Barbell Bench Press

The bench press is probably the most common weight lifting exercise and is often used in power lifting competitions. It is a compound movement that uses a pushing movement to create muscle mass on your upper body. Crowned the 'king of chest exercises' the bench press directly works the chest muscles and the shoulders and triceps.

There are two videos below the first one demonstrates the narrow grip and the second one demonstrates a wider grip for this exercise. A wider grip will hit the outer chest and take the pressure off of the triceps and a narrow grip will focus on the triceps and the inner chest muscles.

Narrow Grip

Wide Grip

Instructions

1. Lie on back with head underneath bar, eyes aligned with bar, and feet flat on floor.

2. Position hands on bar wider than shoulder width or lower the unloaded bar to chest and position grip to where forearms are perpendicular to the floor.
   
3. Start position: Lift bar off rack with bar directly over head.
   
4. Lower bar to chest at the nipple-line. Press bar up to starting position.

This exercise should be done slowly and as heavy as you can go. When you lift heavy weights it is a good idea to use a spotter in case you get in trouble as you don't want to be dropping a heavy barbell on your neck or chest.

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