The bench press is one of my favorite exercises, and it always has been. Learning proper bench press form early on helped me make consistent strength gains. It's so fun to see yourself make progress as you're able to load the bar with heavier weights over time.
It just makes you feel strong and confident when you can push a lot of weight with your upper body. That's why so many people love the bench press.
If you don't believe me, try walking into any big gym on a Monday evening. They call it International Chest Day for a reason, and the bench press usually has people waiting on it!
Having good bench press form is always important. Not just so that you can do it safely, but also so that you can maximize your strength.
That's what I'm going to cover with you today.
In This Article:
• What is the Bench Press?
• Bench Press Muscles Worked
• What Equipment Do You Need For the Bench Press?
• Proper Bench Press Form Step by Step
• Safety Precautions & Injury Prevention
• Common Mistakes in the Bench Press
• Sample Bench Press Workout
• Frequently Asked Questions About Bench Press Form
• How to Get the Most Out of the Bench Press
What is the Bench Press?
The bench press is a classic exercise, popular in most resistance training programs. It's not just for competitive lifters. It's also a favorite among your average gym goer.
It's an upper-body exercise with several variations. Using proper bench press form, you'll be lying on a bench, lowering the weight to your chest, and pressing it away using your arms.
Once you master the bench press, you'll have a lot more strength for many other exercises. If you want bigger and stronger muscles in your chest, shoulders, and arms ... the bench press is an excellent option!
Let's dive a little deeper into the muscles we'll be working.
Bench Press Muscles Worked
The bench press works several muscles in our upper body. A lot of these would be considered "glamour muscles".
If you want to upgrade your physique, the bench press will target many of the muscles that make a big difference!
There are many small muscles involved in this exercise as well, but we're going to focus on the main ones.
Pectoralis Major & Minor
These are also called your "pecs", and they are your chest muscles. Our pecs are big fan-shaped muscles that attach to our ribs, sternum, collarbone, and upper arms.
The pec major's main jobs are lifting our upper arms up and pulling them in toward our midline. They can be quite strong, and building them up can make our upper body appear much larger.
The pectoralis minor attaches to our ribs and onto our shoulder blades. It's crucial for stabilization of the shoulder blades during the bench press.
Deltoids
Our deltoids are the rounded triangular-shaped muscles that lie over our shoulder caps. It has 3 heads.
• Anterior head (in front)
• Lateral head (middle)
• Posterior head (in back)
The front portion of the deltoid works with our pecs to lift our arms up in front of us. This is the main portion helping with the bench press.
Our middle deltoid raises our arms out to the side. The rear portion helps to pull our arms back behind us.
All 3 heads are important for shoulder stabilization. In the bench press, that's very important too.
Triceps
Our triceps are the muscles that lie on the back of our upper arms. They take up 2/3 of our arm size, so if you want bigger arms, these are good to focus on.
Their main job is extending our elbows. During the bench press, they work closely with our pecs to push the bar away.
What Equipment Do You Need For the Bench Press?
For the bench press, the equipment you need will depend on the variation you choose. Some of these variations are:
• Barbell flat bench press
• Barbell incline bench press
• Barbell decline bench press
• Dumbbell flat bench press
• Dumbbell incline bench press
• Dumbbell decline bench press
• Dumbbell floor press
When we talk about a typical bench press, we're talking about the barbell flat bench press. Since that's the main topic of this article, this is what you'll need:
• A flat bench with a rack to hold the barbell
• A barbell (typically a 45-pound Olympic barbell)
• Weight plates
• A spotter
Now, a spotter isn't actually equipment, but it's definitely ideal to have. When you start lifting heavier weights and go to failure, it's a great safety precaution.
Having a spotter could save you from getting stuck under the barbell. I've made the mistake of doing this without a spotter and did, in fact, get stuck under the bar.
It's scary! That's why I always recommend making sure you have a spotter when you do the bench press.
