Womens Weight Loss Tone up Talk & Discuss

How to do a Bench Press properly

At the gym you always see people bench pressing incorrectly. A bad bench press can cause you some bad injuries so check out this ‘how to’ guide on bench pressing properly.

What muscles does the bench press target?

It is very important to know exactly what muscles the bench press targets as knowing this will help you identify whether you are doing it correctly or not. For example, if you are doing a abs crunch and your biceps are hurting then you know something is wrong.

The two main muscles that the bench press targets are the pectorals (chest) and triceps. At the end of a bench press session these are the two muscles that should be sore. Check out the diagrams of the exact location of the pectoral and triceps muscles from Wikipedia.

250px-triceps_brachii.png

As I have said many times here at RealWomensFitness.com, shoulder injuries are some of the easiest to do and hardest to fix. If there is any sign of pain in your shoulder during your workout then stop and go home.

Correct Bench Press means faster progress

As you know, technique is the number one factor that determines whether one is going to succeed or fail with their weight training. Make sure your benching technique is perfect before you start proressing onto heavier weights or you can do yourself some damage.

How do I know if I’m doing it right?

If you go to a gym then there are plenty of people around who know how to do a good bench press. The gym instructors SHOULD be trained in bench press technique and you should ask them to watch you for a few sets and listen to any tips they’ve got.

Another trick I use sometimes is to find the guy with the biggest pectoral muscles in the room and ask him to spot me for a set or two. No doubt they know how to do it.

Tip for the perfect bench press

To make sure your bench press is going to be as successful as possible you should:

Conclusion
The bench press can bring you some amazing muscle gains if you really do it well. If not, it could become your worst enemy.

Has anyone had any problems with the bench press? We can help by answering any questions you have. Come and ask us on our Women's Fitness Forum.

Comments on this article:

Hannah B said:Boy do i get shoulder pain! I'm stopping now. Thanks RT
RT said:YES! STOP!
Cat said:what about where to lie on the bench? Should your eyes be directly under the bar? Everyone has a different rule. What do you think?
RT said:Cat - good question.

I have read many differing opinions but I don't think it matters as long as you can get it off the rack and press it with correct technique. This is much easier if you have a spotter.

RT
David said:Man I just honestly don't know what Im doing wrong. Working out my chest is the most difficult to do. I lay flat on the bench,breath right,and bring it down properly, but i still get nothing out of it.
RT said:David, try these -

- reduce the weight and focus on the pec muscles mentally

- do it with dumbbells to get a deeper stretch

- try a wider grip

- do it on an incline bench

Good luck.

RT
Cathy said:I have pain like i would if i had tennis elbow. I've been working out with weights for almost a year now and the pain never goes away, but it isn't bad enough to stop either. Not sure if it's a particular exercise or form, or too heavy of a weight. Any ideas?

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