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How to Bench Press: Everything You Need to Know

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How to Bench Press: Everything You Need to Know


Welcome to Do It Right, a series where we cover essential fitness skills that everyone should know. From deadlifts to bicep curls and beyond, each Do It Right post calls on expert advice to help you learn something new in the gym.

The Skill: Bench Press

The barbell bench press might be the most popular exercise on the planet (even if it shouldn’t be). It’s no secret that when someone says they work out, the most common first question that follows is “How much do you bench?” While the bench press shouldn’t take priority over other movements, let’s be honest: You’ll probably want to work this move into your routine, if you haven’t already. With that in mind, it’s best to learn to do it right.

The Expert

Lee Boyce, Toronto-based strength coach, speaker, owner of Lee Boyce Training Systems, college professor, and internationally published fitness writer.

What You Need

A barbell, weight plates, and a bench press station. The average gym will most likely have one. Gyms that don’t usually allow you to slide a bench into a squat cage and use the cage’s hooks to create a bench rack.

How to Do It

  1. Start with your points of contact. For a bench press to work well and hit the right muscle groups, the initial setup is key. When laying down on the bench, look for five points of contact: Both feet firmly on the ground, and the butt, upper back, and head firmly on the bench. None of these points should ever move. You’ll notice the lower back isn’t included in the list. That’s because it doesn’t belong on the bench. When you prepare to move the bar, arch the lower back (not excessively, but enough to make you feel tight and snug) and draw the shoulder blades together. Position yourself on the bench so that your eyes are under the bar.
  2. Get a grip. This will vary depending on your arm length. Most Olympic barbells have rings on both sides of the bar to indicate how far apart to place your hands and keep them even on the bar. The goal is for your elbows to form a 90-degree angle when you’re at the bottom of your lifting motion. If you’re a shorter lifter with shorter arms, it’s best to place your hands inside the indicator rings to get the proper angle. If you have longer arms, place your hands as wide as necessary to get the proper elbow angles. Once you’ve selected a grip that works—do a few practice reps using the empty bar to see what’s most comfortable—it’s time to focus on the movement itself.
  3. Lower the bar. Start with the bar positioned right above the shoulders with arms completely locked out. Apply tension to the bar, either inward or outward (there’s benefits to both kinds of tension). Arch your lower back and draw your shoulder blades together, and maintain tension on the bar as you lower the weight slowly to the chest. Aim for the nipple line as your point of gentle contact on the torso. Once you’ve reached the bottom position, add one underutilized cue: Pause for a full one-second count. That’ll help keep your lift honest.
  4. Lift the bar. Remember that you’re pushing the bar away from the floor, not your chest. Driving through your feet into the ground as you press the weight up and away is essential to a strong, quality bench press. Push down with your feet and exhale as you move the bar up. The weight should travel on a slight angle backward to finish above the shoulders, where it started. Keep your shoulder blades drawn together throughout the movement—don’t slacken them to get greater “reach” at the top of the rep. Keep the lift tight and compact. That’s one rep.

If you’re going for strength, focus on sets of 3 to 6 paused reps, and aim to gradually increase the weight you’re lifting each week. If you’re after increased muscle size, up the rep range to sets of 8 to 12, and lower the rest interval a notch (about 90 seconds between sets).


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10 Best Porters to Drink Right Now

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A bottle of Deschutes Black Butte Porter




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Best Time-Under-Tension Workout for Total-Body Strength

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Barbell Back Squat


The key to 360-degree muscle: 90-degree eccentric isometrics. It might seem like we’re throwing a lot of geometry at you, but the concept behind time under tension (TUT) is simple, says Joel Seedman, PhD, owner of Advanced Human Performance: “Perform the lowering phase of a movement in a slow, controlled fashion, usually 3 to 5 seconds; pause in the stretched position, typically around 90 degrees; then perform the lifting phase in a powerful yet controlled fashion.” Believe us, a time-under-tension workout can humble even seasoned lifters…Eccentric isometrics are like the pressure cooker of training.

“Rather than mindlessly performing slow-tempo reps, you’re using the increased time under tension as a means to fine-tune your body mechanics and alignment, which requires more mental engagement and focus,” Seedman adds.

If you want to forge functional muscle mass and strength while simultaneously bulletproofing the joints and connective tissue, give this 10-move, full-body eccentric isometrics workout a go.