Proper Bench Press Form Step-by-Step
When it comes to chest exercises, the pushing movement is our strongest. The barbell bench press targets exactly that, and allows you to really load up some heavy weight.
With that being said, mastering proper bench press form is essential. It will help you lift the most weight, and do it safely!
Here's how to bench press the right way:
1. Start by lying flat on a bench with your chest out and shoulders pulled back. Pull your feet back toward your hips with the balls of your feet planted on the ground.
2. Position your body so your eyes are directly under the barbell. Grip the bar with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. The bench press grip should have your wrists aligned with your forearms for optimal support.
3. Begin by unracking the bar and holding it over your chest to get into the starting position. It's always good to have a spotter who can help you lift the bar off the rack for your first rep.
4. Allow your elbows to bend at a 45-degree angle from the body as you lower the bar to your lower chest.
5. When the bar touches your chest, use your chest and triceps to press the bar back to the starting position.
6. Squeeze your chest muscles at the top for a second, then repeat for reps.
Safety Precautions & Injury Prevention
The bench press can be an incredibly rewarding exercise. However, safety should always come first. Here are crucial safety measures to follow...
Spotting Requirements:
• Always use a spotter for heavy sets.
• Communicate clearly with your spotter about your intentions. By this, tell them how many reps you are aiming to go for so they know when to be on high alert.
• Make sure your spotter knows proper spotting technique.
• For very heavy attempts, use two spotters (this is normally for very advanced lifters).
Equipment Safety:
• Check that the bench is stable and properly positioned.
• Ensure weight clips are secured on both ends.
• Verify the rack height is appropriate for your arm length.
Pre-Lift Setup:
• Warm up properly with lighter weights.
• Never attempt max lifts when training alone.
• Keep your thumb wrapped around the bar.
• Maintain proper arch and foot position throughout.
Common Mistakes in the Bench Press
Bench press form does matter, and you can make easy mistakes if you're not careful. Let's talk about some of these mistakes.
Not Going Through a Full Range of Motion
This is a common mistake many make when trying to do any exercise, really. You’re only cutting yourself short!
If you lower the weight to halfway, instead of all the way down, you’re missing out on building strength in the bottom half of the movement. Your muscles only get stronger in the range of motion you train them.
You also may not build as much muscle if you don’t go through a full range of motion (1). So if you’re doing the bench press to build muscle and strength, make sure you bring the bar down to your chest, and lock out your arms at the top.
Bouncing the Bar Off of Your Chest
This is very common with beginners. In an effort to save energy for the lifting portion, they let the bar drop down too fast.
Doing this makes the bar bounce off your chest before your muscles start really producing force in the opposite direction. That can hurt you and lead to an injury if you aren’t careful.
So please control the weight down slowly, and you’ll benefit even more. You may even build more muscle by controlling the lowering portion of the bench press (2).
All it takes is one bad rep to potentially bruise your chest or break a bone. Be smart, and control the movement.
Going Too Heavy
Again, this is common in every exercise. If you use weights that are too heavy, you may hurt yourself. I've personally torn both of my pecs bench pressing because I wasn’t smart with how heavy I was going. You need to use weights that you know you can handle!
Going too heavy can also lead to poor bench press form. If you’ve ever seen someone squirming on the bench to lift the weight, they should probably use a lighter weight.
Now, if you’re purposefully going for a 1 rep max, it’s understandable to put everything you have into it. You should still try to do the movement with proper form, though.
Even with proper form, if you try to go way too heavy, you can still have injuries.
Bench pressing can be done safely. It only becomes dangerous when you have poor bench press form, and when you use weights you cannot handle.
If you are going to use heavy weights, make sure you have a spotter. It’s better to play it safe when it comes to heavy weights.
Sample Bench Press Workout
There are so many ways you can throw a workout together. Some people like doing a bench press workout with the same muscle groups.
Others might do it within a full-body workout. It really just depends on how you like to split up your workouts for the week.
