Bench Press Technique

When it comes to the bench press, it is much easier and more proper to shorten the distance of how far you have to lift. The less distance you have to push the weight the stronger you will get. To do this, there are a few simple steps to follow. First, you must expand your rib cage and stick your chest out as far as it can go. At the same time, squeeze your shoulder blades together behind you. By expanding your chest out you will decrease your distance of about 2 inches. Also by squeezing your shoulder blades together, there is another inch or two shaved off. Along with this, you should look to use the power in your legs to help your benching. To do this, place your legs firmly on the floor and as you are lifting, try to drive your legs as if you were trying to slide your back along the bench. This wil help support your entire body while holding the fixed position of chest out and shoulder blades back. Next, as you are lifting the bar, take a breath and hold it in. This will stabalize your torso area and keep high tension in your body. Only do this during the actual lift itself. As you let the bar go down, keep your elbows tucked in at a 45 degree angle at your sides. The bar should be close to your upper abdominals and your chest on the way down. From here, you will proceed to lift the bar back up into a straight position. With this technique, you are sure to improve your bench press and get stronger, better results.