BENCH PRESS 101

BENCH PRESS EXPLAINED  GYM 101

The bench press is a horizontal push.
Its job is to build the chest, shoulders, and triceps while teaching full-body tension.

It’s not just an upper-body lift, done properly, it’s a total body skill.

What muscles it trains

  • Chest (pecs) – main mover

  • Triceps – lockout power

  • Front delts – assist off the chest

  • Upper back, core, glutes, legs – stability and force transfer

Why most people fail the bench

  • No upper-back tension

  • Loose legs

  • Bouncing the bar

  • Changing setup every rep

  • Ego loading weight they can’t control

1. Bar position

  • Eyes directly under the bar

  • Bar sits in the heel of your palm, wrists stacked (no bend)

2. Shoulder position

  • Pinch shoulder blades down and back

  • Lock them into the bench and don’t move them again

3. Upper back & arch

  • Small, controlled arch in the lower back

  • Glutes stay on the bench at all times

  • Chest tall, ribcage up

4. Foot position

  • Feet flat and planted hard

  • Slightly behind knees if mobility allows

  • Drive through the floor like a leg press

5. Grip

  • Squeeze the bar like you’re trying to snap it

  • Even grip width on both sides

  • Forearms vertical at the bottom

6. Breath & brace

  • Big breath before unrack

  • Brace your core like a plank

  • Hold that tension through the rep

7. Unrack

  • Pull the bar out, don’t press it out

  • Bar starts stacked over shoulders

8. Bar path

  • Lower to lower chest / upper sternum

  • Press back up and slightly back toward shoulders

  • Smooth, controlled — no bounce