The decline bench press is one of the various forms of the standard bench pressing technique. All forms of bench pressing are extremely popular with people looking to build upper body muscle and work out at home or at the gym. A decline bench press can be performed on a weights bench with a barbell and weights or using dumbbells, the exercise can also be performed on a Smith machine which could be much safer for beginners and people who are unsure with the technique involved. The difference between a regular bench press and a decline bench press is that the weights bench is declined or lowered at an angle in such a fashion that the work out works on your lower chest. Read the rest of this entry »
The incline bench press is one of the numerous variations of the regular bench press. A bench press is an exercise performed whilst on a lifting bench, the lifter would then proceed to raise and lower the barbell containing the desired amount of weights for a number of specified repetitions. The purpose of the bench press is to work the major muscle groups in the upper body, the lifter must be very careful as lifting too many weights can cause injury and discomfort. Read the rest of this entry »
The wide grip bench press is a variation of the standard bench press. You will probably notice that the wide grip bench press is very similar to the regular bench press; the only difference in the technique is that your hands are placed wider apart on the barbell. Many people find this version more strenuous and harder to perform compared to the regular bench press. The wide grip bench press works the pecs harder because of the greater strain placed on the upper chest; although your biceps and triceps are still working because the arms are constantly involved it’s not giving them a heavy work out. Read the rest of this entry »
The close grip bench press is sometimes known as the narrow grip bench press and is a variation of the standard bench press. The only difference between the closed grip variation and the standard technique is that your hands are much closer together which in some cases enables the lifter to lift heavier weights compared to lifting with the standard bench pressing technique. The close grip bench press is very intensive on your chest, shoulders and especially the triceps. Just by moving your arms closer together, it’s surprising how different the workout is and the varying muscle groups being worked in each exercise. Read the rest of this entry »
The Smith machine is a very useful bit of gym kit, which was invented in the 1950’s, now they can be seen in gyms and even homes all over the world. The Smith machine has two side steel runners; the barbell is then constricted to move up and down these runners. There is also a series of hooks placed on both of the steel runners in order to place the barbell on them at any point, which means you don’t have to re-rack the barbell every time you want to rest. One of the most popular uses of the Smith machine is bench pressing, with the aid of the Smith machine many people have found working their upper body muscles to be simplified. Read the rest of this entry »
Here is a video from the New England Bench Press Classic May 22nd 2005 where Scot Mendelson took the new world record for RAW bench pressing to 715lbs (324kg)!
As you can see he did it quite easily, let's hope he can crack 750 soon!
Bench pressing is one of the most popular exercises with people looking to strengthen and develop their upper body, people enjoy bench pressing because they constantly stay in control with the amount of weights they want to lift and how many repetitions, the exercise also works all the major muscles in the upper body such as the chest and shoulders. There are also many different forms of the bench press which can be performed based on the person’s preference, examples of the different types of bench presses are the incline bench press, the decline bench press and the wide grip bench press, all have their advantages and disadvantages. To be able to perform these workouts however you will need the correct equipment which is best suited to you and your level of ability. Firstly you will need to decide which pieces of kit you will need, for bench pressing you will obviously require a lifting bench with the uprights at the side of the bench, these are used to balance the barbell, a barbell (as just mentioned) and some weights. Read the rest of this entry »
Benchers around the world are known to try various ways so as to bench press more and more. One method which we suggest to every bencher is the “reverse grip bench press” method. By using this method benchers are able to bring the weight down to their lower stomachs and hence they aren’t required to press the weight too far. One famous bencher who used to use this technique was Anthony Clark. He used to bench regular with reverse grip and hence was easily able to out perform other benchers. This reverse grip method can easily injure the bench pressers and same is the reason why reverse grip has been banned by many organizations. Read the rest of this entry »
There are many techniques to overcome the weaknesses of Bench Press and one technique which has been tested by us is use of boards. Here we will jot down what we have learned when it comes to using boards. You will surely gain something out of our researches:
How to construct a board?
Check the Home Depot for some quality 2x6s. One board will reduce the ROM by 1.5 inches (considering the fact that one 2x6 is 1.5 inches thick), two board by three inches and so on. You can always buy the second hand material if you have a lower budget. Chop the board to the desired length and nail them or screw them. You can always create a handle on the board so that your partner can easily grab it. IF you don’t have any helping hands then why not adjust the board inside your shirt? You always need two gentlemen to hold the ends of bar and one to lift the bar. Similarly it is always recommended to arrange for someone who holds the board on your chest. Read the rest of this entry »
Here we have compiled 10 methods which benchers can use to improve their bench press. If you have hit the max of your bench press then these techniques will help you to break your own personal records. All what we ask for is your determination and your will to work hard.
- Please don’t work too hard: Hard work for a couple of times every week is fine but one must not regularly work very hard to gain strength quickly. This will be harmful and will bring back no gains.
- Eat tons of food: Well, you might think eating too much will disturb your metabolic system but that isn’t true. You need to eat a lot in order to keep up with the energy which is spent while bench pressing. Read the rest of this entry »
