pectoral muscles (top, middle and bottom) are included in the slave. In addition, many support groups are also involved in the work. This movement is the most to eat basic exercise in bodybuilding for chest muscles.

This guide will help you learn how to properly bench press with a barbell and achieve high results in mass and strength gain. Lower your legs from the bench to the floor, sit back, bring your shoulder blades together and grab the bar with a closed grip.

The most famous exercise of the three that weightlifters perform in order to develop strength and gain mass in the pectoral muscles is the bench press. It's easy to do, isn't it? All you need to do is lie down on the bench, remove the barbell from the rack and have nothing to think about ... until you hurt yourself.

Attention: in order to lift heavy weight, it must be lifted correctly.

Below are 5 points, paying attention to which, you can develop the muscles of the chest, arms and even back and, therefore, become much stronger. However, think carefully: if you do not want your top part the torso was more developed in relation to the whole body, do better fitness.

Lie on a bench with your eyes at barbell level. Press your buttocks and lower back against the bench and do not pull them off throughout the exercise. Place your feet on the floor.

Take the bar with a grip slightly wider than your shoulders and lift it off the racks. Begin to lower the barbell down to the level of your lower chest in a controlled manner.

Lower the barbell until you touch your chest, then forcefully squeeze the weight up.

Keep your arms at about a 45-degree angle to your body. Do not press your elbows against the body and do not spread them too far to the sides. Horizontal press barbells are an exercise in which you cannot rush and do it at speed, otherwise you may get injured.

Also watch your breathing, while inhaling - lower the projectile down, while exhaling - squeeze.

1. The bench press is an exercise in which extra safety net does not hurt. Therefore, if you are working out with a partner, then always ask him to hedge. If there is one, then ask someone from the audience. Do not be shy.
2. Sometimes your hands will sweat and start to move apart, which knocks you off your focus. To avoid this, you can smear your hands with chalk.

1. Watching your grip

The first step is to figure out how to correctly take the barbell when bench pressing, despite the fact that the width of your grip is mostly a matter of personal preference, a well-defined distance will distribute the load on the shoulders and muscles of the chest and arms correctly. Too wide a grip will put excessive stress on the shoulders; too tight a grip can be bad for the elbows.

Unfortunately, the perfect grip for you may not work for another. Experiment until you find the width that works best for you. If you feel pain in your shoulders or elbows, then the grip is either too wide or too narrow.

Next: For a more comfortable grip, you can hold the bar with your grip on top thumb, or take it with an "open grip", which is also called a "suicide grip." Here again, the choice is yours, but with the "open grip", as I have seen from my experience, a strong load on the wrists is created. I recommend grabbing the bar with your thumb over it so you can hold the bar as firmly as possible.

2. We arch our back

To get the most out of the bench press, bend your back during the exercise. Thus, the load is transferred to the upper back and trapezius muscle. You will feel the need to squeeze the shoulder blades, as if to touch one shoulder blade to the other. This is of the utmost importance for heavy lifting and safety during training.

If you lie on a bench with a flat back, without bending it or squeezing the shoulder blades, the main work falls on your arms and shoulders, while pectoral muscles practically will not participate in the movement. Your shoulders won't thank you for that. This method will provide a weak bench press, and, in the end, you will be left with undeveloped pectoral muscles.

3. No need to spread your elbows too far to the sides

Now that your grip is correct, your back is arched, and your shoulder blades are brought together, it's time to remove the bar from the stops and lower it. It is quite natural at this moment to either put your elbows to the sides, or press them closer to the body. If you place them too far apart, the load will be on the shoulders. If you keep them a little closer, the muscles of the back and chest will be involved in the movement and, accordingly, will become stronger.

Moving your elbows slightly closer to your body will make movement more productive and safer. It seems to me a good way to compare this position of the arms with the position of the legs when a person is squatting, if the center of gravity is shifted to the hips instead of the knees. When we do complex exercises, we always want the result to be strong ligaments and strong muscles, and it will be possible to calmly lift a lot of weight.

