How to Strengthen Your Body with The Bench Press Exercise

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

Understanding the Bench Press Technique

The person performing the exercise lies on their back on a bench with a weight grasped in both hands. They push the weight upwards until their arms are extended, not allowing the elbows to lock. They then lower the weight to chest level. This is one repetition.

Evolution of the Bench Press

The bench press has evolved over the years, from floor, bridge, and belly toss variations to the methods used by bodybuilders and powerlifters today. At first the strict floor press was the most popular method. In 1899, using a barbell with discs, George Hackenschmidt, inventor of the barbell hack squat, rolled a barbell over his face and performed a strict floor press with. This stood as a record for 18 years until Joe Nordquest broke it by in 1916. Around this time, new methods started gaining ground. Lifters started figuring out that strong glutes could help them get the bar from the ground to overhead. They would lie on the floor and position the bar over their abdomen, then perform an explosive glute bridge movement, catapulting the bar upwards and catching it at lockout. Lifting techniques, training and drugs have improved over the years and the raw bench press record lift has grown from to in less than 100 years.

Muscles Engaged During Bench Press

A conventional bench press uses pectoralis major muscle, anterior deltoid, coracobrachialis to horizontally adduct the shoulder. It also uses predominantly triceps brachii and anconeous to extend the elbows. Wider hand spacing places a greater emphasis on shoulder flexion and narrower hand spacing utilizes more elbow extension. Because of this, wider hand spacing is associated with training the pectorals and narrower hand spacing is associated with training the triceps. In addition to the major phasic muscles the bench press also uses tonic muscles: scapular stabilizers, humeral head stabilizers, and core.

Variations of Bench Press for Targeted Muscles

Variations of the bench press involve different groups of muscles, or involve the same muscles in different 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” on its own is assumed to refer to a flat bench press. An incline elevates the shoulders and lowers the pelvis as if reclining in a chair; this variation emphasizes anterior deltoids with little emphasis at the upper head of the pectoralis major. This variation is called the incline bench press. A decline bench press elevates the pelvis and lowers the head, and emphasizes the lower portion of the pectoralis major. A reverse grip bench press utilizes an underhand grip on the bar. A supinated grip externally rotates the humerus, which puts the shoulders in a much more favorable position for the lift, decreasing injury potential without compromising range of motion. It emphasises the clavicular head of the pectoralis major more than an incline bench press. On the eccentric phase of the lift, the bar path will create a larger arc and eventually touch a point on the chest that is lower compared to the regular bench press because the upper arms and elbows are closer to the body and the angle between the humerus and torso is smaller.

Safety Considerations When Performing Bench Press

A bench press performed with hands close together relies on triceps to complete pressing motion. A bench press performed with hands far apart shortens range of motion, lessening contribution of triceps. A lifter can elect to lower bar to nipple level, xiphoid process or even further to abdomen. On other hand lifter may lower bar to very high point on chest or even neck; latter variation is called guillotine press emphasizing upper pectorals.

Injury Prevention Strategies

The bench press can be performed with various modifications to make lifter or weight less stable. Examples include lifting on Swiss ball using dumbbells instead of barbell or lifting with legs on bench or in air The bench press can be performed with chains and bands which are used to strengthen top end range of motion in movement developing explosive power in bench press.

Alternative Options for Injured Lifters

People who suffer from shoulder injuries can use a specialised barbell such as Swiss Bar or Football Bar that allows them to press with their hands in position that places less stress on shoulder. Another variation is Hex Press in which two dumbbells are squeezed against each other with palms facing inwards putting strain exercise on triceps inner chest rather than shoulders.

Possible Injuries Associated With Bench Press

The Floor Press is another variation that puts less strain on lifter’s shoulders due to shorter range motion.
Performing bench press can contribute multiple types injuries: Torn ligaments/tendons shoulders.
Injuries trapezius muscle.
Elbow/wrist strains.
Cracked or broken ribs usually result bouncing bar off chest add momentum lift loss strength causing bar fall onto chest.
Distal clavicular osteolysis: bone spur erosion end clavicle.
Athletes suffering condition should avoid doing bench presses.