How To Bench Press
Are you puny? Do your arms look like twigs of a tree or does your chest look flat and unimpressive? Wouldn’t you rather love to sport arms that look like branches, as opposed to twigs, and wouldn’t you rather have a chest that looks proud and impressive? Yes, you sure would. Unfortunately, impressive arms and equally impressive chest muscles doesn’t come easy. Tons and tons of hard work make for a very distinct part of the process of building a great looking chest and arms. The bench press is an indispensable part of any gym. It’s a name given to equipment and exercises that actually help you to build your chest and your arms by default. Go ahead and read on to uncover handy instructions on how to bench press. For great results with bench press, don’t forget to consume the right amounts of nutrition too.
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With the bench press, there are chances of people bumbling in the first few efforts. Most people and even seasoned gym goers tend to think that the bench press is all about lifting monster weights in as much less time as possible. However, this is hardly the truth, because with the bench press, precision and a calculated approach to the exercise is what you need the most.
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You can start the whole process of ‘benching’ by lying flat on the bench. As for the bench, it is important that it is not too soft or too hard. A bench that is too soft will destroy your natural position while a bench that is too hard may be tough on your back.
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With the bench figured out, you can go ahead and lie on it. When you lie on the bench, make it a point to lie flat and in a very relaxed manner. Don’t stress your muscles. It’s not like the weight of the world is going to be borne by you.
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With your body relaxed, you can go on to focus on the details. Keep your shoulders straight, awkward positions are not allowed. Your spine too is important. It shouldn’t be flatly resting on the bench but slightly arched. Just a slight arch is required; too much off a bend can be ‘bench press suicide’. You can finally go on to focus on your feet. Keep them flat and relaxed on the ground. Alternately, if the length of the bench permits it, you can fold your legs and place your feet flat on the bench.
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Get on to the bar; lift your arms, stretch them and place them on the bar. Standard bench press bars come with markings that enable you to determine where your hands should be placed. If there are no markings, ask your trainer to guide you on where exactly your hands should be placed on the bar.
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As a rule of thumb, if you are looking for increased pectoral movement, hold the bar wider than you normally would. On the other hand, if you are looking for increased triceps involvement, stretch out your arms lesser than you normally would and hold the bar. For that standard bench press movement, hold the bar at the appropriate markings or as advised by your trainer.
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You can now proceed to lift the bar from its resting position and place it directly above your chest. Begin to lift the bar up and down. Make it a point to inhale as you lower the bar and exhale as you raise it. These breathing protocols needs to be followed to the T. With the repetitions, extend yours hands as much as you possibly can. With or without weights, a minimum of ten to twelve repetitions is what you need to aim for.
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As far as weights go, your approach should be progressive. Think about it in terms of strength and endurance. As you get comfortable with a particular weight, go on to the next one. Start off small, finish off big! The trick is- lighter weights and more repetitions in the beginning, and heavier weights and fewer repetitions as you progress. A one to two minute break between sets is advisable. Push yourself to your limits, but never more, because this can only lead to injury.