Comments on: How to Bench Press

By: John Reynolds

John Reynolds — Wed, 19 May 2010 13:07:40 +0000

what about bouncing the bar off your chest. I witness people bouncing the bar at the bottom off their chest. I know this is incorrect, what damage if any can it do and I bench so that the bar just kisses my chest. Give me some feedback please.

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:38:54 +0000

i’ve read other places that you should pinch your shoulder blades together while doing a bench press? is this true?

By: Build Muscle in Just 31 Days… | GymJunkies.com

Build Muscle in Just 31 Days… | GymJunkies.com — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 22:17:33 +0000

[...] How to Bench Press [...]

By: Vic Magary

Vic Magary — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 03:02:33 +0000

I’m not so sure I’m with you on the functionality of the close grip bench press. But I’m always open to learning. I do occasionally hit the close hand push ups, so really what’s the difference? Maybe you’re on to something here. . .

By: alex

alex — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 15:20:02 +0000

Can you add a sub-section on close grips? Since this website seems to be dedicated to functional lifting (as every place should IMO), what better way to attack the tris and bis then by doing close grips. I just yesterday was shown how and why I was doing them all wrong. I was doing them just like a bench press but with my hands close together. The trainer told me to keep my elbows in and push up and out towards my stomach. It changed the way the lift feels, it gets at my tris way more, and puts less stress on my shoulders and forearms.

By: Vic Magary

Vic Magary — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 18:20:06 +0000

@Lynne: I personally teach the movement as straight up. But I’ve heard others teach it with the almost curving motion that you speak of. Stay tuned as we are close to finishing filming for an instructional DVD covering all of the major barbell exercises, with Pro-Powerlifter AJ Roberts doing the instructions for the deadlift, squat, and bench press.

By: Lynne A

Lynne A — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 19:28:27 +0000

Hi Vic
I’ve just started doing the bench press and have a question. When I am at the top of the press, should the bar be over my chest or slightly over my head? I’ve read elsewhere that the motion when you push up is that of an upside down “J”. When I bench press I tend to push straight up, I don’t curve. Which is correct?

By: Vic Magary

Vic Magary — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 20:09:36 +0000

@ Ali – we don’t recommend 12 reps for people trying to build strength. If you read the title of that section we say that 12 reps is a good place to start for beginners (someone who has never benched before)

12 reps helps them ingrain the motion for a few weeks before we move them to a strength routine like 5×5.

Thanks for the comment, you should comment more often as you seem to know a lot about strength training. I like having these discussions with knowledgeable folks…

-Vic

By: ali.

ali. — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 15:06:08 +0000

Whay do you recomend 12 reps for people who wants to get strong in the bench? Everybody who know power lifting prinsips know that 3 x 3 where you train with 90-95 % of your max is what make you strong…

By: NLK

NLK — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 17:07:47 +0000

hello dudes.
good website and good instructions

i never lock my arms out all the way, i like to keep the tension on so i keep it in a gentle bent.

holla