4. Target - the midline of the chest

Now let's talk about where the bar should be when you lower it to your chest. You need to make sure that at the lowest point of the movement, you don't push it too close to the neck or push it too far. Many bodybuilders old school bring the bar close to the throat, which forces them to spread their elbows strongly to the sides. To most of us, this often feels unnatural: the weight that can be lifted decreases and the risk of injury to the shoulders increases.

On the other hand, if you lower the bar too far towards the middle of your body, you risk losing control of the bar. For achievement better result, the bar should come down directly to the nipple line. This will allow you to keep your elbows in the correct position, distribute the tension correctly during the downward movement, and help you in the upward jerk.

Always lower the barbell until it touches your chest. There is no point in stopping downstairs. Full muscle development depends on correct movement.

5. Don't stop at the top

Now that you know the basic mechanics of the barbell press movements, all that remains is to talk about how to squeeze it up. Keep your chest high, elbows in correct position, shoulder blades clenched. Move with the muscles of the back and chest, push the bar to the ceiling.

If you are doing a barbell to build muscle, or you are a bodybuilder, I advise you not to stop at the top of the movement. By eliminating even a short stop, we maintain constant tension in the chest muscles and minimize the strain on the elbows.

In the event that you are a powerlifter, follow the requirements of your sport. If you just want to be strong and look cool, take the above notes and do your next workout more profitably!

Exercise errors

1. Loin deflection or "bridge". It is usually used by powerlifters to achieve great strength results, because in this position, you begin to press with your whole body, and not just your chest muscles. But if your goal is to gain muscle mass, then do not bend in the lower back and work only with the chest muscles.
2. The arms are strongly spread out to the sides. This situation creates additional load on the shoulder joints, which is good.
3. Lowering the barbell closer to the throat. In this version, the upper chest, triceps and shoulders begin to work more.
4. Partial amplitude execution. With this performance, you do not stretch the muscle enough, thereby reducing the effect of the exercise.

Execution options:

1. Narrow grip
2. Head down

In this exercise, there is a fundamental difference in technique for powerlifters and bodybuilders. These two videos show you how to do the bench press with a barbell in different styles under different goals and how one technique differs from another.

Powerlifting technique - video

The nuances of the execution technique in bodybuilding

Important! To prevent injury, use correct barbell press technique.

Video on the correct barbell press technique

1. Why do bench press;
2. How to do a bench press with a barbell;
3. Typical mistakes;
4. What are the alternatives to the classic bench press;
5. How to increase the bench press;
6. Bench Press Standards;
7. Crossfit complexes containing bench press.

Why do the barbell bench press?

Bench press - universal exercise suitable for developing the athlete's overall strength and recruitment muscle mass in the pectoral muscles and throughout the shoulder girdle. At the same time, the style of performing the bench press "for strength" and "for weight" in most cases is different.

When performing a bench press for strength, we work in a small range of repetitions (usually no more than six), we do each repetition in full amplitude, fixing the bar at the bottom and top points. In order to reduce the amplitude as well as turn on more muscle in work, the athlete does a kind of exercise "bridge", lying on the bench. In this case, the grip is used as wide as possible (the maximum allowed for is 81 cm).

Working for the mass excellent option performing a bench press is work in a shortened amplitude. We do not fully extend the elbows, we work without pauses, so the pectoral muscles and triceps experience constant tension. At the same time, the athlete does not bend on the bench in order to reduce the amplitude, but lies flat on the bench, some experienced athletes even prefer to put their feet on the edge of the bench or keep them in the air just above the level of the body. The meaning is clear - this way we have fewer points of contact and do not involve antagonist muscles in the work.

The main working muscle groups when performing the bench press: chest, triceps and front deltas.

If we press in a power style, trying to connect as many muscles as possible, we help ourselves a little with the quadriceps, spinal extensors and latissimus dorsi, since they are in constant static tension and do not turn off from work for a second.

Technique for performing a bench press

Below is the classical technique doing a bench press, which is suitable for most athletes. Depending on the level of your physical fitness, You can complicate and modify it, for example, work without support in your legs or use optional equipment complicating movement control: rubber loops or chains. Let's figure out how to do the bench press with a barbell correctly.

