The muscles worked
The bench press is a pretty complete bodybuilding exercise. In fact, it engages a large portion of the muscles in your body. However, it is an exercise that aims primarily pectorals.
By performing this movement, you will be able to train both the pectoralis major and minor. Aside from the pecs, the bench press also works other muscles such as triceps and the muscles anterior deltoids.
Barbell vs Dumbbell Bench Press
The bench press is an exercise that can be performed in its classic version with a barbell, but also in other variations. These allow the practitioner to target different parts of the chest muscles. Among these variants we find in particular the bench press with dumbbells.
In order to perform the classic barbell bench press, the practitioner must first step in bench press position. To do this, he must then lie down on a bench so that he can lift a weighted bar that is directly above his head. Once he’s made sure his feet are on the ground and his abs are tight, he can move on to the next step. It consists of the practitioner lowering the bar until it touches his torso and then raising it to the starting position.
During the movement, the athlete’s hands must be pronated (palms to feet) and generally spaced more than shoulder width apart. He has to bend his legs and then fold them back so his groin muscles stick to the bench. There he has to Unhook the bar supports holding him and immobilizing his outstretched arms. Finally, he has to slowly lower the load until it brushes against his chest muscles. Once this is done, he must mount it and repeat the movement 3 to 15 times. During the descent, the practitioner must inhale, while during the ascent he must exhale.
It is important to specify that in order to use the loads, the practitioner must have one or more assistants, who must be placed at head level or at each end of the bar. Their role is to help the practitioner raise the bar when they are no longer able to do so. In powerlifting competition, it is Bench press with bar what is allowed. During these competitions, practitioners attempt to lift the heaviest possible load in a single series. The best practitioners are those who manage to perform very well.
To achieve this, some wear support jerseys, which prove to be performance-enhancing. The current official world record holder in the men’s bench press is Julius Maddox with 350 kg in 2020. For women, the holder is Becca Swanson with 272.5 kg in 2005. As for the dumbbell bench press, it does not require the use of a pole. It’s more effective than the classic bench press and allows you to work your pecs with a much greater range of motion. With this variation, you don’t risk getting stuck with dumbbells. However, unlike the bench press with a bar, dumbbells do not allow you to take on too heavy a load.
How do you progress by improving your technique?
Several reasons can cause a practitioner not to move forward bench press. It can be a lack of strength or poor execution of the movement. If the latter, you’ll be pleased to know that you can progress by improving your working technique.
For Improve your bench press technique, the practitioner must consider his anatomy and goals. So if he just wants to build strength, he can, for example, pay attention to the placement of his legs during the movement. It is also possible to get closer and follow the example of specialists in the field to improve your technique. For this purpose it would be interesting to consult the Youtube channel bench and cigars.
Bench press program ideas
It’s also possible to advance to the bench press by developing a customized work program. For example, depending on the practitioner’s level and goals, he can start his training cycle with a barbell bench press for better balance, and then move on to dumbbell bench presses.
The trainee can choose between different programs for his bench press training. For example, he may follow a program that is only 12 sets of bench presses, or perform another that is only 06 sets. Regardless of the program, it is recommended to do short series of 3 to 5 repetitions.
