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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.

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:

• use an incline bench as this takes a lot of the weight off of your shoulders and places it on your chest;
• use a pair of dumb bells instead of a bar bell as there is more freedom of movement to really stretch out your chest. If you have problems with your wrists during chest workouts this might also be helpful;
• keep your feet on the ground and your back flat on the bench throughout the whole motion;
• exhale on the press and inhale on the decline;
• go as slowly as possible with a light weight so that you learn what it feels like to target the chest and triceps;
• make sure the bar is around about the height of your nipples (not to high not to low).

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.

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