Starting position

We take the starting position: we lie down on the bench, try to bring the shoulder blades together and bend a little in the lower back, while the buttocks, upper back and head should be tightly pressed against the bench. With our feet we rest tightly on the floor, statically strain the quadriceps. The bar should be at approximately eye level.

We decide on the width of the grip: the wider we place the hands, the shorter the amplitude, and the more the pectoral muscles are involved in the work. The wider we put our hands, the smaller the amplitude, and the more the triceps and front deltas work. Here we are working through trial and error.

Do not start pressing with too wide a grip, as you may feel discomfort in the shoulder joints and unpleasant tightness in the chest. To work comfortably with large weights with a wide grip, pay attention to careful stretching of the pectoral muscles, this will really allow you to increase the result.

As soon as we have decided on the setting of the hands, it is necessary to remove the barbell from the racks. To do this, statically tense your triceps and try to fully extend your elbows, squeezing the bar firmly.

© Artem - stock.adobe.com

Barbell bench press

Remove the barbell from the racks and bring it slightly forward, it should be at the level of the bottom of the chest.

1. Smoothly and under control, we lower the barbell down, accompanying this movement with a deep breath. Without making any sudden movements, put the barbell on the bottom of your chest. If you are working for strength, I recommend pause on the chest for 1-2 seconds, so the pressing movement will turn out to be more explosive. If you are working on the mass, it is not necessary to do this, start pressing immediately after touching the bottom of the chest with the barbell.
2. We squeeze the bar up with the effort of the pectoral muscles and triceps. We make a powerful exhalation. In this case, the elbows should not change their position, the "institution" of the elbows inward is fraught with injury. To mentally concentrate better on the barbell press, try the following technique: as soon as you start lifting the barbell, try to press your whole body into the bench as much as possible, as if “moving away” from the barbell, thereby setting powerful acceleration for lifting the projectile. This will give you a better feel for the biomechanics of movement and will be able to lift more weight. Once you have completed the full repetition and the elbows are fully extended, repeat again.
3. Place the barbell back on the racks, moving it slightly with a movement of the shoulders towards the head.

© Artem - stock.adobe.com

I repeat, this technique- just a sample of the bench press, but depending on your goals, it can be modified. If you are doing powerlifting, you need to do a strong arch in the lower back to shorten the amplitude, and also help yourself a little with your lats and legs, squeezing the bar up. If you are more interested in bench press maximum amount repetitions, the bar should be lowered to the chest as quickly as possible so that it "bounces" off the chest and passes part of the amplitude due to the inertial force. If your goal is to thoroughly work the pectoral muscles, lower the bar down more smoothly, concentrating on stretching and contracting the lower pectoralis.

The technique for doing the exercise is explained in this video:

Common beginner mistakes

Many gym goers manage to get serious injuries while doing bench presses. In order not to repeat their fate, I recommend that you remember the following information and never do this.

1. Never neglect your warm-up- it will warm up your joints and ligaments and help you better control movement.
2. Use the right shoes... You cannot do a normal bench press in slippers or flip-flops, you cannot properly rest on the floor.
3. The stage of removing the bar from the racks is the most inconvenient and traumatic. Feel free to ask someone at the gym to help you lift the barbell.
4. Find a normal belayer, who himself achieved good results in the bench press. The partner's help here should be smooth and accurate, and not a sharp rise.
5. Be careful with your back room, especially negative reps. This is, of course, an excellent tool for increasing strength indicators, but you should not resort to it if your working weight in the bench press is less than at least 100 kg - your articular-ligamentous apparatus may simply not be ready for this.
6. Many beginners lift their glutes off the bench with the bench press. This is not worth doing - there is a strong compression on the intervertebral discs in the lumbar spine. Give yourself the mental attitude that you should always lean on the bench with three points: buttocks, top back and nape.

What other mistakes do newbies often make? Watch the video:

What are the alternatives to the classic bench press?

