The article describes how to correctly perform a barbell press lying on a horizontal bench in order to maximize the use of the chest muscles, and increase the desired volumes.
Bench press: execution technique
First of all, the athlete performs a small warm-up, warming up the muscles. Professionals advise before the bench press to first train with an empty bar. You can also try light weight. This is done so that the body and muscles remember the action plan and the mechanism of movements, get used to the position and understand how to move.
Before the bench press, you need to warm up the target muscles that are involved in the workout. Warm-up is what protects joints, ligaments, muscles from injury. It is an essential part of any good workout routine. The second important point is choosing the right power rack and bench. It is important to find the desired height of the stops, adjust the toolkit for yourself. Do not use a machine that is uncomfortable to exercise.
It is best to carry out the exercise in clothes, as the skin can slip during exercise. The bar itself and the weight should not touch the stops. It is best to do the exercise under the supervision of a trainer or partner, who can hedge you at any moment and help you maintain your weight when you get tired.
How to make a position stable?
The position on the bench during the bench press in bodybuilding must be very stable and safe. To achieve a secure position, you need to have four points of support. You should rest against the bench with the back of your head, shoulder blades, pelvis and feet. The head should not turn, and the gaze should be directed upward.
No need to follow the movement of the bar! Give all your concentration to do the exercise correctly. Watching the bar and moving your head can throw you off balance and lose support.
Bench Press: Barbell Exercise
The exercise is preceded by the following posture: you bring your shoulder blades together, lower your shoulders back, and push your chest forward. This is how you create direction for the muscle, pulling them like strings before playing a musical instrument.
It is not necessary to bend so that a bridge is formed. The goal of your arching is to maximize your torso. The rest of the body, including the buttocks and thighs, should be very tense. In this case, you need to spread your legs wide. As for the feet, they must be pressed into the floor as much as possible so that the legs are tense. Remember, your legs are your insurance.
It is very important to choose the right grip. The wider it is, the more dangerous it is for the joints. The grip should be parallel to the forearms.
How to hold the barbell
First of all, you need to make sure that your hands are at the same distance from the center of the bar - this will help to make the load correct and symmetrical. Do not forget that during the exercise, the bar must be fixed in the center of the chest.
During the exercise, the elbows must be spread apart. Do not press them against your torso. It is also very important to keep an eye on the elbows - they should not be pulled apart so that the bar rests exclusively on the neck. During the exercise, the effectiveness will depend on whether the athlete has managed to find a middle ground in the performance of the set.
It is important to make sure that the bar is squeezed out as you exhale. In general, you need to monitor your breathing and work on its correct implementation. You also need to make sure that the bar is not squeezed to the feet - this is wrong.
To prevent the bar from slipping during the bench press, use a special compound or chalk. Work through every detail of the exercise. Practice getting up to a starting position. The result and effectiveness of the exercise depends on how well you perform the bench press.
Video on how to do the bench press correctly:
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