Bench press

You can lift weights to get strong.

To do this, you lie on a flat bench. You hold a heavy bar with both hands. You lower the bar to your chest. Then, you push it up high.

This move helps your chest and arms grow. It also uses your legs to stay steady. Some people use two weights called dumbbells. This is a great way to train your body.

The bench press is a way to build strength.

To do it, you lie on your back on a flat bench. You hold a heavy bar called a barbell with both hands. You lower the bar until it touches your chest. Then, you push it up until your arms are straight. One full move is called a rep.

This move uses many muscles. It mainly works your chest muscles, called pectoralis major. It also uses your shoulders and your triceps. Your triceps are the muscles on the back of your arms. These muscles help you lock your elbows at the top. You also use your legs and core to stay steady.

There are many ways to do this lift. You can use two weights called dumbbells instead of a bar. You can also change the angle of the bench. An incline press uses a bench that tilts up. A decline press uses a bench that tilts down.

Some people use a wide grip with their hands far apart. Others use a narrow grip with hands close together. This helps train different parts of your body.

The bench press is a popular way to build upper body strength.

People use it to grow muscles or to get ready for sports and jobs. It is a compound movement, which means it uses many muscles at once. The main muscles working are the pectoralis major in the chest. The front of the shoulders and the triceps on the arms also help. You even use your legs and core to stay steady while you lift.

To perform the lift, you lie on your back on a flat bench. You grasp a barbell with both hands and lower it to your chest. Once it touches your chest, you press it upward until your arms are straight. This one full movement is called a repetition, or a "rep." In powerlifting, people use special ways to lift even heavier weights. They might arch their backs or press their feet hard into the floor. This helps them move the weight more effectively across their whole body.

This exercise has changed a lot over many years. In the past, people used different moves like the floor press or the belly toss. The bench press became very popular starting in the late 1950s. Before that, the parallel dip was a common way to train the chest. In 1899, George Hackenschmidt set a record by lifting a barbell while lying on the floor. Later, Joe Nordquest broke that record in 1916. Today, the weights people can lift are much higher than they used to be.

There are many different ways to change the bench press. An incline press uses a bench that tilts up to work the upper chest. A decline press tilts down to focus on the lower chest.

You can also change your grip. A wide grip focuses more on the chest muscles. A narrow grip puts more work on the triceps. Some people even use a "suicide grip" where the thumb is not wrapped around the bar. However, this can be unsafe if the bar rolls out of your hands.

People use the bench press for many different goals. It is one of the three main lifts in the sport of powerlifting. It is also the only lift used in Paralympic powerlifting. Some lifters use special gear like a stiff shirt to help them lift more. Others use chains or bands attached to the bar to change how the weight feels. Whether using a barbell or dumbbells, it is a tool used to push the body's limits.

The bench press is a fundamental weight training exercise used to develop upper body strength. It is classified as a compound movement, meaning it requires multiple joints and muscle groups to work together. Athletes use it to build muscle, increase power, and improve endurance for sports or daily tasks. The exercise is a cornerstone of many training programs. It is also a primary component of the sport of powerlifting. In fact, it is one of only three lifts in powerlifting, alongside the squat and the deadlift. It also stands as the sole lift used in Paralympic powerlifting.

To perform a standard barbell bench press, the lifter lies horizontally on a flat bench. The person grasps a barbell with both hands and lowers it toward the chest. The bar is lowered until it touches the chest area. The lifter then presses the barbell upward, extending the arms until they are moderately straight. This complete movement is known as one repetition, or a "rep."

Several specific muscle groups drive this movement. The primary muscles involved are the pectoralis major, which is the large chest muscle. The anterior deltoids, or the front part of the shoulders, also play a major role. Additionally, the triceps brachii muscles help extend the elbows. To complete the movement, the triceps are especially crucial during the lockout phase. Other muscles, such as the pectoralis minor, are also activated during the lift. Beyond these primary movers, the body uses tonic or stabilizing muscles. These include the rotator cuff for the shoulders and the core muscles, like the obliques and transverse abdominis, to maintain stability.

In the sport of powerlifting, athletes use specific techniques to maximize their performance. A lifter positions their body weight on their buttocks and upper trapezius muscles. They often use an arched back and press their feet firmly against the floor. This technique is used to distribute weight effectively across the back, legs, and floor. While some criticize the back arch, it is considered the safest and most effective method for powerlifting. The arch serves a specific purpose by shortening the range of motion. This allows the lifter to use less energy and move heavier weights.

The history of the bench press shows a long evolution of training methods. In the late 1800s, lifters used variations like the floor press. In 1899, George Hackenschmidt set a record by performing a strict floor press with a barbell. This record lasted 18 years until Joe Nordquest broke it in 1916. During this era, lifters also discovered that using the glutes could help move a bar from the ground to an overhead position. This was often done via an explosive glute bridge movement. By the late 1950s, the bench press became more popular than the parallel dip. Over the last 100 years, lifting records have grown significantly. The raw record has reached 355 kg, while the shirt-equipped record has reached 612 kg.

There are many variations of the bench press that target different areas. The incline bench press uses an elevated bench to emphasize the anterior deltoids and the upper clavicular head of the pectoralis major. Conversely, the decline bench press elevates the pelvis to focus on the lower pectoralis major. Lifters can also change their grip to alter muscle emphasis. A wide grip focuses more on the chest and shortens the range of motion. A narrow or close grip relies more heavily on the triceps. Some lifters use a reverse grip, which uses an underhand position to rotate the humerus. This can place the shoulders in a more favorable position for certain movements.

Advanced training methods can further modify the exercise. Some lifters use variable resistance by attaching chains or bands to the barbell. This changes the weight distribution throughout the lift to develop explosive power. Others use "equipped" training, which involves wearing a stiff, supportive shirt to allow for heavier weights. There are also unilateral variations, such as the single-arm dumbbell press. This method ensures that both arms perform an equal amount of work, which helps reduce muscle imbalances. By adjusting the bench angle, grip, or equipment, the bench press can be adapted for almost any strength goal.