Tips for Improving Bench Press Strength

The supine barbell bench press is a very popular exercise for developing the musculature of the upper body, which in turn can be a valuable tool for improving athletic performance in many sports applications.  The bench press is also a very popular exercise for measuring upper body strength to determine an athlete’s preparedness for athletic competition.

There are three primary muscle groups that are utilized to perform the bench press.  The pectoral muscles of the chest region, the front deltoid muscle of the shoulder, and the tricep muscles of the back of the upper arm.  All three of these muscle groups are essential for developing maximal bench press strength and must be trained accordingly.

The following are some tips for improving bench press strength levels:

1)    If you want to be a good bench presser, you need to bench press! Performing this movement twice a week as part of your upper body strength development program is perhaps one of the most effective ways to improve your bench press.

2)    Always use good technique when training the bench press.  Lower the bar with total control to a point at the base of your pectoral region. With your butt in constant contact with the bench and feet on the floor, press the barbell to a point directly above your shoulder joint.  Be sure to completely lock out each rep as this will ensure maximal tricep development.  Various hand spacings can be successful with the bench press, but a medium grip where your little fingers are aligned with the outer rings of the barbell, is a good starting point for equally involving all muscle groups when performing the lift.

3)    Including relevant assistant movements into your bench press routine can be a very effective way to improve your strength in the lift.  Incline press, military press, dips, front deltoid raises, and various tricep movements are great exercises to improve the 3 main muscle groups involved with the bench press.

4)    Be careful with “overtraining” the bench press, and the muscles used for it’s development.  This is a very common occurrence, especially with younger athletes, and can actually lead to a weakening of the affected muscles in some cases.  Keep missed reps to a minimum, take at least 48 hour breaks between bench workouts, and limit your training volume to 3-4 working sets of benching per workout.  Also be sensible when training the assistance movements as excessive training here is often the primary cause of overtraining the muscles of the upper body. 

Next month, we’ll discuss some specific training programs that can be utilized for improving bench press strength.

1)    Introduction

2)    Proper technique

3)    Musculature involved – pecs, triceps, deltoids

4)    Typical bench press routine

5)    Assistance movements -

6)    Common problems – overtraining, poor technique, poorly designed program