How to do the bench press?

The bench press, tight grip on the bar is a basic exercise which targets mainly the triceps and the pectoral muscles but also the front of the shoulders. The stabilizing muscles are also solicited contrary to the guided bar but it can not be appropriate for everyone according to the morphology of each one.

How do you do the exercise?

After loading the bar with the chosen weight, grasp the guided bar with hand separation clenched, leaving a gap the size of two fists between your hands.

The buttocks, shoulders and head must be pressed against the bench, the feet on the ground or at the end of the bench to avoid digging the back.

Control the descent of the guided bar to your chest and then return to the starting position by pushing the bar.

Repeat until the end of the series and then put the bar back.

CAUTION: 

Choose a foot position that allows you to be stable enough without arching your back too much. Feet on the ground, you will be more stable but the risk of arching is greater, you can then bring back your knees or put your feet at the end of the bench.

Do not go down to the chest if you feel pain in the wrists, the exercise is not necessarily adapted to all morphologies.

Tips

1. You can vary the position hands. If the spacing is weak you will increase the work on the triceps, it will then be necessary to adapt the load.
2. You are not obliged to go down until you touch your chest especially if you lack flexibility at the level of the wrists. Indeed by going down more the pectoral muscles will be more solicited.
3. If you lower the bar while keeping your elbows open towards the upper part of your pectoral muscles, the exercise will put more strain on the external portion of the triceps.
4. On the other hand, if you move down the pectoral muscles, the long portion of the triceps will be targeted.

VARIANTS

• The bench press can be done with a guided bar for more security and to work heavy without the need of a partner.
• An Ez bar can be used for those who are limited in terms of wrist flexibility.
• You can also vary the inclination of the bench to target different parts of the pectoral muscles in addition to the triceps.
• Other variations for the triceps: dips, tight push-ups or diamond push-ups.

Find this exercise in the following program:

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Supplementary article :

Dips: How to perform this multi-functional exercise?