Bench press - polyarticular exercise for lovers of really hard plowing in the hall. Few exercise can match it in effectiveness. But for those who, for one reason or another, cannot perform this exercise with correct technique, we recommend trying one of following exercises instead of the classic bench press:

Dumbbell bench press lying on a horizontal bench

Dumbbells allow us to work with greater amplitude than a barbell, thereby stretching the pectoral muscles better and working more in isolation. The technique of these two exercises is similar, but when working with dumbbells, more attention should be paid to the negative phase of the movement - the movement should be very smooth and controlled.

Dips on the uneven bars

We can do great work on the lower chest and triceps. To make the bar push-ups heavier, you can use additional weights, start with one 5kg pancake or small dumbbell and gradually increase the weight of the weights. However, do not overdo it with weight, as there is too much stress on the elbow joints. Another option for weights is the chains on the neck, so your torso leans forward more, and the pectoral muscles receive a greater load.

Bench press in Smith

With Smith, we spend less effort maintaining a consistent trajectory. The press in Smith is well suited for beginners or athletes who are poor at monotonous work with the bar in the same plane.

© lunamarina - stock.adobe.com

Bench press in block or lever machines

Almost every modern gym or fitness club is equipped with a variety of machines that mimic pectoral press movements. Let's be honest, most of them are absolutely useless, but in some of them the load vector is set very competently, which allows you to work out the lower or inner parts of the pectoral muscles well. Do not chase maximum weights in these exercises, work with weights that are comfortable for yourself, with which you feel the contraction well. the right muscles, in the range of 10-15 repetitions, power records we are not interested here.

© Makatserchyk - stock.adobe.com

How to increase strength in the bench press?

As with any basic movement, the key to increasing working weights lies in properly distributing the load and performing auxiliary exercises for the muscles involved in this movement. How to increase the bench press?

With load balancing, things are pretty straightforward. The bench press is a resource-intensive exercise, so it's no surprise that you can't progress from workout to workout unless you have phenomenal genetics. Press workouts should be alternated according to their severity and intensity. For example, in one workout we work with large weights in a small repetition range, in the next we do a multi-rep or bench press with a pause on the chest with an average weight, and also work on the pectoral muscles at different angles using dumbbell press on incline bench, push-ups on the uneven bars, spreading dumbbells and other exercises. A complex approach to training and isolated study of small muscle groups - a mandatory part training process for athletes who are fond of the bench press.

Assisted Exercises

There are a huge number of auxiliary exercises to increase one-time maximum in the bench press, so do not be afraid to diversify your training process - this will certainly lead to positive results and overcoming the "stagnation". Let's analyze the most common ones:

• Bench press with a pause. By completely stopping the movement and extinguishing the inertial force, the bench press turns out to be more powerful and faster, it develops well explosive power pectoral muscles and triceps. It is performed with a weight 20-30% less than a one-time maximum.
• Using a special block or stoppers, we work with a lot of weight, without completely lowering the barbell to the chest. This exercise perfectly strengthens ligaments and tendons and psychologically helps us get used to heavy weights.
  
  
• Press from the floor. This exercise can be performed both with a barbell and with dumbbells. The point is that at the lowest point we lean on the floor with triceps and work along a shortened trajectory. Develops a good sense of control over the projectile.
  
  
• Negative repetition. It is performed with a weight of 15-30% more than the maximum. We lower the barbell to the chest as slowly as possible, and squeeze it up with the help of a partner. Well stretches the pectoral muscles and trains the strength of the ligaments and tendons.
• Bench press with chains. If your gym is equipped with heavy metal chains, feel free to use them in your workouts. We hang the chains along with the pancakes and perform the bench press. The chain should be long enough so that most of it is on the floor at the bottom. Pressing the bar becomes much more difficult as the chains make the bar heavier and heavier as you lift.
  
  
• Army press (standing barbell press). Separately loads the front bundle of deltas, which takes about a third of the load during the bench press. Strong shoulders- the key to a strong press.
  
  
• Shifts the emphasis of the load on the triceps and inner part breasts. The work is complicated by the fact that the amplitude of movement becomes larger due to narrow setting hands. In this case, the elbows should go along the body.
  
  
• Laying dumbbells lying on a horizontal bench. It's no secret that stretching plays a huge role in the progression of strength performance. It is the wiring that best cope with this task, making the fascia of the pectoral muscles more plastic, which greatly simplifies the lowering of a heavy barbell to the chest. Other similar exercises, such as crossover information or "butterfly", in my opinion, are less effective, but they also take place at certain stages of the training process.
  

