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Bench Press Tips: How To Get The Most From Your Bench Press Workout
My first tip on how to get the most benefit from your bench press is to make sure that you do your presses with a spotter. By working out with a spotter while performing bench presses you will be able to lift more weight. When you feel that you can’t continue the bench press motion because the weight is too heavy or because your muscles are too weak, your spotter can help. It’s essentially as if you have an extra pair of muscles to help you. Your spotter will also provide a safety measure, ensuring that you are using proper form and that you don’t hurt yourself. While performing your bench press you should also be near a mirror so that you can periodically check your form for yourself. The next tip that will make sure that you get the most from your bench press is allowing for backlift. If it feels more natural for you to lift your back slightly off the bench while performing a bench press, you should do it. Just make sure you are not overarching your back because the extra weight that you are lifting will greatly add to the force of gravity and possibly cause damage to your spinal column. You should listen to your body and do what feels natural but don’t overdo it. Another tip is to achieve a proper grip position. Your palms should be facing the ceiling and your hands should be spaced a little more than shoulder width apart. This will guarantee that your muscles are properly positioned which will prevent you from moving your arms or shoulders in an unnatural way. You will be able to perform your reps to your maximal ability while not getting hurt. If you put your hands too far apart, you will increase the pressure on your shoulders too much which could lead to dislocation because of the way the humerus fits loosely into the socket of the scapula. Your humerus and scapula are not fused together, which allows movement, but because of the loose connection between the two bones it is relatively easy to dislocate your shoulders. On the other hand, if you put your hands too close together, you will no longer be working out your chest, but you will instead be working out your triceps (triceps brachii) of your arm. The last thing that I will recommend for getting the most benefit from your bench press is to employ a full range of motion. When performing a bench press, it is significantly harder to relift the weight when you are on the lower portion of the lift than to lift it initially. That is why it is important to have a spotter with you so that you can get through the hard portion of the bench press with help. You will achieve the results you are looking for by using a lighter weight but completing your bench press perfectly. Evenly pressing down and then back up again. When you use a heavier weight but aren’t able to perform a full bench press motion, you will not achieve the adults that you are looking for. The bar should be coming down until it is just about to touch your chest, but make sure that while performing this maneuver you have proper form. To sum things up, the four main points that will allow you to get the most from your bench press are: • having a spotter who can provide added safety • allowing for backlift when you feel like you need it • achieving a proper grip position • employing a full range of motion. By following the above tips, you will be able to guarantee that your bench press works out your chest muscles optimally with minimal to no damage to your other muscles. Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com Steven Tyrie is an exercise science and general health and fitness expert who specializes in helping beginners reach their muscle building goals. To learn more FREE muscle building tips, sign up to the FREE BuildUpYourMuscles weekly newsletter or to download the complete 'Beginners Guide to Muscle Building' ebook just visit www.buildupyourmuscles.com. |
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