For this sample workout, we’ll stick with similar muscle groups. So this workout will train your chest, shoulders, and triceps.
I’ll put together a beginner, intermediate, and advanced bench press workout.
Beginner Bench Press Workout
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Bench Press | 3 | 8-12 |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3 | 10 |
| Machine Pec Deck | 3 | 10 |
| Triceps Kickback | 3 | 10 |
| Machine Shoulder Press | 3 | 10 |
| Triceps Pressdown | 3 | 10 |
Intermediate Bench Press Workout
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Bench Press | 3 | 8-12 |
| Barbell Incline Bench Press | 3 | 8-12 |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3 | 10 |
| Machine Pec Deck | 3 | 10 |
| Triceps Kickback | 3 | 10 |
| Cable Front Raise | 3 | 10 |
| Triceps Pressdown | 3 | 10 |
Advanced Bench Press Workout
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Bench Press | 3 | 8-12 |
| Dumbbell Incline Bench Press | 3 | 8-12 |
| Arnold Press | 3 | 10 |
| Dumbbell Chest Fly | 3 | 10 |
| EZ Bar Incline Skull Crushers | 3 | 10 |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3 | 10 |
| Triceps Pressdown | 3 | 10 |
| Upright Row | 3 | 10 |
That’s just a few ways to do it. Again, you can throw in exercises that you like and feel work for you the best.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bench Press Form
Q: How Wide Should My Grip Be For Proper Bench Press Form?
A: Your grip should be slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. A good rule of thumb is to have your forearms vertical when the bar touches your chest. Even still, your grip can vary to a degree based on what feels most comfortable for you.
Q: Should I Touch The Bar To My Chest On Every Rep?
A: Yes, for full range of motion and maximum benefits, the bar should lightly touch your chest on each rep. This is also a component of maintaining proper bench press form.
Q: How Do I Prevent Shoulder Pain During Bench Press?
A: Keep your shoulder blades pinched together, maintain a slight arch in your back, and keep your elbows at about a 45-degree angle from your body.
Q: What's The Best Way To Increase My Bench Press Strength?
A: Focus on perfect form, progressive overload, proper recovery, and supplementary exercises for your chest, shoulders, and triceps. Over time, you can notice significant progress.
Q: How Often Should I Bench Press?
A: For beginners, 2-3 times per week with at least one day of rest between sessions. Advanced lifters may bench more frequently depending on their program.
How to Get the Most Out of the Bench Press
We’re all bench pressing for a reason. We want to see progress in some way, shape, or form. It all depends on your goals.
You may want to build muscle. You could be focused on strength. You might even want to lose body fat. All of these goals have other components, too.
If you’re focused on muscular strength or growth, your workouts need to have progression. You have to use heavier weights over time, and other exercises to support that growth help a lot.
So you need the right program, and one that also allows for proper recovery between workouts.
If you want to build muscle or lose body fat, your diet plays a massive role. The type of diet for both goals is similar in some ways, but opposite in others.
Both goals go over much better with a higher protein intake. The amount of calories you need is where it’s the opposite.
To lose body fat, you need to eat fewer calories than you burn. To build muscle, you’ll likely see better results eating more calories than you burn.
The hard part is knowing the right amount of calories to eat for your specific goal. Not only that, but how to adjust your diet over time to continue seeing progress in the long term.
So it’s not all about just having proper bench press form and doing it every week. There are other elements of progress you need to pay attention to.
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References:
(1) Schoenfeld, Brad J., and Jozo Grgic. "Effects of Range of Motion on Muscle Development During Resistance Training Interventions: A Systematic Review." SAGE Open Medicine, vol. 8, Jan. 2020, pp. 1-8.
(2) Roig, Marc, et al. "The Effects of Eccentric Versus Concentric Resistance Training on Muscle Strength and Mass in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis." British Journal of Sports Medicine, vol. 43, no. 8, Aug. 2009, pp. 556-568.
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