  © Makatserchyk - stock.adobe.com

  Bench Press Guidelines 2019

  In Russia, bench press competitions are held under the auspices of many federations. However, the official federation (Federation of Powerlifting of Russia - FPR) recently included the un-equipped division in the bench press into its competence, and its standards have not yet been fully spelled out, the standards for MS, MSMK and Elite have not yet been determined.

  Equipment powerlifting and bench press are controversial disciplines, and we will probably skip their discussion today. For this reason, the alternative federation WPC / AWPC (doping-controlled / doping-free division) is the most popular for bench presses and most powerlifters in our country, performing without equipment, which proposes to fulfill the following standards (I must say, very democratic) for assigning a member sports federation:

  MEN'S SIZE CHART (AWPC)

  Weight category	Elite	MSMK	MC	CCM	I	II	III	I jun.	II jun.
  52	127.5	110	95	82.5	75	67.5	57.5	47.5	37.5
  56	137.5	120	102.5	90	80	72.5	62.5	52.5	42.5
  60	147.5	127.5	112.5	97.5	87.5	77.5	67.5	55	45
  67.5	165	142.5	125	107.5	97.5	87.5	75	62.5	50
  75	180	155	135	117.5	105	95	82.5	67.5	55
  82.5	192.5	167.5	145	127.5	112.5	102.5	87.5	72.5	57.5
  90	202.5	175	152.5	132.5	120	107.5	92.5	77.5	60
  100	215	185	162.5	140	125	112.5	97.5	80	65
  110	225	195	167.5	147.5	132.5	117.5	100	85	67.5
  125	235	202.5	177.5	152.5	137.5	122.5	105	87.5	70
  140	242.5	210	182.5	157.5	142.5	127.5	110	90	72.5
  140+	250	215	187.5	162.5	145	130	112.5	92.5	75

  MEN'S BIT RATE TABLE (WPC)

  (BAR PRESS WITHOUT EQUIPMENT)

  Weight category	Elite	MSMK	MC	CCM	I	II	III	I jun.	II jun.
  52	150	130	112.5	97.5	87.5	77.5	67.5	55	45
  56	162.5	140	122.5	105	95	85	72.5	60	47.5
  60	175	150	130	115	102.5	92.5	77.5	65	52.5
  67.5	195	167.5	147.5	127.5	115	102.5	87.5	72.5	57.5
  75	212.5	182.5	160	140	125	112.5	95	80	65
  82.5	227.5	197.5	170	147.5	132.5	120	102.5	85	67.5
  90	240	207.5	180	157.5	140	125	107.5	90	72.5
  100	252.5	220	190	165	147.5	132.5	115	95	75
  110	265	227.5	197.5	172.5	155	140	120	100	80
  125	275	240	207.5	180	162.5	145	125	105	82.5
  140	285	247.5	215	187.5	167.5	150	130	107.5	85
  140+	292.5	252.5	220	192.5	172.5	155	132.5	110	87.5

  Training programs

  Athletes almost always include the bench press in their training plan... For beginners, this exercise is part of the full body program, for more experienced athletes, on the day of training the pectoral muscles.

  Most popular split programs:

  Chest + triceps
  The exercise	Sets x reps
  Bench press	4x12,10,8,6
  	3x10
  	3x12
  Hand information in the crossover	3x15
  French bench press	4x12
  Kick-back	3x12
  Chest + biceps
  The exercise	Sets x reps
  Bench press	4x12,10,8,6
  Incline Dumbbell Press	3x10
  Press in the hummer	3x10
  Information in the crossover	3x15
  Alternating lifting dumbbells while sitting on an incline bench	4x10
  Lifting the bar for biceps on the Scott bench	3x12
  Chest + back
  The exercise	Sets x reps
  Bench press	4x12,10,8,6
  Pull-ups with add. weight	4x10
  Incline Barbell Press	3x10
  Row of a dumbbell to a belt	3x10
  Push-ups on the uneven bars with add. weight	3x10
  Thrust top block to the chest with a narrow reverse grip	3x10
  	3x12
  Horizontal pull of the block to the belt	3x10
  Breast on a separate day
  The exercise	Sets x reps
  Bench press lying on a horizontal bench	4x12,10,8,6
  Incline dumbbell bench press	3x12,10,8
  Push-ups on the uneven bars with add. weight	3x10
  Press in the hummer	3x12
  Information in the crossover	3x15

