Mastering the Barbell Bench Press
While the bench press is a power movement, it requires active intention and concentration to perfect.
Introduction
The barbell bench press is foundational for functional training and sports performance. It's also the barbell lift that gives you the most street cred.
Most bench guides give you a basic overview of the movement. They tend to focus on the core elements such as bar path, shoulder retraction, and leg drive.
This article aims to highlight more nuanced aspects of the lift. I'll focus on breathing techniques, drills for scapular depression, and coordination and timing of the secondary muscle groups.
By following these tips, you'll avoid issues that pop up when lifting heavier, allowing you to make more consistent gains.
Body Alignment on the Bench
An example of failing to align from the initial setup. The body is shifted slightly toward the right side with the feet at different distances. That creates unevenness that limits force production.
Your starting position on the bench begins when you first sit down. Your top priority throughout the lift is to create an even force distribution on the left and right sides.
Yet, one of the most common issues I encounter with lifters is they fail to align themselves until they're already under the bar. By this point, they have a limited field of vision and can't use any visual cues to create a straight, even setup.
To avoid this scenario, upon sitting at the end of the bench, use the middle of the bench post to find the midline of your body. Trace a line from the post to the seat and then to your belly button.
From there, adjust each foot so they're evenly spaced with each other and slightly wider than shoulder width. Before laying back, take a final look at the inner thigh on each side, bringing either leg out or back as necessary.
Shoulder Retraction and Depression
Once you've laid out and found the correct position with eyes under the bar, you can move on to the next critical step.
Proper shoulder retraction and depression provide a few benefits:
1) Safeguards your shoulder joints
2) Maximizes pectoralis muscle activation
3) Creates a stable platform
Here's my favorite drill. I assign this to activate all aspects of the trapezius prior to getting under load.
Perform this for three sets of 8 as a bench warmup:
Tie a light band to a rack or post at chest level
Grip the end of the band with each hand
Stand back to create tension in the band
Drop your elbows to about 75 degrees, or the same position as your bench press
Keeping the neck relaxed, push the traps down while simultaneously trying to get the shoulder blades to touch
Finally, pull the band back toward your body.
Once the band touches the chest, try to get it to drop 1 inch lower by pushing the traps further down.
Don't cheat by dropping the elbows.
Elevating the Pecs Above the Front Delts
Bringing the shoulder blades together and down while pressing the chest out above the front delts tends to create a natural arch
We know that the bench primarily targets the pectoral muscles. But it takes a little extra work to ensure they're in the ideal position relative to the anterior deltoids.
Just before liftoff, actively press the pecs above the front of the shoulders. While scapular retraction and depression will have you mostly in the correct position, thrust the chest up for good measure. This additional step enhances the mind-muscle connection and prepares the pectoralis major to handle heavy weights.
Finding a Natural Arch
In my experience, following the first three steps puts your lower back into an effective arch. By sending the chest out and pulling the shoulder blades together and down, you'll naturally extend the spine.
While you can create a little bit of additional arch if you'd like, make sure you maintain the tension you've already established in the upper body.
Breathing: Easy as 4,7,8
Deep breathing serves as the foundation for all barbell lifts. It supports movement and performance through three key actions.
Deep breaths create intra-abdominal pressure. Filling the torso with air protects the spine while also creating more stability throughout the torso. That maximizes even power production during each phase of the lift.
Proper breathing oxygenates the blood and lungs more efficiently. Rather than taking a series of shallow breaths during a longer set, deep breathing fully supplies oxygen while displacing carbon dioxide. This allows for a greater focus on the mechanics of the lift.
Breathing activates the sympathetic nervous system, keeping you calm and focused during your workout. Yes, you want a certain controlled aggression on top sets. But those are brief moments during a 60-90 minute session. For most of the time, you want to stay present and collected.
During the bench, if you're breathing properly you should have enough oxygen to complete a short set.
You can perform the following diagnostic test if you're gasping for air:
Record yourself during a few sets and assess if any of the following take place
Your shoulders, chest, and ribs move upward during inhalation
Your stomach remains flat instead of expanding
If you notice this issue, follow these practice drills:
Two times throughout the day, practice 4-7-8 breathing. Bonus: This drill also works for sleep. Check out this video for a quick tutorial
Before lifting, practice three repetitions of 4-7-8 breathing.
Once you start your actual set, just take one long breath in and hold.
Bracing
Breathing provides the initial force for bracing, but you'll need to take two additional steps to fully prepare for each set.
As you breathe deep through the nose, send that breath down and out into the belly. Try to create 360 degrees of pressure.
Simultaneously, push your traps down and your shoulder blades together.
Collectively, sending the air down and out while bracing the shoulder blades creates a solid platform for your bench. It signals to your brain that your pecs will serve as the main driver,
In my role as a strength coach, I have seen many clients solve neck and shoulder pain through these actions. Locking the more powerful traps in place while sending the breath low into the belly removes the scalenes from the bench. When these become overactive, they tighten up and pull on the shoulder muscles, leading to issues downstream.
Corkscrewing into the Bottom Position
Many lifters achieve terrific tightness and breath control on the first 1/3 of the lift only to get sloppy as they near the chest. By far, the single greatest issue I encounter is "dumping" the bar onto the chest when it's 1-2 inches from the body.
To rectify this, practice the following cue:
Think about pulling the bar toward your body as you descend
Break the bar into two so that your elbows turn in slightly and you engage the serratus muscles
Imaging that you're a spring loading tension into the bottom position
Focus on releasing that energy explosively right off the chest
The Proper Role and Timing for Leg Drive
Leg drive plays a major role in making the bench press work. But it's a nuanced skill that requires proper consideration and timing.
Ideally, the lifter will activate leg drive during the final third of the bench press. In my experience, it's best to use this powerful tool as a finisher so that the pecs remain the primary focus.
Starting the ascent with an explosive press synchs up the brain and the chest. Then, as the pec muscles continue extending, the legs can provide a finishing kick.
In my experience, lifters that begin the ascent with an overly powerful leg drive end up with less contribution from the pecs.
They end up trying to essentially leg press the bar off the chest at precisely the phase when the pecs have the most stored elastic energy to use.
Triceps: Your Finishing Move
As you near the end of your press, the triceps take center stage. As the pecs become further extended, the triceps remain in flexion. That means they have more room to go to get the bar to lock out.
A simple tactic is to focus on pressing the triceps out as hard as possible. As a tertiary muscle, they sometimes just require extra intention and activation.
Naturally, training the triceps will result in a stronger bench. Incorporate 12-15 sets of direct tricep work per work that hits all heads while also overloading the lockout position. Movements like a JM Press and pin barbell skull crusher are my go-to's.
Other Considerations for Bench Press Gains
Technique and programming work together. Optimizing any lift requires a balance of precision at heavy loads with movements that bring up weak points. Here are my favorite bench press variations for building PRs.
Close grip bench press
Incline bench press with a narrow grip width
Board benching
Floor press
Spoto press
Pin press
Conclusion
Perfecting the barbell bench press requires attention to detail and a commitment to refining your form. From breathing and bracing to triceps activation, each component plays a vital role in unlocking your true strength potential.
Chris Van Nostrand is a strength and conditioning coach and personal trainer in Evanston, IL. He has competed in the United States Powerlifting Association.
