FLAT
BENCH PRESS - BARBELL
 MPEG:
Flat bench
MPEG:
Side view of arcing motion
CORRECT FORM
1) In order to
determine where your hands should be placed, lie
down and have someone place an Olympic bar in your hands while your
arms are exactly perpendicular to your torso, and your forearms perpendicular
to the floor. That’s where your hands should be when you are back on the bench
2) Place your
legs in whatever position is most comfortable - feet on the floor
or propped up on the bench. It is a matter of choice.
3) Have a spotter
assist you in lifting the weight off of the bench.
4) Lower the weight slowly toward the chest right around the nipple
line.
5) As you raise the bar back up, do it in an arcing
motion. This follows the natural path of the arms and pecs.
6) Inhale as you lower the weight, exhale as you
lift the weight.
7) Do not lock your elbows completely at the top of
the movement, but stop just barely short of locking the elbows.
MUSCLES
USED
SAFETY
CONSIDERATIONS/PRECAUTIONS
Because of the
awkward starting angle of the bar, a spotter should assist in handing
the barbell to you, especially as you begin to lift heavier weights.
The rotator cuff and shoulder joint incurs an enormous amount of stress
when attempting to pick the bar off the rack from behind your head.
Be sure that
your spotter stands behind the bench and follows along with the
path of the bar the entire time.
Grip the bar
with an over-hand thumb grip. Do not place your thumbs on the same
side of the bar as your fingers as some people might suggest. GRIP
the bar, or it could slip off of your hands.
If you experience
shoulder pain, you can shorten the range-of-motion or distance the
bar travels toward your chest. Stopping 2-4 inches above your chest
puts less strain on the anterior capsule of the shoulder and may be
necessary for people who strain this area easily. You should only
feel fatigue in the pectoral muscles, with some possibly in the triceps.
EFFECTIVENESS
The flat bench press is
the gold-standard exercise for pectoral development. Despite the myths
of the differences between incline, decline and flat bench, the research
shows that flat bench press works all three areas of the pecs highly
effectively. Flat bench has carryover to nearly every type of
sport because of the motion the arms go through. It is also the best
exercise for overall functional pectoral strength development, since
it allows you to lift a large amount of weight, as compared to dumbbell
exercises.
HELPFUL
WITH TRAINING FOR
Football, Basketball, Baseball, Hockey, Track and Field,
Throwing sports, Tennis, Boxing, Wrestling, Martial arts.
|