  Crossfit complexes

  The table below shows crossfit complexes containing a bench press. You need to understand that there are no identical athletes, each of us is individual in his own way, so the working weight in the bench remains at the discretion of the athlete. Each CrossFit athlete can try to complete the set he likes, varying the weight of the bar depending on his level of physical fitness and strength indicators.

  Lovely	We perform the reverse pyramid (we go down from 10 to 1 repetition) in the bench press and rolling on the roller for the muscles of the abdominal process, alternating exercises with each approach.
  Project mayhem	Do the reverse pyramid (drop from 10 to 1 repetition) on the bench press. After each set of bench press - 10 pull-ups on the bar.
  100 × 100 Barbell Bench Press	Perform 100 reps on the bench press with a 100 kg bar.
  4 km	Run 1 km run and bench press set. There are 4 rounds in total. The task is to do the maximum number of repetitions in the bench.
  Anchor	Perform 21-15-9-15-21 kettlebell swings with one hand and bench presses.
  Base	Perform 21-15-9 deadlifts, classic squats and bench presses with a barbell, the weight of which is equal to the athlete's own weight.

  Bench press - great exercise, in which a huge number of muscles work, and can be freely combined with many other exercises. Try supersets of incline dumbbell and dumbbell push-ups or dumbbells with extra weight to work all sections of your pectoral muscles. Or do alternating presses with pulling movements on your back (bent over rows, pull-ups, or bent over dumbbell rows) to work your chest and back in one workout in a short amount of time. It all depends only on your imagination and level of physical fitness.

The five basic exercises for working out the muscles of the body include the bench press. It is considered basic for the general group of pectoral muscles, while the deltas and triceps also receive the load.

The bench press is very popular with both beginners in sports and experienced athletes, as it comprehensively develops the pectoral muscles and ensures the growth of muscle mass in the upper half of the body as a whole. It is believed that the bench press technique is very simple - I chose the weight and started the exercise. However, this is a misconception. Without understanding the technical aspects, it will be difficult to achieve maximum effect from training.

In this regard, it is worthwhile to thoroughly study the question of how to do the bench press correctly, consider the options for performing the exercise and disassemble the training program that will increase the bench press result.

For experienced athletes looking to improve sports development, the 2016 standards for the wpc and awpc federations will be given for obtaining Kms and other categories.

Bench Press Technique

The bench press in the classic version is performed as follows:

• It is necessary to lie on a horizontal bench, taking correct position body: feet shoulder-width apart with a rigid fixation of the foot on the floor. During the exercise, excessive movement of the feet should not be allowed; it is better to press them into the floor as much as possible.
• The hips and buttocks must be kept in tension, without separating the pelvis from the bench, the shoulder blades are brought together and pressed against the bench.
• Maintaining tension in the body, you need to arch the lower back, pushing the chest forward a little.
• Using the notches on the bar, you need to choose a wide grip and grab the bar with the base of your palms. Do not allow the projectile to roll to your fingers.
• Keep your elbows in line with your wrists. If they are pressed to the body, then the mechanics of movement may be disrupted, and excessive removal of them to the sides is fraught with injuries.
• The bar should be at the line of eye level, after removing it from the racks, you need to linger so that it stops swinging.
• You can't take your head off the bench and twirl it from side to side, your gaze should be directed to the bar, your neck muscles are tense.
• You need to lower the bar to the line of the lower edge of the chest.
• After lightly touching the chest, you can lift the bar up, maintaining the tension of the muscle groups.
• The amplitude of the barbell movement should be at a slight slope towards the face; the movement of the projectile towards the legs should not be allowed. At the same time, making a strictly vertical lift can unnecessarily load the shoulder ligaments.
• The edges of the barbell should be absolutely symmetrical, without any overbalances in one direction or the other, hand movements should be synchronous.
• At the top lifting point, it is necessary to fix the projectile for a couple of seconds, while the elbows remain slightly bent. Full extension elbow joints relieves some of the stress on the target muscles, and also creates the risk of injury.
• You should monitor your breathing: it is better to inhale at the upper point of the barbell's amplitude, while lowering, hold your breath and exhale while lifting.
• The projectile must not bounce off the chest, only a light touch is possible.
• If the bench press is performed without partner belaying, the projectile restraints must be used. Finding yourself without insurance, and not calculating the strength to lift the projectile, you can earn a dislocated shoulder or injure the chest.

