STRENGTH SERIES
The bench
T
BY LIZZIE HAVERS
he bench press is a powerful
upper body compound lift
that helps us with pushing
movements. Benching
primarily develops the pectoral
muscles, the anterior shoulder
girdle, and triceps by pushing and
lowering the bar from the chest to
arms reach. Your larger posterior
muscles are also worked. The traps
and rhomboids act isometrically
to control the scapula keeping you
stable on the bench; and the lats,
posterior rotator cuff muscles and
forearms are worked, controlling the
lowering motion of the bar.
Often forgotten are the legs, glutes,
and lower back which provide an
anchoring bridge to the ground
offering stabilisation and body
tension that can increase power
transference to the bar.
Set up:
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Set the bench centrally under
the bar
Have the bar at arms reach so
you can comfortably un-rack
the bar without taking your
shoulders off the bench
Lay on the bench so that when
you look up your eyes are
directed slightly in front of the
bar (towards your feet)
Tuck your shoulder blades back
and down underneath you
Plant your feet securely on the
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© Igor Simanovskiy
press
Take a look at the correct
bench form and its variations
for maximising strength and
promoting shoulder health
floor in a typical squat stance
Your upper back should be flat
on the bench with your lower
back in a natural arch (don’t
press your lower back into
the bench)
Lift:
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Take an overhand claw grip on
the bar so that if you drew a
straight line down your thumb
would be in line with the outside
edge of your shoulder. The
bar should rest on the heel of
the hand with thumbs hooked
around to prevent it rolling off
Get a spotter to help you with
un-racking the bar. But first
tighten your lower body pressing
through your feet and squeezing
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STRENGTH SERIES
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your butt. Take a deep breath
and tighten your abs. Slowly
press the bar up with the help
of your spotter, locking out your
elbows and move it forwards
to be in line with your shoulder
joint (roughly above your
nipples)
Your spotter then releases the
bar and you remain focused on
the ceiling. Gently lower the bar
to your sternum
Touch your chest with the bar
gently and pause for one second,
keeping your body tight. Press
the bar back to where it started
from and lock out the elbows
To re-rack, guide the bar
backwards with help of your
spotter until it hits the uprights
and lower it gently into the rests
Variations:
impingements.
Shorter limbed individuals therefore
tend to excel at the bench press,
having shorter arms and often
displaying a broader chest which
stops the bar travelling as far down,
lessening the stretch on the pec and
giving a stronger press. Wider grips are
therefore less likely to be problematic
for shorter limbed folk. Whatever you
decide works best, try to rotate the
variations to work on all areas of the
chest and develop your weaknesses
but please adjust your weights
accordingly and always use a spotter.
#BenchBoss
As a reader of Personal Trainer I
would like to offer five lucky readers
the chance to improve their bench
with online feedback. Simply tag
#BenchBoss with a video of you
benching to my Facebook group the
#wanderingweightlfter If you would
like to get in touch or find out about
my workshops please contact me by
email fitnesschrysalis@gmail or go
online and sign up to my newsletter
on www.fitnesschrysalis.com
We all like a nice set of pecs but
ensure you also include as much
or more upper back strength work
in addition to benching to balance
out your posture and stop you
looking like a monkey!
Flat Bench
Standard Grip
Flat Bench Wide
Grip
Flat Bench Narrow Incline Bench
Grip
Standard Grip
Areas worked
Mid and lower pec
fibers and triceps
plus assistance
muscles.
More emphasis on
lateral pec region
of mid and lower
fibers, less triceps.
More emphasis on
central pec region
of mid and lower
fibers plus triceps.
Upper pec fibers,
triceps, anterior
delts.
Lower pec fibers,
triceps, anterior
delts.
Uses
Best of both
worlds. Good range
of movement and
working major
muscle groups
for functional
use, good overall
development and
the lifting of heavy
loads.
Shorter range of
movement, higher
risk to shoulder
health but allows
very heavy weights
to be moved and
adds definition to
outer pec shape.
Commonly used in
powerlifting.
Long range of
movement.
Focusing more
load on the triceps.
Great assistance
lift requiring you to
use lighter weights.
Good range
of movement
focuses on weaker
upper fibers and
assistance muscles,
adds definition to
inner pec fibers.
But you will need
to use much lighter
loads.
Good range of
movement focused
on stronger lower
pec fibers adding
definition here.
Great assistance
move potentially
allowing heavier
loads than your flat
bench.
When introducing bench to your
routine it is wise to consider your
anatomy and bench accordingly
because shoulder health can easily be
put at risk. The main consideration
for safe benching is limb length. For
people with longer arms the lowering
motion of the bar will stretch the pec
major fibers much further making
them weaker at the bottom of the
lift, so it is advised to use a narrower
grip with the elbows slightly tucked
in, allowing more contribution from
the triceps to avoid tears and shoulder
Decline Bench
Standard Grip
Lizzie is the owner
of Fitness Chrysalis,
and focuses on
using strength and
conditioning training
alongside balanced nutrition
support to improve client
function and strength. She is
also REPs Level 4 Obesity and
Diabetes trained. Get in touch at
[email protected]
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