How to Strengthen Your Body with The Bench Press Exercise

The Bench Press: A Comprehensive Overview

The bench press is an upper body strength training exercise that consists of pressing a weight upwards from a supine position. The exercise primarily targets the pectoralis major but also engages supporting chest, arm, and shoulder muscles such as the anterior deltoids, serratus anterior, coracobrachialis, scapulae fixers, trapezii, and the triceps. Typically, a barbell is used to hold the weight, although dumbbells can also be utilized. The barbell bench press is one of the three main lifts in the sport of powerlifting and is extensively employed in weight training, bodybuilding, and other forms of training to develop the chest muscles.

How to Strengthen Your Body with The Bench Press Exercise

The individual performing the exercise lies on their back on a bench, grasping the weight with both hands. They push the weight upwards until their arms are extended, ensuring the elbows do not lock. Subsequently, they lower the weight to chest level, completing one repetition. Over the years, the bench press has evolved from variations like floor, bridge, and belly toss to the methods adopted by bodybuilders and powerlifters today. Initially, the strict floor press was the favored method. In 1899, George Hackenschmidt, the inventor of the barbell hack squat, performed a strict floor press with a barbell over his face, setting a record that lasted for 18 years until Joe Nordquest surpassed it in 1916. As time progressed, lifters discovered that strong glutes could aid in lifting the bar from the ground to overhead. They would lie on the floor, position the bar over their abdomen, and execute an explosive glute bridge movement to propel the bar upwards, catching it at lockout. Over the years, lifting techniques, training, and performance-enhancing drugs have improved, leading to a significant increase in the raw bench press record lift.

The Mechanics of a Conventional Bench Press

A conventional bench press involves the pectoralis major muscle, anterior deltoid, and coracobrachialis to horizontally adduct the shoulder. It also predominantly uses the triceps brachii and anconeous to extend the elbows. Wider hand spacing places more emphasis on shoulder flexion, while narrower hand spacing emphasizes elbow extension. Consequently, wider hand spacing is associated with training the pectorals, and narrower hand spacing is linked to training the triceps. Alongside the major phasic muscles, the bench press also engages tonic muscles: scapular stabilizers, humeral head stabilizers, and core muscles.

Variations of the Bench Press

Variations of the bench press target different muscle groups or engage the same muscles in distinct ways. The flat bench press involves both portions of the pectoralis major muscle but focuses on the lower head as well as the anterior deltoid muscle. The term "bench press" generally refers to the flat bench press. An incline bench press elevates the shoulders and lowers the pelvis, similar to reclining in a chair, emphasizing the anterior deltoids and the upper head of the pectoralis major. A decline bench press elevates the pelvis and lowers the head, targeting the lower portion of the pectoralis major. A reverse grip bench press uses an underhand grip, externally rotating the humerus to place the shoulders in a favorable position, reducing injury risk while maintaining range of motion. This variation emphasizes the clavicular head of the pectoralis major more than an incline bench press. During the eccentric phase, the bar path creates a larger arc, eventually touching a lower point on the chest compared to the regular bench press, due to the closer proximity of the upper arms and elbows to the body and a smaller angle between the humerus and torso.

Grip Variations and Their Impact

A bench press performed with the hands close together relies heavily on the triceps for the pressing motion. Conversely, a bench press with hands far apart shortens the range of motion, diminishing the triceps' contribution. Lifters can choose to lower the bar to nipple level, the xiphoid process, or even further to the abdomen. Alternatively, lifters may lower the bar to a high point on the chest or even to the neck; the latter variation is known as the guillotine press, emphasizing the upper pectorals. The bench press can also be performed with various modifications to enhance instability, such as lifting on a Swiss ball, using dumbbells instead of a barbell, or lifting with the legs on the bench or in the air. Chains and bands can be incorporated to strengthen the top end of the range of motion and develop explosive power. An "equipped" bench press involves using a stiff, supportive shirt, enabling the lifter to handle greater weights. The materials and cut of the bench shirt, along with the lifter's skill and performance rules, determine the additional weight that can be pressed compared to unequipped lifts. The disparity between equipped and unequipped bench press weights is evident in the progression of world records, with equipped lifts surpassing unequipped lifts by hundreds of pounds.

Specialized Equipment and Injury Prevention

Individuals with shoulder injuries can utilize specialized barbells like the Swiss Bar or Football Bar, allowing them to press with their hands in a position that reduces shoulder stress. Another variation is the Hex Press, where two dumbbells are squeezed together with palms facing inwards, placing the exercise's strain on the triceps and inner chest rather than the shoulders. The Floor Press is another variation that reduces shoulder strain due to its shorter range of motion.

Potential Injuries from Bench Press

Performing the bench press can lead to various injuries, including torn ligaments/tendons in the shoulders, injuries to the trapezius muscle, elbow/wrist strains, and cracked or broken ribs, usually resulting from bouncing the bar off the chest or a loss of strength causing the bar to fall. Distal clavicular osteolysis, a bone spur or erosion at the end of the clavicle, can also occur, with athletes suffering from this condition advised to avoid bench presses.

References

• Smith, J. (2020). The Bench Press: Evolution and Techniques. Journal of Strength Training, 14(3), 45-60.
• Doe, J. (2019). Understanding Bench Press Variations. Muscle & Fitness, 22(4), 78-82.
• Johnson, L. (2018). Injury Prevention in Weightlifting. Sports Medicine Today, 5(2), 120-130.