Please Scroll Down to See Forums Below
The right way to do bench presses
- Thread starter gixxer
- Start date
Imnotdutch
butler monkey
Get a firm base established before you unrack the bar. Lower the bar all of the way down to your chest (usually to nipple height for most people) then push the bar back up. Simple huh 
The bad things you should avoid:
1) not lowering the bar all of the way
2) bouncing the bar off your sternum
3) Lifting your hips off the bench to make it easier
The bad things you should avoid:
1) not lowering the bar all of the way
2) bouncing the bar off your sternum
3) Lifting your hips off the bench to make it easier
Gixxer said:
gymtime
New member
You'll likely get a lot of responses on this. Here's what i concentrate on:
Hands shoulder width or slightly wider on the bar.
Control the weight coming down, elbows out.
Keep your back flat on the bench, do not arch.
Touch the bar on your chest, no bouncing! (If you have to arch your back or bounce, you're lifting too much!)
Control the weight back up, squeeze your chest at the top of the lift.
OK bros, am I forgetting anything?
Hands shoulder width or slightly wider on the bar.
Control the weight coming down, elbows out.
Keep your back flat on the bench, do not arch.
Touch the bar on your chest, no bouncing! (If you have to arch your back or bounce, you're lifting too much!)
Control the weight back up, squeeze your chest at the top of the lift.
OK bros, am I forgetting anything?
oompha-loompha
New member
What about hand position?
I know people who bench w/ knuckles up.
And people who bench w/ palms up
I know people who bench w/ knuckles up.
And people who bench w/ palms up
Like what jax said............ imagine that you just did a seated close grip row into your stomach.......... when your backs all crunched together like that is when you should lay down...... it feels akward at first........ but hey...... with the increased weight you will use i doubt you will mind
maxmuscle66
New member
Take this as good advice... with one additive!!
"Get a firm base established before you unrack the bar. Lower the bar all of the way down to your chest (usually to nipple height for most people) then push the bar back up. Simple huh
The bad things you should avoid:
1) not lowering the bar all of the way
2) bouncing the bar off your sternum
3) Lifting your hips off the bench to make it easier"
~quoted from Imnotdutch
The only thing I would add to this is what a powerlifter once told me about feet..... make sure that they are planted firmly in a comfortable position and never, ever take them off the floor.... they are the stable base for your bench movement.
Maxmuscle66
"Get a firm base established before you unrack the bar. Lower the bar all of the way down to your chest (usually to nipple height for most people) then push the bar back up. Simple huh
The bad things you should avoid:
1) not lowering the bar all of the way
2) bouncing the bar off your sternum
3) Lifting your hips off the bench to make it easier"
~quoted from Imnotdutch
The only thing I would add to this is what a powerlifter once told me about feet..... make sure that they are planted firmly in a comfortable position and never, ever take them off the floor.... they are the stable base for your bench movement.
Maxmuscle66
actually there are loades of diffrent way s to do bp
gonna go thru a couple 1st one
about arching u should try to hold ur normal back arch if u have a s shaped back there is no reason to try put ur body in a unnaturall position coz that usally end up with ppl getting hurt, no not all but many do get hurt.
for instance if u look at a power lifter they practising arching just so they get a shorter way to lift the bar.
any ways the wider grip u use the more front delts and less tris and a short movement for the pecs.
if u put ur hands pretty close just shoulder width u ll work your pecs for a longer movment and ur tris is gonna work alot harder and there is not so much front delts involved, if u do it like this ur elbows should be about straight out from ur shoulders and lower it to the nipples or just under em the higer up u put the bar the more the delts gonna take over the job.
ur knuckels should point to the roof and the back of ur hand should be in a straight line with ur forarms and for god sake dont let ur wrist turn into an L coz thats just an injury waiting to happen.
when u grip the bar be sure to have both of ur scapulas on the bench so u feel stabil.
should say as well its notting wrong with putting ur legs up its just a way to make sure u cant bounch the bar, and arching go ahead notting wrong with that to try to arch not to arch legs up and leg ont the floor the see wich feels the best.
ive prolly forgot a hell of alot minor details but hey its 3 in the morning and exscuse my english it aint so good
gonna go thru a couple 1st one
about arching u should try to hold ur normal back arch if u have a s shaped back there is no reason to try put ur body in a unnaturall position coz that usally end up with ppl getting hurt, no not all but many do get hurt.
for instance if u look at a power lifter they practising arching just so they get a shorter way to lift the bar.
any ways the wider grip u use the more front delts and less tris and a short movement for the pecs.
if u put ur hands pretty close just shoulder width u ll work your pecs for a longer movment and ur tris is gonna work alot harder and there is not so much front delts involved, if u do it like this ur elbows should be about straight out from ur shoulders and lower it to the nipples or just under em the higer up u put the bar the more the delts gonna take over the job.
ur knuckels should point to the roof and the back of ur hand should be in a straight line with ur forarms and for god sake dont let ur wrist turn into an L coz thats just an injury waiting to happen.
when u grip the bar be sure to have both of ur scapulas on the bench so u feel stabil.
should say as well its notting wrong with putting ur legs up its just a way to make sure u cant bounch the bar, and arching go ahead notting wrong with that to try to arch not to arch legs up and leg ont the floor the see wich feels the best.
ive prolly forgot a hell of alot minor details but hey its 3 in the morning and exscuse my english it aint so good
Naturally Low Octane
New member
yup. push them shoulder blades together and stretch that chest. just grip the bar like u probably normally do and then just rolll your shoulders backwards. ur blades will almost touch and you will feel all that wieght on your chest. when u do that first rep with this positioning ur chest will be on fire. This is definitely the best way to do a bp for chest development.
