One of the most popular exercises in the gym, particularly among men, is the bench press. When talking about an individual's strength, the question is always "how much can you bench?" It's a good measure of upper body strength, as it uses the chest, triceps, shoulders, and biceps. It's also and attractive exercise because of it's simplicity, so most people can do regardless of their strength.
If you are interested in learning how to increase the amount you can bench press, the good news is that you don't need any special equipment or supplements to accomplish your goals. Regardless of what weight you can currently bench, there are techniques you can benefit from.
The grip is the first point of emphasis when getting ready to do a repetition. If you opt for a wide grip, then more pressure will be placed on the chest muscles and it will involves pushing more outward. On the other hand, a narrow grip involves the triceps a lot more, and you will be pushing more inward. The perfect grip is in between a wide and narrow grip, but it's a little bit different for everyone. Your forearms should be completely vertical as you lower the bar.
If you are new to the bench press, start with no weight and focus on technique. Your shoulder blades should be pressed inward and should always stay on the bench. Places your feet wide so you can establish good stability and avoid using the back to push up.
Once you have established a grip and lifted the bar up, lower it down to the point on your chest where your forearms are perpendicular to the floor. Once it hits your chest, push the bar straight back up. As mentioned before, starting off with very light weight is beneficial so you can find what technique works best for you. Having someone spot you is a good idea so they can provide feedback on your technique.
Most advise pausing when the bar comes into contact with your chest. What you don't want to do is bounce it off your chest, as it will give you momentum. Momentum might sound good and make it easier, but it's not the proper technique to use. The reason is because you are taking pressure off the muscles, and that's not how you will get stronger.
Once the bar reaches your chest on the way down, pause before going back up. Not only will doing so help prevent injury, but it helps you maintain good positioning.
Your motion should be steady and smooth. Going to fast can once again result in injury or losing control of the bar.
If you are interested in learning how to increase the amount you can bench press, the good news is that you don't need any special equipment or supplements to accomplish your goals. Regardless of what weight you can currently bench, there are techniques you can benefit from.
The grip is the first point of emphasis when getting ready to do a repetition. If you opt for a wide grip, then more pressure will be placed on the chest muscles and it will involves pushing more outward. On the other hand, a narrow grip involves the triceps a lot more, and you will be pushing more inward. The perfect grip is in between a wide and narrow grip, but it's a little bit different for everyone. Your forearms should be completely vertical as you lower the bar.
If you are new to the bench press, start with no weight and focus on technique. Your shoulder blades should be pressed inward and should always stay on the bench. Places your feet wide so you can establish good stability and avoid using the back to push up.
Once you have established a grip and lifted the bar up, lower it down to the point on your chest where your forearms are perpendicular to the floor. Once it hits your chest, push the bar straight back up. As mentioned before, starting off with very light weight is beneficial so you can find what technique works best for you. Having someone spot you is a good idea so they can provide feedback on your technique.
Most advise pausing when the bar comes into contact with your chest. What you don't want to do is bounce it off your chest, as it will give you momentum. Momentum might sound good and make it easier, but it's not the proper technique to use. The reason is because you are taking pressure off the muscles, and that's not how you will get stronger.
Once the bar reaches your chest on the way down, pause before going back up. Not only will doing so help prevent injury, but it helps you maintain good positioning.
Your motion should be steady and smooth. Going to fast can once again result in injury or losing control of the bar.
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