How to Do a Bench Press with Barbells

If you want to develop a routine to build mass and develop strength in your upper body, you should include the bench press in your workout. <br><br>Primarily targeting the pectoral muscles but also working the triceps, front deltoids and forearms, the bench press is used to build all three sections of the chest – an incline bench press targets the upper chest, a flat bench targets the middle chest, and a decline bench hits the lower chest.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Barbell
• <br>Flat Bench

1. Lie on a flat bench with your feet planted firmly on the floor. Your head, back and gluteus should be positioned on the bench at all times. Arching or raising any portion of your body during the exercise may cause serious injury.
2. Grab the barbell with an overhand grip. Your hands should be shoulder-width apart and your eyes should be positioned directly under the bar.
3. Exhale and lift the barbell off of the rack with your arms fully extended.
4. Inhale and lower the barbell in a slow and controlled manner toward your nipple line. Feel the stretch of your pectoral muscles. Lower barbell until it gently touches your chest.
5. Exhale and raise the barbell toward the starting position. Squeeze the pectoral muscles for a better contraction during this movement. This is considered one repetition.
6. Complete four sets of 6 to 10 repetitions.

Tips & Warnings

• Always use a spotter when performing bench presses to monitor your technique and assist you throughout the exercise.
• <br>Add variety to your chest workout by targeting your pectoral muscles from many different angles and with many different exercises. This will result in a well-proportioned chest with better definition. For example, if you simply perform flat bench presses each week and neglect hitting your upper chest, you will not achieve a rounded look.
• <br>A wider grip will involve more of the pectoral muscles, while a grip closer than shoulder width will target the triceps and front deltoids.
• <br>If you are having problems during the lock-out portion of the repetition, try using a lighter weight. This will allow you to learn the correct technique and let you practice stretching and contracting your pectoral muscles during each repetition.
• Do not bounce the barbell off of your chest during your lift, as this can result in cracked pr broken ribs, muscle tears and strains, and other problems.