In powerlifting, the bench press is part of the competitive program, where athletes take maximum weights for themselves and set world records. Because of this, the technique of the bench press in powerlifting is somewhat different, including the permissible techniques that will help lift a lot of weight.

First of all, it is necessary to connect all possible muscle groups to work, as well as reduce the range of motion when lifting. To do this, lying on a bench, you need the maximum deflection in the back, as well as full tension in the legs. The barbell should be taken with the widest grip (according to wpc and awpc, a grip with 81 cm between the hands is allowed), while the hands bend back. After removing the projectile from the safety racks, you need to lower the barbell to your chest with full control, then raise it strictly along the vertical amplitude up. The rise in the competition is carried out 1 time.

Bench press options

In the classic version, the bench press is carried out on a horizontal bench, where the projectile is lowered until it touches the chest, and after a short pause it rises to its original position. In this case, the pectoralis major and minor muscles, as well as the anterior deltas and triceps, work.

In addition to the classic, there are also the following types of bench press:

• Lying on an incline bench- execution technique in two versions: with legs raised up or head raised, which allows to work out the lower or upper sections of the pectoral muscle.





• "Into the touch"- when the projectile touches the chest, there is no pause, and the bar quickly rises to its original position.



• On the Smith machine- in this design, the bench press is performed using guides with a given vertical trajectory of movement.



• Framed- at chest level in the power frame there are barbell restraints, which allows you to carry out the exercise without helpers.



• From a bar- bars are placed on the athlete's chest, and the bar is lowered onto them, which shortens the range of motion.



• With different grip widths- the wide press works the entire pectoral muscle group, and the narrow grip works the triceps and the front bundle of deltoid muscles.





• Lying on a horizontal bench with dumbbells- all the effort is directed to the chest muscles.



• With elements of equipment- A special bench press jersey is used in competitions in federations wpc and awpc and for setting records.

Bench Press Workout Program

Most athletes, having reached their maximum in weight, are wondering - how to increase the bench press and improve the result of training? The fact is that, even without powerful natural data, an athlete can lift large weights, knowing how to correctly distribute the load and using all the main and auxiliary muscles.

When asked how to increase the bench press, professional trainers offer a program that will maximize your workout results.

The basis of the program is the study of all auxiliary muscles involved in the exercise, namely:

• Leg muscles- strong energy lower limbs allows you to make a powerful push of the bar and improves the result of the press. To strengthen muscle tone legs fit: deadlift(6-10 reps and 4 sets) and squats with a projectile (20 squats and 3 sets).
• Back muscles- accelerate the push of the bar. Suitable for working out: exercises for block trainers, and pull-ups.
• Shoulder muscles- improve the result of training, allowing you to keep maximum weights and protecting the rest of the muscles from injury. The best exercise for developing this muscle group fits (10 reps and 3 sets).
• Triceps- help to stretch the projectile to the upper point of the amplitude. Exercises on block machines and a French press with narrow grip(10 reps and 2-3 sets).

The training program to improve the result takes into account optimal amount load on the target muscles of the chest. It is no more than two workouts per week. To increase strength indicators - 5-7 sets of 3-5 repetitions, and for muscle mass - 3 sets of 8-10 repetitions.

