Bodybuilding has always been a craze, and always will be as it seems. Teenage boys and adults are heading towards the gyms to have the perfect abs, shoulders, biceps, and triceps so that they can get an impressive look.

Well, bodybuilding is not men’s genre anymore because it has broken its stereotypical definition, and it is now equally popular among women. Talking about bodybuilding needs an automatic reference to bench press, and that’s because the buildup of upper body depends a lot on bench press.

Importance of Bench Press

While doing bench press, we all just tend to slide more plates, right? But, we all end up in pain due to the wrong techniques of bench press. Even those who are doing bench press with sufficient weight are not so satisfied with the weight because they want to put more plates. Bench press is sometimes over-prioritized because it is still considered as the base of bodybuilding, and it supplies the strength for the remaining workout.

The Oops Factors of Bench Press

Bodybuilding perhaps has given us a strict deadline, and we need to have that ‘perfect’ build up within that specific day. We just forget to realize that our body has a specific capacity, and we cannot go beyond that. So, if you are trying to get as many plates as possible during the bench press, you are mistaking.

You need to understand that you cannot increase the plates just because you want to get the athlete’s body. You need to understand that the addition of plate in bench press needs proper timing and body flexibility too. If you fail to realize that your net result will be zero. Maybe, a break will become mandatory which means all your previous efforts are just wasted. Sounds not so cool, right?

Now Bench Press Will Be More Effective

For these reasons, proper ways of bench press are very necessary to follow. These following tips will help you to have a perfect understanding of how to master the skills of the bench press.

Strengthen the Back

Are you shocked to see ‘back?’ Don’t worry, you are reading about bench press!

We often overlook this during bench press; as a result, things go all wrong. Well, at the time of lowering the weights towards your chest, your back provides the support to your body. So, if you think your chest is strong enough to support you, come out of that misconception. The stronger your back will be, more effective your bench press will be.

Also, your chest will have a better build-up only if your back is strong enough. Along with that, your shoulder blades will get better support. You can do horizontal movements in bench as well as other back exercises to provide adequate strength to your back.

Go For Stretches

Here is the second shock for you, I guess!

Stretches are mandatory for any workout and no exception to this in bodybuilding. Stretch before starting the bench press, to boost up your muscles. Stretches provide the optimal growth to your muscles by making it flexible.

Arm stretches and hamstring stretches are very common, but before getting ready for bench press, you need back, lats, and hip stretch too. If your lats are tight, be sure that these are locked up, and at that moment bench press will be risky.

The stretches will work as the warm-up session for your bench press routine, and it will make you able to take more weights. The following are the most neglected stretches but very necessary for bench press.

• Stretch your pecs
• Stretch your lats
• Stretch the hip flexors

Strengthen your arms with triceps stretch. For those who want an extraordinary buildup of your triceps, just go for JM press with a narrow grip. You may opt for a triceps extension to end the warm-up session.

Improve Your Bench Press Exercise with These Tips

Now just go through the tips to make your bench press even better:

Place Your Feet under Hips

This tip will allow you to add a minimum of 25 pounds in your bench press. Make sure your legs are right under the hips for providing support your upper body. At the time of pushing the weight back, make sure you are pressing your feet towards the ground. You will feel the tension, and it will allow you to get more weight.

Squeeze Your Gluteus

It helps to reinforce the stability at the time of doing the bench press. Due to this, you will get some extra power to lift some more weights as well.

Set the Shoulders in Correct Position

The importance of feeling the tension in the shoulder blades is beyond mention. Therefore, you need to have a proper position of your shoulder blades. The correct position of the shoulder blades during the bench press is at the back pockets because it keeps the shoulder blades downwards and together. It also allows you to slide at least one more plate.

Get the Grips

You need to try different grips and find out the best one that can allow you to have the strongest grip on the barbell. Don’t try the same grips for entire workout session because changing the grips will improve your capacity of lowering the weight.

Settle The Bar

It is very important because until and unless you properly settle the bar, it will not be lowered properly. Make sure you hook off the barbell and give some seconds to it so that it can settle. After it is steady above you can pull it down. Another secret tip is to pull the barbell halfway to your chest at the beginning. After you understand the tension and weight, lower it to the chest.

Try a Thicker Bar

It is a secret trick behind bench press, which will help your bench pressing session easier. A standard Olympic bar will be alright here. It will allow you to have one more weight as well.

Slower the Tempo to Have More Weights

This tip will help you to have stronger and bigger muscles. You must know that you can feel the tension of any exercise twice stronger by doing it at a slow pace. You can gradually feel the force too. Also, you will see that you can do more counts in each set. Performing the bench press twice a week is good. On the first day, try the fast-paced mode, and the second day try the slow-paced mode.

Vision at the Top

Always look at the top because it will give you the strength of a more effective push. Until you push the bar to the top, don’t stop. Keep this fact in mind, and your workout will be even better. You can keep your chest up as well to decrease the distance between chest and barbell.

Deep Breathe

It is a mandatory trick for all exercises and for bench press, no exception. At the time of lowering the weight, make sure to take deep breathe. Don’t skip this!

Get Expert’s Help

The bench press can go wrong in case you are doing it without proper guidance, as we have heard after interviewing a number of leading gyms in Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Bangalore to name a few. Therefore, you can search for the best gym in your area and consult the trainer to have an effective session of bench press.