The Functional Bench Press

Some people are divided as to the benefits of bench pressing. They say the regular flat bench is;

·         Not “functional”, as you are lying down, and you normally don’t encounter this position in sports and in most life situations, and therefore has little carryover.

·         Also, due to the scapula- or shoulder blades, being essentially trapped against the bench, they can’t maintain the normal movement they exhibit during pressing movements.

·         The real clincher is the evidence that points to the excessive numbers who injure themselves whilst bench pressing. The amount of trainees suffering pec and shoulder injuries on the bench press makes it seem inevitable that if you bench, then at some stage you will be injured.

Let’s address some of these concerns.

·         The bench press is as functional as any other exercise or lift. If you are trying to isolate your pecs by curling up on the bench like a dying cockroach then you won’t find much carryover to any other useful activity. Plant your feet. I’ll explain how to bench properly in a moment.

·         You are supposed to fix your scapula with the upper back muscles. Even on mundane push ups your upper back needs to stay rigid. You need to press from a firm base; including strong activation of the lats. If not, your pressing power will diminish and can lead your shoulders into an unsafe position. Connect your arms to your body. Balance your upper body strength development with good technique and don’t neglect working on your upper back strength.

·         Most trainees injure themselves on the bench due to overly ambitious weight selection and poor technique. How many times do we see the buddy doing barbell rows while the bloke on the bench is pressing? Or another trainee squirming under the bar as they struggle to put up their eleventh rep?

Seems the common theme here is technique, and usually the absence of good technique. This is also what separates the powerlifter from the usual gym rat. How else do these lifters put up several times their bodyweight on the bench, and suffer fewer injuries? Powerlifters also use more sensible rep and set schemes, and cycle the weights. More on that another time.

Let’s review the technique.

·         Lie down on the bench, expand your chest, draw the shoulder blades together, pull the shoulders toward your feet, and plant your feet.

·         Brace your whole body, force your feet into the floor, as if you are doing a bridge, and unrack the bar. Your choice on the grip; close grip forces more work onto the triceps, whilst a wider grip forces more work on the pecs.

·         Pull the bar down to your sternum with the lats. Think of a barbell row.

·         Pause the bar on your chest for a second. Don’t relax with the bar on your chest, but stay tight.

·         Flex the lats, glutes and your abs hard, and squeeze the weight of your chest. Imagine the bar is stationary and you’re pushing yourself into the bench.

·         Imagine the bar is connected to your elbows, push from your elbows until lockout.

A couple of tips;

·         Be aware of the suicide grip. What’s a suicide grip? You’ve seen them, trust me. It’s the thumbless grip, where the bar kind of rests on the palms. It does nothing for your power, and can be really hazardous to your health. Grip the bar like you mean it. The proprioceptors in your hands let your body know to increase the tension elsewhere, therefore lifting more and increasing safety.

·         Keep your wrist in neutral position. Don’t let them hyperextend. Project the force of the barbell straight down your forearm. Position the bar over the heel of your palm.

·         If you are having trouble connecting the lats, tighten your grip, and imagine you are trying to bend the bar.

For those worried the bench press overly develops the lower pecs, therefore giving the appearance of sagging breasts, switch from the regular flat bench to an incline bench press. You might not be able to lift as heavy, but your pecs will have a more aesthetic look, that of a greek statue of antiquity. Or supplement your bench routine with lots of incline dumbbell presses. This has the benefit of upping your regular flat bench numbers in the process.

Think of performing a standing military press, only lying on a flat bench. The military press demands full body tension, for safe and effective pressing. When benching, apply the same full body tension.

It’s easy to knock something as having little benefit if it is applied incorrectly- take the squat as another example. Learn, and master the technique, develop your skill, and you will earn your rewards of increased upper body pressing strength and increased performance in your sport.