ROOKIE MISTAKES: THE BENCH PRESS

[MOUNTAIN-MAN]

TweetROOKIE MISTAKES: THE BENCH PRESS

Perfect the upper-body move to see maximum gains.
BY LEE BOYCE, C.P.T.
Rookie Mistakes in Bench-Press Technique
Beth Bischoff
The Bench Press
16.1K 2871 Google +184 42 Print
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It’s easy to think you’re doing the right thing in the gym, but you may be dropping the ball. Certain exercises are more technically demanding than others, and learning their major cues just once may not cut it in the grand scheme of things. Getting “comfortable” with certain movements can sometimes allow a lifter to “slip” into form that’s less than perfect. Not to worry, we've got your back. The Rookie Mistakes series serves as a call to action for lifters of all experience levels to practice perfect form on the road to achieving fitness success.

The bench press is often glamorized as the most popular movement in men’s training. Whether it should be is an entirely different story. Nevertheless, it’s practiced enough to warrant a technical review. Make sure you’re not making one of these costly mistakes when you’re benching.

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Mistake 1: Your setup sucks
The strength of your lift is always going to come down to how solid you are at the start. Having a good setup can make a world of difference when it comes to a strong (and safe) bench press. Don’t listen to generic cues that say to keep a flat back on the bench, the knees at 90 degrees, and a shortened range of motion. Get your shoulders pulled back, mildly arch the back, and pull your feet in under the bench for traction. Tightness is key, and your body should be stiff.

Mistake 2: Your grip is too wide
Many lifters use the ring markings on most Olympic bars to identify where the hands belong on the bench-press bar. The most common cue I’ve personally heard is to line up the middle fingers with the rings. The truth is, when it comes to the classic, standard bench press, hand placement really depends on two things: arm length and shoulder health. If your arms are shorter, a grip that’s too wide may put your body into a mechanical disadvantage, since your elbow angle will exceed 90 degrees while lifting. Also, if you have a history of shoulder problems, a wider grip will encourage a flared elbow, which puts the shoulder at a higher risk for joint stress. Instead, use a slightly narrower grip and keep the elbows closer to the body. Your body will thank you.

Mistake 3: You’re pressing over your chest
We all know the bench press is to be performed by lowering the bar to the chest (the nipple level is usually the common cue there). But where you press it to finish the lift is important. Pressing the bar in a straight line so that it finishes over the nipple isn’t ideal, because the bar’s force (due to gravity) is coming down over an empty space. Be sure to press the bar slightly backward toward the top, so that it’s over the shoulder in the finish position. This ensures the entire arm is under the bar to support it.

Mistake 4: You’re not using the floor
Press the bar and squeeze your chest and triceps—that’s a given. But remember that the bench press is a press that moves the bar away from the ground. With that said, applying traction into the ground will only make your lift stronger. On every push, drive your feet into the floor. It doesn’t mean you have to raise your hips and make the movement unsafe. Rather, apply solid tension through a tight body and reap the strength benefits.

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TOPICS:
TRAINING TIPS AND TRICKSSTRENGTH TRAININGCHEST WORKOUTSMASS BUILDING
- See more at: https://www.mensfitness.com/training/....jsGT7G5Y.dpuf

[MOUNTAIN-MAN]

TweetWant to crank out a couple extra reps on the bench press?

Rest at least two minutes between sets. Researchers found that men doing three-rep-max presses completed an average of two more reps after resting at least two minutes between sets, compared with one. Wear a stopwatch timer or carry a stopwatch to the gym to get maximum gains.

- See more at: https://www.mensfitness.com/training/....1z7xRJMz.dpuf

[MOUNTAIN-MAN]

TweetTo lift the heaviest possible weights, you need to perform the bench press in a way that gives you the best mechanical advantage. Master the setup described in these steps and you’ll add a second or third plate to the bar in six weeks or less.

The Six-Week Bench Press Blastoff Program>>>

HOW TO PERFECT YOUR BENCH PRESS

1) Lie on the bench so your eyes are directly under the bar.

2) Grasp the bar just outside shoulder width.

3) Arch your back hard so that your lower back is completely off the bench. Your shoulder blades should be pulled together.

4) Squeeze the bar tightly and pull it out of the rack (if you have a spotter—and you should when the weight gets very heavy—have him help you get the bar into position).