Directions

Perform the following moves as 90-degree eccentric isometrics following the above protocol. Use heavy weight, but not at the detriment of proper form. Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets and 2 minutes between circuits. Perform once every 2 to 4 days for optimal results.

Best Time-Under-Tension Workout for Total-Body Strength

Circuit 1

Marius Bugge

A. Barbell Back Squat

Set a squat rack up with heavy weight, then grasp bar and step under it. Squeeze shoulder blades together, then stand to unrack bar and step back with feet shoulder-width apart. Inhale, hinge at hips and slowly bend knees to 90 degrees. Pause, keeping natural arch in low back, then extend through hips to powerfully stand. 3 x 4-6 reps

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts renegade row
Marius Bugge

B. Renegade Row

Start in the top position of a pushup with hands shoulder-width apart on moderate-to-heavy dumbbells (shown). Explosively drive right elbow back to row dumbbell toward ribs while balancing on opposite hand and feet. Pause, then slowly lower weight, stopping a few inches above floor. Switch sides after all reps are done. 3 x 5 reps each side

Circuit 2

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing renegade row Dumbbell Bentover Row in gym
Marius Bugge

A. Dumbbell Bentover Row

Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding two moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in front of thighs, palms facing you. Push hips back and hinge torso forward so it’s nearly parallel to floor, soft bend in knees. Dumbbells should be near shins. Drive elbows back to row weights toward ribs. Pause, then slowly lower down for 3 to 5 seconds. 3 x 4-5 reps

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing Incline Dumbbell Chest Press with Legs Raised 
Marius Bugge

B. Incline Dumbbell Chest Press with Legs Raised 

Set an adjustable bench to a 30- to 45-degree angle and lie back with dumbbells in either hand. Engage core and lift legs off floor, flexing feet. Press weights overhead, palms in. Slowly lower to 90 degrees, staying tight and compact. Pause, then drive weights up directly over chest. 3 x 4-5 reps

Circuit 3

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing Dumbbell Bulgarian Squat
Marius Bugge

A. Dumbbell Bulgarian Squat

Stand lunge-length in front of a flat bench, holding heavy dumbbells in each hand by your sides, palms facing in. Rest the ball on top (shoe’s laces) of your right foot behind you on the bench. Slowly lower your body until your front thigh is parallel to the floor. Pause, then drive through your heel to stand. Switch sides after all reps are complete. 2 x 3-4 reps each side

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing Single-leg Romanian Deadlift
Marius Bugge

B. Single-leg Romanian Deadlift

Stand with feet hip-width apart holding dumbbells or kettlebells. Drive right leg up, foot flexed, knee aligned with hip, making a 90-degree angle. Hinge at hips as you slowly lever your torso toward floor, lowering weights and driving right leg back for counterbalance. Hold, then squeeze glutes to reverse. 2 x 3-4 reps each side

Circuit 4

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing pullup
Marius Bugge

A. Pullup

Hang from a pullup bar using an overhand grip with legs extended and feet flexed. Engage lats and draw shoulders down your back, then pull yourself up until chin is higher than hands. Pause at the top, then slowly lower. Pause at bottom, then reset before your next rep. 2-3 x 4-5 reps

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing Kneeling Overhead Barbell Press
Marius Bugge

B. Kneeling Overhead Barbell Press

Hold a bar with moderate-to-heavy load at shoulder level with forearms perpendicular to floor. Kneel at end of bench with feet flexed to grip edge for support. Inhale, engage your core and glutes, then press the bar overhead, pushing your head forward so it passes your face, exhaling at the top.
Slowly lower until elbows are at 90 degrees, then hold to maintain tension. Begin your next rep from here. 2-3 x 4-5 reps

Circuit 5

A. Dumbbell Pushup

Place hands on dumbbells (this provides greater range of motion) at shoulder width and feet wider than shoulder width with just toes touching the ground. Keep head neutral and hips high to increase tension on core, chest and tris and reduce stress on spine. Slowly lower to the floor. Stop
once elbows hit 90 degrees, pause, then push up to start. 1-2 x 6-8 reps

B. Biceps Curl

Stand with feet hip-width apart with moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in each hand hanging by sides. Engage biceps to curl the weights up, keeping upper arms still. Pause at the top, then lower slowly. Don’t let arms drop all the way down to keep greater time under tension on biceps. 1-2 x 6-8 reps


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The Best Jump Ropes for a Killer Cardio Workout

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The Best Jump Ropes for a Killer Cardio Workout




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