Bench press when done correctly will yield awesome results for the whole upper body and let’s face it when was the last time anyone asked you how much you could pull up? Here’s how to make the most of it.
1. Create a thoracic arch.
Don’t: insist on having your back pushed flat against the bench. This isn’t even a neutral spine.
Do: Improve your thoracic mobility until you can arch your back by pushing your chest out and closing the distance between your hips and shoulder blades without any discomfort in your lower back.
‘Don’t arch your back mate it’s not worth it’ I’ve heard this many times from gym rats. Their experience of arching has lead to lower back pain so they avoid it. A good arch comes from the thoracic spine, if mobility here is limited then you may feel pain in the lumbar region, if this is the case flatten out a little while benching then go and spend some time improving your thoracic extension. If it’s that tight I guarantee you’ll add kilo’s to your bench press just by mobilising it.
A good arch gives you a more stable platform to push from and allows you to use lats and biceps to create drive from the bottom.
2. Get a grip
Don’t: Use a different grip every time you lift the bar off the rack.
Do: Drop and give me ten. Now look at your hands, use this as the power grip width for your bench press.
Your body naturally knows the most biomechanically efficient position to be in, so use your press up position as a guide. If your fingers are pointing slightly outward then you’ll probably do better with a false grip. Either way, grip the bar HARD as you bench to switch on more muscle and lift more.
Use wide and narrow grips (2-3 finger difference either side) to emphasize different muscle groups but stick with your power grip for the majority of training.
3. Use a full range of movement
Don’t: use a partial range of movement during your bench press
Do: Try bringing the bar all the way down to touch the chest then push all the way to lock out. It’s called the right way.
All too often I see partial range of movement in the gym; this is usually to avoid a harder part of the lift for the individual. Either not locking out or not bringing the bar to touch the chest.
Partial reps can be used effectively target certain muscles or week points but avoiding full range of movement in the majority of your training means you are missing out on utilising your back, biceps and triceps in the lift. Weirdly the same guys I see doing partial reps are the same ones spending half an hour in front of the mirror biceps curling.
Conclusion
Set up is everything. Make sure everything is locked in place before you start your first rep. A good arch will make you tight on the bench giving you a solid platform to push from. Grip hard and bring the bar all the way to your chest.
Get the set up right and all you’ll have to think about on the way up is pushing.