5) Take a deep breath and lower the bar to your sternum (in line with the bottom edge of your pecs), tucking your elbows in at about 45 degrees to your sides.

6) When the bar touches your body, drive your feet hard into the floor and press it back up. Exhale at the end of the rep.

Note: Keep your grip, core, glutes, and legs tight; do not allow your feet to move; and when you bring the bar to your chest, don’t let the arch in your back collapse.

- See more at: https://www.mensfitness.com/training/....U2SG05HO.dpuf

[MOUNTAIN-MAN]

TweetJudging a man by his bench press is the worst cliché in fitness—and it’s not going away. No matter how many creative, new, and so-called “functional” exercises come out, nothing seems to supplant the bench as the lift guys want to be the best at. In six weeks, we can help you hit higher benchmarks (forgive the pun) and put up more weight than you’ve ever been able to before, so that the next time someone asks you how much you bench, you won’t have to lie—unless to spare their feelings.

HOW IT WORKS

For most guys, the bench press stalls somewhere between 225 and 315 pounds—two or three plates on each side of the bar. Doing the typical pyramid sets of 12, 10, 8, and 6 reps, as many do, isn’t going to unstick it. You need to practice lifting heavy for one rep only—this is how you prepare your body for the stress of a max lift. And while your goal may be to just get your bench press going again, our program works the whole body. The more muscle you work, the bigger you’ll get overall; and a bigger, stronger body—from head to toe—will lead to a more beastly bench press.

DIRECTIONS

Complete Day I and II on back-to-back days, rest a day, then do III and IV in the same fashion.

Exercises marked “A” and “B” are supersets: Complete one set for A, then immediately do a set for B before resting.

See the table below for instructions on how to progress your bench press each week depending on your goal—225 pounds or 315 pounds. If your max lies somewhere in between, below, or beyond these numbers, follow the table but use approximate percentages of your goal max to guide you. For the sets of 1, start at around 90% of the max you want to hit and gradually increase it by 1–3% weekly in accordance with the table. For the back-off sets of 5, 4, and 3 reps, start with 80% of your goal max and progress it similarly. You’ll have to estimate the best loads based on how you’re feeling, but try to follow the model here as closely as you can.

Steve Pulcinella is a former professional strongman and the owner of Iron Sport Gym in Glenolden, PA.

The 15-Minute Chest Workout>>>

BENCH PROGRESSION

Use the table to bench 225 or 315 pounds

TO HIT 225 POUNDS:

Week 1

5x1 w/200

3x5 w/180

Week 2

6x1 w/205

3x5 w/190

Week 3

7x1 w/210

3x4 w/195

Week 4

8x1 w/215

3x3 w/200

Week 5

3x2 w/215

Week 6

Work up to 225x1

TO HIT 315 POUNDS:

Week 1

5x1 w/285

3x5 w/255

Week 2

6x1 w/290

3x5 w/260

Week 3

7x1 w/295

3x4 w/270

Week 4

8x1 w/300

3x3 w/285

Week 5

3x2 w/305

Week 6

Work up to 315x1

Note: “5x1,” for example, means 5 sets of 1 rep. Perform all the sets of single reps and then do the back-off sets of 3–5 reps. All weights are in pounds. Rest as needed after each set.

- See more at: https://www.mensfitness.com/training/....hMz2yvlP.dpuf

[MOUNTAIN-MAN]

TweetGet in and out of the gym in 15 minutes flat with this quick workout for blowing out the chest.
BY JOHN ALVINO

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If you have only 15 minutes to train, don’t mess around with fancy exercises that waste time. The best workouts aren’t always flashy—plenty of simple workout routines get the job done. We’ve got one that blasts your pecs with heavy weight and hits the muscle fibers from every important angle.

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Directions

To keep the workout to 15 minutes, you’ll need to rush your warmup on the bench press a bit. Steadily work up in weight, resting only as long between warmup sets as it takes to change the plates.

This hustle means you won’t be optimally prepared to lift your heaviest possible load for 4–6 reps—so you should therefore use a slightly lighter weight—but that’s the tradeoff for getting the workout done quickly. To minimize the problem, rest two minutes after your last warmup set before you go heavy.

1. Bench Press

Sets: 2
Reps: 4–6

2. Incline Dumbbell Press

Sets: 2
Reps: 8–10

3. Parallel-Bar Dip

Sets: 2
Reps: 12–15

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