5 Steps to a Better Bench
Bench pressing is a staple of most any training regimen. How then, do so many lifters consistently struggle with their bench numbers due to improper form? Until a couple weeks ago I was there. I was plateauing on the bench, struggling to make any significant gains in strength or size. But with the help of a good friend and a little additional research, I’ve gone up about ten pounds in two weeks. Yes, I do feel like I’ve gotten stronger, but I believe it has more to do with the fact that I’m using my whole body, while taking strain off of my shoulders. Here I’ll lay out a few pointers that should help you through those plateaus.
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Start With Your Legs
If you’re like me and you’ve never had a professional trainer, you might not have ever known that the bench press really involves your whole body. Starting with your legs, drive your heels into the ground, forcing tension up through your hamstrings, glutes and lower back. Make sure you keep your core tight through the duration of the lift to force the maximum amount of power out of your chest.
2. Gripping the Bar
There’s been some debate about whether or not tightly gripping the bar will produce the best results on the bench. Some say it’s better to keep a looser grip on the bar to keep tension out of the forearms and onto the chest. If you’re really looking to increase weight and size, though, it’s best to grip the bar as tightly as possible. Remember you’re trying to keep your whole body, your upper body especially, as tight as possible.
3. Pinch Your Shoulders
This is a small adjustment, but for me it’s made all the difference. As you arch your back, pinch your shoulders back and stick your chest out. This is going to force all the weight off your shoulders and onto your chest, then down through the rest of your body to your feet. This has really helped me increase the force I’m pushing up through the bar, as well as relieving some pain and stiffness in my shoulders.
4. Control the Weight
Keeping your body tight will help you control heavier weights. It’s important, however to make sure you keep this tension as you lower the bar. A lot of guys like to let the bar fall effortlessly to their chest, but it’s important to actively move the bar downward to get the most out of this lift. Some even compare this motion to a row because you should feel yourself pulling the bar down with your lats.
5. Explosion
This is probably the toughest thing to do because it takes the most concentration, energy and sheer toughness. Regardless of how heavy the weight is, always try to move the bar off your chest as quickly as possible. Once you’ve controlled the bar down to your chest, maintaining tension, explode upward with as much power as possible. Also, try not to take too much time in between reps. I find myself doing this sometimes to try to regain strength for the next rep, but it will ultimately just tire you out and limit your explosiveness.
There you have it, five quick tips to increasing your bench press. Of course, none of this will work without the work you put in. It will, however help you get the most out of that hard spent time in the gym.
Smith, J. (2012). Bench Press 101, Retrieved from http://www.schwarzenegger.com/fitness/post/bench-press-101