Bench Press

Muscle groups affected:

Pectorals, Deltoids, Triceps

Start by lifting just the empty bar. That means whether you are just learning the lift for the first time, or warming up for a personal record.

Grip the bar evenly with a pronated grip. (That means you are looking up at the back of your hands.)

The distance between your hands will emphasize either triceps(close grip) or chest and shoulders(wide grip).

The bench press tends to be stressful on the shoulders. Grip closer for less stress. Avoid wide grips because of the stress it will put on your shoulders.

For safety I recommend wrapping your thumb and fingers all the way around the bar.

Keep your lower body very stable.

Feet placement is critical. Keep feet out to the sides of the bench and keep them flat on the floor throughout the lift. Power lifters may want to tuck your feet back toward your torso, so your body is in a more compact position.

Hips and shoulder blades should stay on the bench during the lift.

Arch your back slightly to engage the chest muscles. Avoid arching your back too much. You should be able to slide your hand under your lower back.

Lift the barbell from the rack.

Hold it over your chest with the elbows fully extended.

As you lower the bar keep it under control.

Your elbows should be somewhat pointing toward your feet as you lower the bar. (Hint: Flaring your elbows to the sides will create unwanted stress on your shoulders.)

Continue lowering the bar until it touches your chest...followed by an immediate raising of the bar until your elbows are almost fully extended.

Do not bounce the bar off your chest. Let your muscles do the work, not momentum.

Proper form will result in the bar finishing over your eyes, so the bar travels in a short arc.

During the decent of the bar- Inhale

During the ascent- Exhale

Never hold your breath when lifting

4 seconds to lower the bar.

2 seconds to raise the bar.

Control is important. The same muscles that raise the bar are the same muscles that lower it, so go slowly and don't let momentum help you cheat.

The bench press can be done flat, inclined, or declined. Varying the angle of the bench places greater emphasis on the two different heads of the pectorals:

Incline bench hits the upper pectoral muscle.

Decline bench hits the lower pectoral muscle.

Critical Bench Program

This book is truly amazing. Here's a small sample of what it reveals:

How to train smart so that you avoid over training. Your muscles need time to rest and recover. They grow between workouts not during workouts. Over training is the #1 mistake made by lifters of all levels and we'll make sure it doesn't happen to you.

Why stretching and warming up is so important if you want to bench big weight. Lifting heavy weights can take its toll on the body, but with our warm-up routine you'll keep your rotator cuffs healthy and avoid the aches & pains that many suffer from.

The secret to training for strength is low reps. That's right 5's, 4's, and even singles. In my experience muscle is directly related to strength gains. As you get stronger your muscle will get bigger.

How to mix things up and add variation to your training. When you do the same workout over and over your body gets used to it and stops responding. Your program adds variables to keep your body guessing.

Why you shouldn't pre-exhaust your muscles when trying to increase your bench press. Pre-exhausting your muscles can be a great training method but it's not applicable when you are trying to up your max. For example, you cannot train triceps before chest. If you do, your bench will go nowhere fast since the bench involves the use of the tri's. If they're already tired how are they going to help you bench press?

How successful clients get in the right mindset for a big day at the gym. The bench press is a very mental lift. Why is that you can bench 300 but not 315? Does it have to do with the three plates on each side of the bar? Or maybe you can do 295 but not 300, because 300 sounds heavier. We'll teach you how to be mentally tough and how you can visualize your success with an Iron Mind.

Why technique is so important. I'm confident if you adjust your form, whether it be your grip, the angle of your press, or the placement of your elbows you'll see a significant difference without changing anything else.

Exactly how long you should be resting between sets when you are training for power and strength.

Why you can't believe supplement ads. Did you know that almost every major bodybuilding magazine is owned by a supplement manufacturer? This makes it almost impossible to find reliable information about what really works and what gives you the most bang for your buck. Supplements are good for two things, insurance and covenience. If you don't get enough food they act as insurance, and if you live a hectic lifestyle they can be convenient. Supplements aren't necessary to succeed on this program, but if you want some cutting edge suggestions we have proven recommendations for you based on real life experience as well as scientific research.

Critical Bench

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