Bench Press SECRET Every Lifter Should LEARN
/What's the worst mistake on the bench press? It's not what you think.
At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Click the button below to get quality coaching from a Starting Strength Coach and start getting stronger TODAY.
Quick Tip to Improve Your Bench Press | FAST FIX!
/Phil covers a quick and easy breathing tip to help you improve your bench press.
At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Click the button below to get quality coaching from a Starting Strength Coach and start getting stronger TODAY.
How to Start Lifting: Learn to Bench Press
/In the sixth video of the "How to Start Lifting" series, Phil helps you learn how to bench press and also discusses how to go about your first bench press workout.
(This video is a Blast from the Past video originally published on 12/06/21.)
At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Click the button below to get quality coaching from a Starting Strength Coach and start getting stronger TODAY.
Bench Press Cue: Pull Your Fists Back!
/
Jordan’s arms are straight, but notice the position of her fists in the picture on the left versus the position of her fists in the picture on the right (i.e., with shoulders retracted).
(This article is a Blast from the Past article originally posted on 04/30/21.)
When we set up to bench press, we retract our shoulder blades before we start the movement. We do so as this process creates more stability (i.e., it creates a wider base of support on the bench itself) and puts us in a stronger and more efficient position from which to bench. It also has the added bonus of reducing the distance the bar has to travel throughout the lift.
Compare the height of the barbell in the photo on the left (incorrect: fists not pulled back) with the height of the barbell in the photo on the right (correct: fists pulled back). For a reference point, look at the “Exit” sign in the background.
However, lifters occasionally have a bit of trouble pulling their shoulders back into the proper position. Sometimes this is due to a lack of understanding of what this position looks and feels like, and sometimes it’s simply an inability to exert conscious control over something they can’t see. Either way, if you struggle to retract your shoulders blades, try cueing yourself to pull your fists back instead.
The cue “Pull your fists back” implies that - when you’re set up on the bench with the bar locked out overhead on straight arms - you’re going to try to pull your fists back toward you as far as possible (i.e., as close to you as possible) without bending your elbows. You can try this with or without a bar, and either way, you’ll find that you can actually pull your fists back toward you at least an inch or two, and having done so, you will have successfully retracted your shoulder blades into the correct position without having ever thought about your shoulders.
Pull your fists back the next time you set up on the bench - it will help you develop a stronger and more efficient bench press, and that’s always a good thing. If you’re interested in more tips to help your bench press, check out the included videos.
(Some links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, Testify earns from qualifying purchases.)
If you found this helpful, you’ll love our weekly email. It’s got useful videos, articles, and training tips just like the one in this article. Sign up below, and of course, if you don’t love it, you can unsubscribe at any time.
At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Click the button below to get quality coaching from a Starting Strength Coach and start getting stronger TODAY.
How to Safely Bench Press Alone!
/
not like this . . . not like this.
Don’t be that guy. Or gal. Just . . . don’t. The bench press is the most dangerous lift we perform in the weight room. It’s the only one wherein - should something go wrong - your face and/or neck could be trapped between something heavy (the bar) and something immovable (the bench). Ideally, you have a spotter when you bench press, but even when alone, you can perform the lift in a perfectly safe manner, so if you don’t want to end up with a barbell on your face, read on.
Equipment
You need a power rack like the one in the included video, or you can use a squat stand with adjustable spotter arms. Your power rack should have safeties (also known as “pins” or “crash bars”). If it doesn’t, throw it out.
Setup Requirement #1
Set the safeties low enough that you can perform the bench press without having the barbell run into them when the bar touches your chest. Your legs are driving you up the bench, your arch is set, your shoulders are pinned back, and in this position, the safeties need to be just low enough that you don’t hit them with the bar.
Setup Requirement #2
The safeties also need to be high enough that - should you fail a rep - you can simply lower the bar back down, relax your body, and allow the bar to sit on the safeties. At this point, you roll the bar out of your way and get out safely from the situation.
In other words, the safeties must be low enough that they don’t cause a problem, and they must be high enough that they save you from any problems.
Test It Out
When you have your safeties set where you think they should be, test your setup. Perform a few reps with the empty bar to make sure the bar doesn’t hit the safeties, and then after that, set the bar down on the safeties (i.e., pretend to fail a rep), and make sure that you can get out from under the bar. It’s an especially good idea to roll the empty bar (when it’s sitting on the safeties) back toward your face to make sure the safeties are high enough to protect your face and neck.
Write It Down
Record the height of your safeties in your training log. If you train at home, you can write numbers on your rack (if it doesn’t already have them) with a permanent marker and then record your pin height in your log. If you train at a commercial gym, find a way to make sure that you set the safeties at the correct height and then write it down.
One Last Thing . . .
Don’t use collars when you bench press. The safeties will protect you, but just in case you forget to set them up, you can simply tip the bar to the side, and the plates will fall off (one side and then the other) in a rather loud and semi-disastrous manner, but you’ll be alive, and that’s the important part. This is not nearly as good of a solution as setting the safeties correctly, but it’s better than nothing.
As always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better.
(Some links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, Testify earns from qualifying purchases.)