To increase the effectiveness of the training program, the following recommendations should be considered:

• The bar of the projectile in the exercise is compressed as tightly as possible and only with a closed grip.
• First of all, it is worth using strong muscle groups in the bench, changing the width of the grip.
• After removing the projectile, it is better to immediately start performing the bench press, without wasting energy on holding the bar in weight.
• Better to take moderate weight, but hone technique to the maximum.
• To improve the grip of the projectile with the palms, it is worth using chalk.

Bench Press Records and Standards

Ryan Kennelly is the best champion of the world with a world record in bench press in equipment, he obeyed the barbell of 486 kg. In 2015, Kirill Sarychev broke the world record for bench press, lifting 335 kg, and became the world champion in this sport.

V children's sports, the world record was set by Maryana Naumova, at the age of 11 she lifted 60 kg with a bench press.

The competitive program in the federations wpc and awpc on the bench press is held both in the form of single combat and as part of powerlifting, which also includes deadlifts and squats.

Athletes' sports development is characterized by titles and ranks. Ranks can be obtained in various competitions:

• Candidate for Master of Sports (KMS) - based on the results of city and regional tournaments.
• Masters of Sports (MS) - in competitions at the national level.
• International Masters of Sports (MSC) - at international championships.

The discharge standards in the federations wpc and awpc for bench press entered into force in 2012 and are in effect in the current 2016, they are divided into categories: men and women, with and without equipment, as well as by weight category.

To obtain the titles of Master of Sports and Master of Sports of international class in 2018, strict doping control is required.

The tables below describe bit standards on the bench press for the wpc and awpc federations in 2016, in which you can see significant differences between wpc regulations and awpc, as well as equipment availability.

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.

Theory and Practice of Bench Press

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 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 give up 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 learn everything possible and impossible about this most massive exercise exercise, of all times and peoples.

And we will start, as usual, with theory.

The bench press is a basic, multi-joint free-weight exercise that is best suited for developing strength and increasing upper body mass. The main load falls on the pectoralis major muscle, triceps and deltoids receive additional ones.

There are different types of bench press in bodybuilding, for example:

• Classical;

It is done while 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 power frame... 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 made who crossed the threshold of the simulator and lay down on the bench for the press.

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 "score" on the warm-up, especially before serious multi-joint exercises, then you are guaranteed unpleasant consequences. Therefore, thoroughly preheat the upper muscle skillet. shoulder girdle and lumbar, because they have to experience a serious burden.

Mistake # 2. Wrong grip

If you are working with small "bench press", then the "open" grip ( thumb will join the rest) can be completely 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 heavy 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, become 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 can 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 up "press" 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 may seem that squeezing the barbell is probably the simplest movement in bodybuilding. And the truth is, what is difficult there, 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:

Muscle antagonists: biceps-triceps, broadest muscle back-chest.

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 the 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:

1. main driving units (ND / VD);
2. technical units (C).

The first include the muscles that make the greatest contribution to the developed strength effort of the exercise, these are the so-called main / direct movers (LP). 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, which will ultimately allow 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 pectorals were "phony". 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 as for correct technique performing a classic bench press with a free weight, then 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 quite 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 you should understand 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. Pressing movement occurs in one plane.

• Boom position ( 3 )

The benchmark 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 as you exhale (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) an absolute record of 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 different options 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 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 life, have not yet met such. If an athlete manages to harness a large enough 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 business is completely unacceptable. To accomplish this task, firstly, you need to understand that even if you do not naturally have massive pectoral muscles, you can still push large weights. To do this, you just need to competently make efforts and use in the work not only the main, but also all the auxiliary muscles. As soon as the “starting pivot point” has been created, you will immediately notice an increase in the working scale.

Start exercise

In order 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. The whole point here 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 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, the muscles of the back are immediately involved. They will accelerate the upward movement of the bar and contribute to a more powerful push.

Therefore, develop your back muscles by doing different pulleys with block machines and free weights (T-bar). Explore the article and also 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 / pushing the projectile to the top point. If your triceps are weak (in particular its long head), then exactly "pushing" the bar 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 go, 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, imagine 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 of the strong muscles ends and the 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 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 end 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 basic chips that will help you to “push” well. However, this is not all.

If your goal is to make the most of your bench press, then the next workout 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 “bite” :).

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 can't wait 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!