03 Apr Step By Step Guide: How To Bench Press

By: Brian Carroll

Everyone wants a big bench. In fact, it’s one of the first exercises most try to learn when they begin to strength train. The only problem is that it’s rarely done correctly.

SET UP

Foot Positioning

A strong bench press begins with a strong set up. If your set up is weak, the rest of the lift will be as well. Proper foot positioning will ensure a sturdy base and allow for optimal leg drive. Begin with a wide base and with your feet firmly planted into the ground. To do this, drive your heels into the ground and keep your toes tight as if you are gripping the floor like a monkey.

Gripping the Bar & a Strong Unrack

The width of your grip will be highly dependent on your structure. If you are a wider guy, you will probably have a wider grip. Conversely, if you are a narrower guy, you will have a narrower grip.

Staying tight is crucial in the bench press. To do this, get up on your traps and pull your shoulder blades together. This will keep your entire upper back tight and guarantee a strong unrack. Once you take the bar out, your elbows should be slightly tilted inwards. This is a result of squeezing the bar so hard as if you are literally trying to bend it.  This will also incorporate your lats further, involve your traps more and get your triceps ready to fire.

BAR PATH

Prior to lowering the bar, make sure that you take a big breath as this will help to create full body tension. As covered before, as you take the bar out, imagine bending the bar. You will lower the bar down to your sternum while driving your heels into the ground, keeping your arch intact and keeping your elbow inwards. Most importantly, you want to remain tight throughout the entire movement and maintain activation particularly in your lats and upper back.

Now you are ready to press.

THE PRESS

Once the bar is lowered, you’ll wait until the bar is motionless and then press. As you press the bar, you will press it back towards your face. While doing so, drive your heels, keep your elbows in, stay on top of your traps and remain tight throughout the entire movement. NOTE: some like to flare as the bar goes up and back. Nothing wrong with this – as I do this myself BUT the way I teach it is to tuck so that one can learn to bend the bar and engage the upper back, shorten the stroke and keep the bar bath as efficient as possible.

As always make it your own!

By following these guidelines on how to bench properly, both your technique and strength are sure to improve.

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Brian Carroll

Owner and Founder at PowerRackStrength.com

Brian is a retired world-class powerlifter with over two decades of world-class powerlifting. From 1999 to 2020, Brian Carroll was a competitive powerlifter, one of the most accomplished lifters in the sport's history. Brian started off competing in bench press competitions 'raw,' then, shortly into the journey, he gravitated toward equipped lifting as there were no "raw" categories then. You only had to choose from single-ply (USPF) and Multi-ply (APF/WPC). Brian went on to total 2730 at 275 and 2651 at 242 with more than ten times his body weight in three different classes (220, 242, 275), and both bench pressed and deadlifted over 800 pounds in two other weight classes. He's totaled 2600 over 20 times in 2 different weight classes in his career. With 60 squats of 1000lbs or more officially, this is the most in powerlifting history, regardless of weight class or federation, by anyone not named David Hoff. Brian realized many ups and downs during his 20+ years competing. After ten years of high-level powerlifting competition and an all-time World Record squat at 220 with 1030, in 2009, Brian was competing for a Police academy scholarship. On a hot and humid July morning, Brian, hurdling over a barricade at 275lbs, landed on, fell, and hurt his back. After years of back pain and failed therapy, Brian met with world-renowned back specialist Prof McGill in 2013, which changed his trajectory more than he could have imagined. In 2017, Brian Carroll and Prof McGill authored the best-selling book about Brian's triumphant comeback to powerlifting in Gift of Injury. Most recently (10.3.20) -Brian set the highest squat of all time (regardless of weight class) with 1306 lbs – being the first man to break the 1300lb squat barrier at a bodyweight of 303 lbs.

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