Flat Barbell Bench Press

This exercise is used to work the large Pectorialis muscles of the chest.

Before the exercise

• Warm up your shoulders thoroughly before the exercise. You can use the Barbell without weight approximately 10-20 reps before adding weight.
• The width of the grip should be a little wider then your shoulder length. Use the rings on the Barbell as a guide – most often your ring finger or middle finger should be placed on the rings.
• You can practise a comfortable grip without weight on the Barbell. Your forearms should always be vertical, and directly under your wrist. Now put on weights as you please

The exercise

• Take a grip on the Barbell.
• When you lie on the bench your face should be right under the Barbell.
• Take the Barbell off the rack and hold it out at arms-length.
• Lower it slowly to the nipple line then press up in a slight backward arc so that the bar finishes approximately back over your face.
• Repeat the exercise, and add more weight as possible.

Tips & Tricks

• Inhale as you are lowering the Barbell and exhale as you are pressing up.
  
  
• Don’t bounce the weight of the chest, but try to perform the exercise controlled. Let the barbell touch the chest without letting it directly rest on it. Too much weight on the chest can damage your rip cage. It also reduces the effectiveness of the exercise.
  
  
• Keep your wrists straight. Don't cock them back or allow them to twist during the exercise. This causes undue stress on the wrist and reduces power in your shoulders, chest and arms.
  
  
• Always use collars to prevent the weights from sliding off. Especially for beginners this is important because you may have difficulties balancing the Barbell. Weights sliding off the bar can cause injury to yourself and others. It also looks very foolish.
  
  
• A common trick for this exercise is to try to imagine the Barbell as an immovable object and push your self down and away from it rather then pushing the bar up and away from you. This easy change in mindset will increase the strength and effect of the exercise.
  
  
• As you lift, try always to lie on the bench with head, shoulders and buttock in contact with the flat bench surface. Lifting the buttock from the bench eases the lift, but it increases the risk of injuries.
  
  
• For getting the maximal out of the exercise it is useful to get some assistance from another person who is placed behind the bench. The helper only assists when you can’t push the Barbell all the way back up. The helper should attempt to keep the barbell in a slow but steady upward movement. Typically this almost requires only very little lifting from the helper. With this method you can safely perform 2-3 extra repetitions. Look at the picture below for instructions on performing this exercise.