Bench press
FORM GUIDE:
Click to enlarge
SETS:
5
REPS:
5
WEIGHT:
Max
KEY POINTS:
LOWER BACK:
Neutral – the normal inward curve. No rounding or excess arch.
FOOT PLACEMENT:
Whole foot flat on the floor, toes turned out about 15°. Hip width apart.
BRACE YOUR CORE:
Holding in a breath increases pressure in your torso which puts force on your spine. This creates a “natural belt’ that supports your back.
SHOULDER BLADES:
Your shoulder-blades, mid-foot and the bar must be aligned when you setup, this is the most efficient way to pull heavy weight off the floor.
Main benchpress cues
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It’s just as important to brace your core with bench as it is with other movements.
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Take a breath into your diaphragm and make sure you hold your breath during the downward movement of the bar.
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Keep your feet flat on the floor
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Use the rings on the bar to ensure you are lifting with symmetrical hand placement.
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Everyone is different, but aim to grip roughly shoulder width apart, and optimum width will be when your hands lower in a straight line with your elbows.
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If you find your shoulders moving forward, aim to keep your shoulder blades behind you on the bench.
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Usually you will have a naturally arched lower back during the bench press.
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Make sure you hook your thumb round the bar to grip it properly and avoid it slipping.
Safety & Learning
The most obvious thing with bench is that the weight is above us so the danger is more obvious. However as long as we grip the bar properly as well as take the movement nice and slowly to allow for control, it’s unlikely we will injure ourselves with bench press.
We perform lower reps on the core compound movements (deadlifts, squats, bench, overhead press) to build strength, whilst other back movements will be higher reps to focus on physique.